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In pursuing its mission, the Bureau of Land Management has confronted few challenges greater
than those found on the public lands of southeastern New Mexico. Here settlers of the late 19th
century encountered a fertile landscape, teeming with wildlife and spanning millions of acres
of prairie.
But over the next century this landscape would change dramatically. Intensive use of the
region’s natural resources for livestock grazing, oil and gas production, and mineral
development, along with drought and other factors, would render much of this area a
virtual wasteland.
In the 1980s, as the Bureau of Land Management mounted a concerted effort to restore the
health of the natural environment, the agency also encountered a troubled political environment.
In many ranching communities around the West, the Sagebrush Rebellion had given voice to
dissatisfaction and even distrust of federal resource management agencies, including the
BLM.
In southern New Mexico, the agency’s hopes for restoring this landscape rested on a partnership
of stakeholders and the critical involvement of ranchers. That would require that someone
of influence and credibility in the ranching community, be willing to step forward, take
a risk, and lead the way.
Joe Stell, Rancher, Carlsbad, N.M.
In the early 1990s when we obtained this lease it was evident that the coverage by rough
brush and whitethorn was so much that the ranch wouldn’t pay off. The BLM had a program
that was treating the land and getting rid of the brush and we accepted it and it has
turned out to be a very beneficial move and activity for us.
Calvin Deal: BLM Rangeland Management Specialist
The bare ground has dropped from around 50 percent over time, it’s around 12 percent.
And this is from the mid 90s until now. Production has doubled from around 170 pounds per acre
to around 370 pounds per acre. When we show these numbers it’s easy to kind of sell
these ranchers on these treatments. But from the beginning, without seeing these numbers,
that’s where Joe stepped in and really took a chance and so now you can see that it has
paid off.
Jim Stovall, BLM Field Manager, Carlsbad, NM
What I see with Joe is, he not only has these great leadership qualities, he takes on new
challenges and he also takes on risk.
Joe actually took a little risk with the Bureau of Land Management and tried a new approach
with the brush and getting the grasslands back. And if he hadn’t done that we wouldn’t
be where we’re at today. We used to do a few thousand acres a year and I believe now,
because of Joe and partnerships, we do 150 thousand to 200 thousand acres a year. And
it’s that kind of leadership that helped us all get to where we want to get.
Narrator:
The range improvements have paid off, not only in more forage for cattle, but also in
environmental services such as water conservation and wildlife habitat.
Ray Keller: BLM Rangeland Management Specialist
We use the same land for grazing and recreation and everything. So, as you notice, this is
a grassland behind us. And over here to our left is brush that was left. We don’t treat
the bottoms, we leave those for wildlife. And we do treat the uplands, which give us
a better watershed holding capacity for our waters.
Adam Wright: District Officer, N.M. Game and Fish
It benefits many different species of wildlife. None of those benefit more than the antelope.
The antelope, they like the wide open grassland. And because of the management that Mr. Stell
has done here, we’ve been able to — working with him and the BLM and several other cooperatives
— we’ve actually been able to actually transplant some antelope out here onto this
ranch.
Narrator:
In 1997, BLM again turned to Joe Stell to support a plan for reducing shrubs and restoring
grassland through the use of prescribed fire — a concept that had not entirely gained
the confidence of the ranching community.
Steve Daley BLM Soil Conservationist:
There were three objectives: it was to bring fire back into the ecosystem; it was to reduce
hazardous fuels; and then trying to replace more grass to replace the shrubs that had
invaded, and make it more like the grassland historically. And there was no re-seeding
done. It all came back naturally. Once we reduced the brush the grass was able to compete
and establish itself.
And that was another time he took a risk. Because he didn’t have to do it. We could
have tried to burn around it, it would have made the job more difficult. And his contribution
with things such as drip torch fuel, to pull the fire off, and we were fortunate enough
to get good rains afterward, and the grassland recovered. And we’re starting to get fire
back into the ecosystem.
