Construction Begins on Babbitt Ranch Energy Center North of Flagstaff
for standing firmly on a long-standing forged ethic, focusing on projects bigger than themselves, setting up
Thus, from Flagstaff to Washington, D.C., the Babbitt Ranches Community is being praised as a national model for successful collaboration in renewable energy. The 750,000-acrea land company also has captured the attention of the New York Times for its land stewardship ethos.
‘One of the Most Innovative Land Companies’
Article V A Land Ethic Section 3
On Thursday, June 29, Coconino County officials hosted Congressional staff members, White House representatives and National Association of Counties
“Babbitt Ranches is one of the most innovative land companies in the United States. It is what innovative land management looks like,” said County Board of Supervisors Chair Patrice Horstman to the group of about 50 NACo and federal government representatives.
Featuring 50 turbines, NextEra’s Babbitt Ranch Project has the capacity to generate up to 161 megawatts of wind energy. Now operating, the wind farm is said to be able to create enough low-cost, homegrown energy to power nearly 40,000 homes for Salt River Project (SRP) customers and provide millions of dollars in additional tax revenue to Coconino County throughout the life of the project.
“Our relatives believed in a land-use ethic from the beginning – a forged ethic that continues to be at the heart of the Babbitt family and the family-business owners’ decisions regarding Babbitt Ranches operations. We are thrilled to be combining forces with others who share a strong commitment to the land, the environment and the future as we work together to generate renewable energy for generations to come,” said Cordasco.
wants and what’s the best fit for the land with the most positive benefits and minimum impact. We are thankful to have the county out here supporting the project.”
Salt River Project (SRP) and Cl¯enera, an Enlight Company, announced a power purchase agreement for an additional 394 megawatts (MW) of clean energy at CO Bar Solar last summer. This is the second agreement executed between Cl¯enera and SRP at the CO Bar Solar complex, and with both agreements, SRP has now procured nearly 1,000 MW, or 1 gigawatt (GW), of power from the project. Once operational in 2025, CO Bar Solar will offset more than 4 billion pounds of carbon dioxide emissions each year.
Wind power collaboration creating a new renewable energy resource for Arizona’s future
Wildlife, Environment, Core Values
Cle¯nera Solar Farm to Produce Energy on Babbitt Ranches Next Year
The original news article, with the headline “Faith, Love Prescribed As Cure For Sick World,” remains in its fragile state carefully filed in Northern Arizona University’s Cline Library in Special Collections.
It states that the company grew through the intelligence, integrity, hard work and ambition of the brothers.
“This is not only the largest solar plant in Arizona and one of the largest in the United States, but it will also be the most significant solar resource in SRP’s energy portfolio,” said Jim Pratt, CEO of SRP. “SRP will be quadrupling the amount of utility-scale solar on our power system in just the next two years, with CO Bar Solar as a key part of this. Nearly half of all energy delivered to SRP customers will come from carbon-free resources by the end of 2025.”
“With its pioneering history, economic impact and vision for the future, Babbitt Ranches has demonstrated creative ways to keep rangelands as open space, keep them intact
and Fish Department, the Arizona Department of Transportation, the Arizona State Land Department, Coconino County and everyone involved in the Western CO Bar Legacy Conservation Community for the benefit of future generations.” A subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources will build, own and operate the project.
The Babbitt Ranch Energy Center is expected to create up to 250 jobs during the construction phase and generate enough power to support about 40,000 average-
“This is an incredible opportunity for Congressional staffers to see what a project like this looks like,” said NextEra Senior Project Manager Clinton Spencer.
“We do what the community
sized residential homes during the next 30 years. In addition, the energy center is expected to bring about $9.5 million in additional tax revenue to the region. With the Phoenix metropolitan area growing three times the national average, SRP officials say the utility must continue to build new generation resources that help meet the increasing energy demand from customers while also supporting SRP in its longterm decarbonization goals.
Babbitt Ranches, one of the West’s longest running land companies, has been exploring renewable energy viability in Northern Arizona since 2005, measuring wind speeds and conducting solar
The wind farm is but one component of a broader wind and solar energy effort involving six global renewable energy developers across Babbitt Ranches. Reporter Catrin Einhorn of The New York Times visited Babbitt Ranches in October to discuss the Cl¯enera solar development. Her story, “The Planet Needs Solar Power.
… continued on page 6
Calling Cle¯nera’s 1,500 megawatt solar farm, scheduled to be operating on the CO Bar Ranch in 2024, the company’s “crown jewel,” Project Lead Tom Fitzgerald joined representatives from Babbitt Ranches, Arizona state agencies, Coconino County, Arizona Public Service and three other renewable energy developers in the Babbitt Brothers Conference Room in downtown Flagstaff on June 2, 2022. They were there to celebrate and participate in the Western CO Bar Legacy Conservation Community. See related story on p. 3.
