Rancher-Led Conservation Across the Borderlands
The Malpai Borderlands Group is a rancher-led conservation effort rooted in community values and a deep connection to the land. Formally established in 1994, the group emerged from local concern over the threat of unchecked development and the loss of wild, working landscapes.
Our primary working area spans 800,000 acres across Southeast Arizona and Southwest New Mexico, with a broader area of influence approaching 2 million acres. Through innovative practices like grassbanking, large-scale prescribed fire, and conservation easements now protecting over 90,000 acres of private land, the Malpai Borderlands Group blends traditional ranching with cutting-edge ecological restoration. This work improves habitat health, prevents fragmentation, and helps ensure the resilience and productivity of this uniquely biodiverse region.
From community outreach and cooperative land management to pioneering fire restoration efforts, the Malpai Borderlands Group stands as a national model of collaborative, landowner-driven conservation.
Learn how this borderlands community is shaping the future of the West—together.
Watch the video and explore their story.