Laurie Kincaid Rancher
Joe took the initiative on this brush control work when a lot of us were skeptical about
it because we were concerned about how long was this going to last. Is this going to be
a temporary fix? Is it going to be something that’s goin g to be long lasting where it’ll
be cost effective? And Joe was willing to take the chance and he took the chance, took
the initiative and did that. And it’s just grown from there. And, of course, he was always
heavily involved in the soil and water conservation. Water conservation has been one of his pets
for a long, long time. And, you know, there’s been a lot of people get involved in this
due to the work that Joe Stell did.
Narrator:
In 2005 the BLM and the informal coalition of stakeholders that had been working together,
entered into a formal partnership under the banner of “Restore New Mexico.”
Judy Block, Carlsbad Soil and Water Conservation District
We’re out here at Washington ranch. It’s basically an oasis in the middle of the desert.
We’re just a little bit up the road from Joe Stell’s ranch. We’ve collaborated
in some brush control in and around the area, also some noxious weed treatments on the Black
River, which is where Washington Ranch is basically in the middle of.
Mary Lou Ballard: New Mexico Association of Conservation Districts
These organizations, for the first time that I know of, worked together with ranchers,
with federal agencies, with state agencies and it’s just been a wonderful program and
Joe Stell has been a big part of it.
Tracy Hughes: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
He was willing to take the risk of working with all of the federal agencies. Lots of
good water conservation and soil conservation and it’s just been remarkable with Joe being
such an example to all the area ranchers.
Mary Lou Ballard: New Mexico Association of Conservation Districts
And you can look at his ranch and see the good work that’s been done.
Tracy Hughes: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Yes, it’s been transformed from a primarily *** invasive species to a grassland.
Doug Burger, BLM Pecos District Manager
We bring probably a dozen tours of Restore New Mexico through this area. And inevitably,
on every trip we end up stopping at Joe’s ranch as the last stop. And the reason we
do that is because everybody wants to know, when they see the one-year and the –three-year
and the five-year treatments, what are they going to look like in 15 or 20 years? So we
stop at Joe’s ranch to show them that, with good stewardship, they’ll look as good in
15 years as they do in two years.
Narrator:
On a day when the Bureau of Land Management and many other friends and partners gathered
to honor Joe Stell, the chambers of the United States Senate also rang out with tribute to
Joe, presented by New Mexico’s Senators, and read to Joe by their staff.
Lyn Ditto: Field Representative for
U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman
Being a steward of any resource is a large responsibility. All of us must do our part
to hand over to succeeding generations the resource we cherish. Joe Stell not only understands,
but practices that. And we are all the richer for it.
Beverly Allen: Field Representative for
U.S. Sen. Tom Udall
A no-nonsense public servant, who asked tough questions, restored the landscape of New Mexico,
and changed the way government agencies and ranching communities worked together to improve
the land. Then Governor Richardson referred to him as “Mr. Water.” Joe Stell’s conservation
work will always remind us that a commitment to the land and environment is powerful.
Linda Rundell: BLM State Director, New Mexico
Joe we love you, we appreciate you so much, and congratulations.
Joe Stell:
Thank you, Linda, that’s a beautiful picture.
(Applause)
You’ve got to surround yourself with good people, hard working people, sincere people,
and get a job done. And this is what has happened. We had coordination between the federal government,
NRCS, Soil and Water Conservation, and individual owners of private property. I very humbly
accept this award on behalf of you people, because you’re really the secret to what
has happened and what’s going to happen in the future.
Narrator:
Joe Stell’s story is, above all, a story of relationships and partnerships.
Verna Stell:
I’m so glad that we moved out here. We enjoy the country. And especially the work the BLM
has done and Joe’s work for water issues. And I’m glad he’s my husband.
Joe Stell:
I’ve had a good partner for over 60 years and I appreciate her and the way she brought
our children up. We’ve also been associated with a lot of good people all our of lives.
And those good people have led us in the direction that we’re in. And although we’re headin’
down the western slope, I wouldn’t change any of it.
Narrator:
The Bureau of Land Management is proud to present its 2011 Rangeland Stewardship Award
to New Mexico rancher and conservationist Joe M. Stell, Jr.