“We
As
Article V A Land Ethic
years of life through reducing air pollutant emissions every year.
Section 2.
A land ethic changes the role of Homo sapiens from conqueror of the land-community to plain member and citizen of it. It implies respect for his fellow members, and also respect for the community as such.
time for renewable energy projects to have a new narrative, a conversation that goes beyond how many houses a wind or solar farm can power.”
Based on the annual electricity produced by the proposed and planned turbines and panels, Quantum Energy consultants say the Babbitt Ranches renewable energy complex could generate $1.8 billion per year in net benefits, as well as save nearly 10,000
At
C.J. Babbitt, president of Babbitt Brothers Trading Company at the time, was quoted as saying “Man is leaning too much toward material things, and is forgetting his purpose in life, the welfare of his soul. Religion is not just something you put on with your Sunday suit. Religious principles should be carried out every day in family relationships, in business and in contacts with other people.”
CO Bar Solar is a 1.2 GW landmark solar and storage complex being developed by Cl¯enera. The project will occupy up to 2,400 acres on Babbitt Ranches private land in Coconino County. Construction on CO Bar Solar is expected to reach commercial operation in phases throughout 2025.
“This is equivalent to 2,000 people enjoying an extra five years of healthy life with their families,” said Quantum Energy COO and Co-founder Andrew DeMille.
“The conversations about land stewardship that we’ve had with NASA and USGS have been wonderful and inspirational,” said Billy Cordasco on behalf of the Babbitt Ranches Community. “Together, we are promoting
the idea that a land-use ethic can be extended to form our ideals in space. It’s about being aware, responsible and accountable for our actions.”
Quantum Energy CEO and Co-founder Daniel Howard, Ph.D., says what $1.8 billion per year can buy in quantified public health and environmental benefits, as a result of clean energy, is priceless. That’s because, he says, it can dramatically change the future of
Local USGS geologist
Jim Skinner is one of the key forces behind developing a statement that honors the use of land wherever humans travel. “It’s a way to have everyone understand that we are taking care of the land, whether we are on private
human and ecosystem health.
land, like Babbitt Ranches, or on the moon or other worlds,” he said. “We want to always be respectful and that goes beyond the ground itself, it includes the critters and the biota. That’s something we will be working on over the next year.”
A draft statement suggests a personal and professional commitment “to help maintain the integrity of the land as we take this next step off of our
On a chilly October morning at Arizona Nordic Village, DeMille and Howard presented the detailed data analysis of 2,000 megawatts (MW) of solar energy, 784 MW of wind power and 3,000 MW hours of battery storage and answered the question: What happens when you deploy the largest wind and solar project in the United States?
Using Quantum’s
It is through discipline and integrity that we are consistently demonstrating what it means to be at our best. In this way, we can set the example and behave as a model and mentor for our youth so that they can determine what kind of people they can become, what kind of people they want to be.
TotalView Energy Platform, a computer simulation program funded by the National Science Foundation, the hourly electricity production of the 2.8 GW portfolio was projected and then the changes in electricity grid dynamics
The article made note of his modest apartment and office. He spoke of the duty of citizens to the government and his hope that modern life would lead to more leisure time. “Mr. Babbitt hopes Americans will put to good use their new-found time. He feels adult education courses can be very valuable, and that pursuit of cultural hobbies such as art, music and reading should be encouraged.”
Jason Ellsworth, CEO at Cl¯enera added: “We are excited to deliver increased access to affordable, clean renewable energy in Arizona. We look forward to a fruitful long-term relationship with SRP, as we continue to develop additional renewable energy projects in the state.”
He also recalled his years on the cattle ranges. “It does a man good to get out under
NASA Thanks Babbitt Ranches
Over the course of the CO Bar Solar construction timeline, approximately 550 construction jobs will be created, with many being local. Once complete, SRP will receive enough power from this resource to meet the needs of approximately 180,000 average-size homes.
In a letter from Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, dated Jan. 30, 2023, NASA sent an official thank-you note “for the use of the Babbitt Ranches to conduct our Desert Research and Technology Studies (Desert RATS) testing this past October. The Black Point Lava Flow area enabled us to conduct long-range testing of a pressurized rover mockup to investigate rover concept of operations and capabilities for future Artemis exploration missions on the surface of the Moon and onto Mars.”
Article VI
Sustainable Community Principles
Section 7.
