2004 Award Recipients:
Sonoita Valley Planning Partnership
With special appreciation to those who have made this partnership possible:
Karen Simms - BLM; Jesse Juen - BLM; Jeff Williamson - Phoenix Zoo, AZ; John & Mac Donaldson - Empire Ranch, AZ; Doug Duncan - USFWS, AZ; and Dan Robbinet - NRCS, AZ.

The 2004 Burch Award was given to the participants of the Sonoita Valley Planning Partnership, including John and Mac Donaldson of the Empire Ranch; Karen Simms of the BLM; and Jeff Williamson of the Phoenix Zoo.

This productive partnership is a model of a collaborative public land stewardship (recognized nationally too). They have creatively faced a number of challenges, including endangered species protection, rising recreational pressure, rapid growth on private land in the area, and cattle management. We were very pleased to recognize their work with the $15,000 award honoring Clarence Burch, the grandfather of Andrew Dunigan.

Excerpt from Award Announcement:
"The Sonoita Valley Planning Partnership (SVPP) is a voluntary ad hoc association of agencies, organized groups, and individuals who work together to achieve community-oriented solutions to local and national issues affecting public lands within the Sonoita Valley. In addition to federal, state, and local agencies, participants include representatives from organized groups like hiking clubs, conservation organizations, off-highway vehicle clubs, and mountain bike clubs, bird-dog clubs, and grazing and mining interests, as well as individuals from a variety of communities in southeastern Arizona."