RANGELAND PRESERVATION
Sustainable Rangeland Grazing and The Mare Pasture Community
RANGELAND PRESERVATION
The Mare Pasture is a visionary plan for sustainable living designed by renowned Tucson architect John Riggs. John was raised at Red Wing Ranch, which includes The Mare Pasture, and is a descendant of Brannick Riggs who founded the original Riggs Settlement and family ranches. John is passionate about preserving his family's heritage and the beautiful Open Rangeland of Southeastern Arizona.
The primary goal of The Mare Pasture is to save existing rangeland by providing an alternative to potential wildcat housing developments scattered across thousands of pristine acres. The Mare Pasture will serve as a model by developing housing and community facilities in a dense, sustainable, walkable complex fully integrated with agriculture. Revenue generated by The Mare Pasture will allow the owners to continue their ranching operations while preserving significant areas of Open Rangeland.
Why is this important? Because Open Rangeland provides essential ecosystems for wildlife and watershed, and these precious lands are rapidly disappearing: As rural ranching families grow and age, inherited ranches are divided among multiple descendants resulting in smaller ranches that are unsustainable. People grow discouraged, sell-out or abandon the land, and move away, finding other occupations to financially survive. When land is purchased for development or housing, it often becomes sprawling acres of uncoordinated ranchettes and mini-malls that destroy native grasslands, riparian areas, wildlife corridors, and viewshed.
The ranches of Riggs Settlement established in the late 19th and early 20th centuries created a self-sustaining environment. Many of the original ranches and business endeavors provided themselves as well as nearby communities with livestock, dairy products, fruits, honey, and timber. The ranches were also a close knit community of family and friends.
John Riggs is fusing the wisdom of the past with the needs of the present to create a vision for the future: Intelligently designed, sustainable communities that offer beauty, security, community involvement, and environmental efficiency but that also fit seamlessly into the surrounding ranges and wilderness.
Please return often to view the progress and learn more about the Brannick Institute and preserving rangeland.
All of the photographs in the gallery below were taken on Red Wing Ranch property. Half were taken at The Mare Pasture site.
