High Plains Grasslands Alliance
List Title
Members and partners of the HPGA
Twin Willows Ranch
DeHaven Ranch / Preserve
Christmas Ranch
Twin Willows Ranch is an idyllic ranch with over two thousand private and secluded acres in Mora County, New Mexico. The ranch has been operating under its current ownership for over 26 years. During the first decade, Twin Willows Ranch was part of the cutting horse industry and earned recognition as an outstanding performance horse operation. Beginning 2003, the owner re-envisioned the ranch to focus on land health and environmental stewardship, while providing a safe and comfortable shelter for the ranch’s family of dogs, cats, goats, horses, and cattle, some of which are rescued animals who have found a new home at the ranch. The Ranch now serves as a sanctuary for family and friends and collaborates with a diverse group of scientists to understand and restore the ecology of the ranch. These specialists, have performed multiple studies as part of the ranch Land and Water Program including pollinator and bird surveys, vegetation assessments, and groundwater and climate monitoring.
DeHaven Ranch and Preserve is located near Roy, NM. Five generations have taken part in cultivating this unique property as a conservancy and sanctuary for plant and animal life to replicate, as near as possible, that which existed at the turn of the 20th Century. Currently, the family operates a very small Angus cow-calf operation as well as accommodates visits of small groups interested in educational outings/workshops and being on the land in NE NM.
Rio Mora National Wildlife Refuge & Conservation Area
Formerly the Wind River Ranch, the refuge and conservation area are a continuation of the vision of philanthropist Eugene V. Thaw and his wife Clare E. Thaw who bought the Ranch in 1980 with the intent of protecting and restoring the land as a representative piece of southwestern ecological heritage. To that end, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working to facilitate partnerships to provide protection and cooperative management within the Mora River watershed.
The Rio Mora National Wildlife Refuge was established in 2012 and is part of the National Wildlife Refuge System, a national network of protected areas set aside for the benefit of wildlife, habitat, and you.
Fort Union Ranch
Moore Hyrdology
Stephanie J. Moore, P.G., is a Hydrologist and licensed Professional Geoscientist (TX No. 11727) with over seventeen years of experience in water resource investigations. She is the sole employee and owner of Moore Hydrology, LLC. Stephanie is an experienced scientist, quantitative data analyst, project manager and technical writer. Her primary areas of expertise include quantitative analysis of stream-aquifer interactions, vadose-zone processes, aquifer storage and recovery, and spatial and temporal variations in water quality; water resources and conservation planning; and database design and management. She enjoys using her technical skills to help governmental agencies, non-profit organizations, scientists, managers and attorneys identify, design and implement practical water resources management solutions.
The Sol Ranch
The Fort Union Ranch, in Watrous, New Mexico, has been in the same family since 1885. The Union Land and Grazing Company, the family corporation that owns and runs the ranch, has historically focused on raising beef cattle and providing habitat for elk, pronghorn and other wildlife. Today, the directors of the company are endeavoring to build resiliency in the land by investing in capital improvements and strengthening the operations and management of the ranch. With a long-term commitment to the stewardship of its historic landscape, the ranch is monitoring its water resources, protecting riparian land along creeks, and working to control erosion. The directors’ goals are to enhance the ranch’s ability to meet the challenges of climate change and to improve returns from cattle, natural resources, and other income streams while providing the family long term access to this remarkable property.
Sol Ranch is a cow-calf cattle operation in the short grass/canyon country of northeastern New Mexico outside of Wagon Mound. This business is owned by young rancher, Emily Cornell, who is transitioning into the tenure of her family’s land. Emily grew up on this ranch before leaving to pursue a B.S. in Environmental and Organismic Biology at Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO. She worked briefly for the Forest Service before returning home to eventually lease land from her family. Sol Ranch grazes their cows, calves, and yearlings on grass year round utilizing low-input cattle adapted over 40 years to the ranch’s unique landscape. Sol Ranch sells grass-fed and finished beef direct to consumer and wholesale. Emily strives to manage for biologically diverse ecosystems with healthy soil and healthy livestock through grazing management, infrastructure development, monitoring, and collaborations with scientists and neighbors.
The Christmas Ranch, located in the foothills of the Turkey Mountains, south of Wagon Mound, NM has been in operation since 1948. The Christmas family has been ranching for five generations, since the late 1800’s, with ranches in Southeastern New Mexico and evolving to Southwestern New Mexico before purchasing the current Northeastern New Mexico ranch and selling the other properties.
The Christmas Ranch is primarily a yearling operation that handles steers and heifers over the growing season of May to October. The focus has been on livestock distribution by implementing water pipelines throughout the entire ranch, proactive and conservative grazing management that coincides with changing precipitation patterns.
Purchase of contiguous ranchland has expanded the operation which involves all members of the family.
Natural beef is brought in as part of the yearling operation to facilitate the growing demand for beef products free of antibiotics and growth hormones and to help producers with a place to grow their livestock to a desired body weight.
Annual ranch improvements of water, erosion control, fencing and brush clearing enhance the operation and benefit the livestock and wildlife of elk, deer, turkey and antelope. In addition, the family owns an earth moving business that helps other ranches as well as their own throughout New Mexico with erosion and brush control as well as pipeline installations and water tank improvements.
Zeigler Geologic Consulting, LLC
Zeigler Geologic Consulting, LLC (ZGC) is a small woman-owned geologic consulting business based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. We offer a wide variety of geologic services for numerous clients around New Mexico. Projects range from hydrogeology and custom groundwater monitoring plans to geologic mapping, paleontological resource management for construction projects and conservation easement endeavors. Our senior geologist, Dr. Kate Zeigler is an AIPG certified professional geologist and all of our staff members hold degrees in geosciences.
HPGA History
Black Willow Ranch
Denver Zoo