Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch and Grassland

Located in Elgin, Arizona, USA southeast of Tucson, the Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch is part of the National Audubon Society's network of sanctuaries for birds and other species. One of the organization's efforts involves conserving and protecting native grasses as part of a larger area of semi-arid grasslands in the Southwest United States and Northern Mexico. Located in the northern part of the Chihuahuan Desert, Appleton-Whittell features "grasses that have not been grazed since 1969", according to a document published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service (Basurto and Hadley, 2006, pg. 17). The USDA designated 62 square kilometers of grasslands in Appleton-Whittell as one of multiple Priority Grassland Sites to manage, conserve, and protect grassland areas. Public access is limited, with some roads and trails being accessible only with permission. Regardless, this research ranch allows biologists, scientists, and ecologists to study ways to protect grasslands and other plants, birds, and more for the future.