The initial mission of The Quivira Coalition, which was founded by a rancher and two environmentalists in June 1997, was to offer 'common sense solutions to the grazing debate,' principally by broadcasting the principles of ecologically sensitive ranch management.

The debate at the time was marked by extreme polarization on both sides, resulting in gridlock at a variety of levels. We sought to break this gridlock by advocating a new set of tools: grassbanks, dormant season grazing, planned grazing, restoration, collaboration and education.

We took a vow not to do lawsuits or legislation. Nor would we be mediators or facilitators between extremes in the grazing debate. Instead, we concentrated on creating a 'third position,' outside the continuum of brawling. We called this position The New Ranch and we invited others to join us.

Our goal was was to work simultaneously in the 'radical center' - a neutral place where people could explore their interests instead of argue their positions - and at the grassroots, literally the 'grass' and the 'roots,' where we believed, trust needed to be built anew.

We intended to be a vehicle for information as well as a catalyst for change -- not a debating society. In the beginning, the question was not whether sustainable ranch management was possible, but rather how to spread the news.

Today, our work is concentrated in four core Program areas (for more information on our accomplishments see At A Glance):

1) An Annual Conference: This upbeat event draws over five hundred people every January, a third of whom are ranchers. As of 2008, there have been 7 conferences. Speakers include: David Jonah Western, Wendell Berry, David Kline, Bill deBuys, Patty Limerick, Richard Louv, Rick Knight, Curt Meine, Deborah Madison and many ranchers, conservationists and scientists. Topics have ranged from riparian restoration, progressive ranch management and grassbanking to climate change, birding, agro-tourism, food, and energy.

2) Outreach and Education: We have published numerous books, field guides, bulletins, newsletters, journals and conference proceedings on topics as diverse as water harvesting from rural roads, environmental justice and public lands ranching, erosion control, grassfed beef and rangeland monitoring. We have conducted over 100 educational events around the region, delivered many public lectures, and collaborated with over forty organizations and many private landowners. Articles about The Quivira Coalition have been featured in High Country News and Orion magazine as well as numerous newspapers.

3) Land & Water Projects: We have directed nine land health and riparian restoration demonstration projects around New Mexico, including work on Comanche Creek, Cedro Creek and the Dry Cimarron River. We are also 'walking the talk' of progressive livestock management, monitoring, restoration, collaboration and 'New Ranch' economics on the 36,000-acre Valle Grande Ranch, located on Forest Service land near Pecos, NM. And we are also partners with ranchers Jack & Pat Hagelstein on an innovative grazing program in the Valles Caldera National Preserve.

4) The New Ranch Network: Since 2005, we have assisted over thirty landowners, grazing associations, and other community organizations through a small grants program and a network of consultants, mentors, and specialists (ranchers, conservationists, scientists and others). The goal is to give 'eager learners' the assistance they need (on a 1 to 1 match basis) to make the leap to progressive land management. Assistance has included: watershed plans, low-stress livestock clinics, grazing planning, monitoring, bird surveys and mapping.

Additional consulting services are available through The Quivira Coalition's Land Health Services program (contact Craig Conley - cconley@quiviracoalition.org for more information).