Green text on a white sign marks the entrance to the Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch. A large Yucca stands tall to the right of the sign against a backdrop of green grass and tall mountains.
Green text on a white sign marks the entrance to the Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch. A large Yucca stands tall to the right of the sign against a backdrop of green grass and tall mountains.
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Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch (AWRR)

A premier southwestern field station
The entrance to the Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch. Photo: Steven Prager.
The entrance to the Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch. Photo: Steven Prager.
Visit

Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch (AWRR)

A premier southwestern field station

The Research Ranch is a cooperative partnership among the National Audubon Society, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, The Nature Conservancy, Swift Current Land & Cattle and The Research Ranch Foundation. The 8,000 acres are managed by Audubon and portions of the land include the Coronado National Forest and Las Cienegas National Conservation Area. The property is surrounded by 5 million acres of semi-desert grassland and forested mountains covering southeastern Arizona and adjacent portions of Mexico and New Mexico.  For more than 30 years, the Research Ranch has protected grassland ecosystems through conservation, research, and education.

The Research Ranch has three main goals:

  • Conservation:  to be a premier semi-arid grassland ecosystem that fosters a natural diversity of native species
  • Research: to understand how grasslands and related ecosystems function, and to recognize the key elements that safeguard these ecosystems
  • Education: to advocate for grassland ecosystems by encouraging community members and policy makers to safeguard and rehabilitate native ecosystems throughout the region

To protect wildlife habitat and ongoing research projects at the Research Ranch, public access is restricted. Some roads and trails are accessible with permission only.

History
Our Conservation Work

History

To learn how a cattle ranch became a research facility....

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Staff / Contact
Our Conservation Work

Staff / Contact

To learn more about the employees of the Research Ranch....

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Visiting the Research Ranch
Visit

Visiting the Research Ranch

Access to the Research Ranch is by permit only, requires advance notice, and is limited to low-impact activities (birding, photography, etc.). Learn more...

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Volunteer
How To Help

Volunteer

The Research Ranch could not possible do what we do without our invaluable volunteers.

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Connect with the Research Ranch