The letter, signed by Desert RATS Mission Manager Barbara Janoiko, who was at the site, states, “We leveraged the lessons we learned in 2021 to continue conducting Extravehicular Activities (EVAs, or spacewalks) at night with low-angle lighting representing lighting conditions on the Lunar south pole with support from a mission control room at the Johnson Space Center, which is an important step towards more flight-like operational scenario testing on Earth to prepare for Artemis missions.”
Babbitt Ranches is a community that employs Multiple
Janoiko concludes, “We look forward to our continued partnership with the Babbitt Ranches and conducting future testing in the Flagstaff area to further the goals of human exploration of the Moon and eventually Mars!”
Bottom Line decision-making, which integrates organizational, ecological, economic and community values into all decisionmaking processes in a thorough, open and flexible manner.
and power plant emissions in the surrounding areas were assessed.
“This comprehensive and high-resolution methodology allows us to accurately measure the total net impact of renewable energy projects under construction and in the planning stages on Babbitt Ranches north of Flagstaff,” said DeMille.
Solar generation increases by over 4,000 GW hours,” said Howard. “That’s an 85% increase in annual solar energy generation in the entire Southwest Power Market [which includes Arizona, New Mexico and parts of California and Texas] over the year – almost a
… continued on page 6
“In our efforts to support the delivery of renewable energy, we acknowledge the terrific and wonderful participation of so many businesses and government entities involved in the process to make this happen,” said Billy Cordasco. “We appreciate the valuable input from the Arizona Game and Fish Department, Arizona Department of Transportation, Arizona State Land Department, Coconino County and everyone involved in the Western CO Bar Legacy Conservation Community for the benefit of future generations.”
At the heart of the Babbitt Ranches Community, that which truly matters most, is our effort in being aware of our character, principles, values and ethics. We strive to understand who we truly are deep inside and determine what kind of people and organization we want to be. It is through discipline and integrity that we are consistently demonstrating what it means to be at our best. In this way, we can set the example and behave as a model and mentor for our youth so that they can determine what kind of people they can become, what kind of people they want to be.
Through our efforts of learning and understanding, Babbitt Ranches, a family business and pioneering land company, raises livestock, manages natural resources, promotes science and participates in the broader community in order to join, share and do the very best we know how.
Through our efforts of learning and understanding, Babbitt Ranches, a family business and pioneering land company, raises livestock, manages natural resources, promotes science and participates in the broader community in order to join, share and do the very best we know how.
BABBITT TIMES REVIEW BABBITT TIMES REVIEW The Constitution of Babbitt Ranches highlights the characteristics and values by which the organization operates. Articles of The Constitution can be found correlating with the news stories in the Babbitt Times Review February 2023 C.J. Babbitt, one of the original Babbitt Brothers, is shown here with his son, John Babbitt, who managed the vast operation from 1935 to 1985. Terrence "Terry" Cantorna of Pattern Energy signs a goat bar, symbolizing the beginning of the Western CO Bar Legacy Conservation Community, a 40-year collaboration. See related story, Western CO Bar Legacy Conservation Community Forms to Protect Golden Eagles, on p. 3. … continued on page 6 With a passion to move the and planning for generations of Arizonans to come, NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, SRP, Babbitt Ranches and the Arizona State Land Department have announced that construction is underway for the Babbitt Ranch Energy Center. The 161-megawatt (MW) wind project, featuring 50 wind turbines across 669 acres on the CO Bar Ranch about 25 miles north of Flagstaff, is expected to begin delivering clean energy by December. “In our efforts to support the delivery of renewable energy, we acknowledge the terrific and wonderful participation of so many businesses and government entities involved in the process to make this happen,” said Babbitt Ranches President and General Manager Billy Cordasco. “We appreciate the valuable input from the Arizona Game
land ethic then reflects the existence of an ecological conscience, and this in turn reflects a conviction of individual responsibility for the health of the land. Health is the capacity of the land for self-renewal.
effort to understand and preserve this capacity.
The
Conservation is our
Forging a Land-Use Ethic for the New Space Age Moon rover rolls across Babbitt Ranches as Artemis astronauts train On land occupied by Hereford cattle, pronghorn antelope and mule deer, a moon rover prototype cruised at a top speed of eight miles per hour on Babbitt Ranches near Black Point Lava Flow last fall. It was here at a mobile space camp of sorts that astronauts from NASA and JAXA (Japan’s space program) worked with U.S. Geological Survey scientists, along with engineers and technicians, to practice geology and drive a 12-wheeled rover across the moon-like terrain. It was also here that Babbitt Ranches, NASA and USGS discussed a land-use ethic to be transported onto other worlds.
have land ethics here on the Babbitt property that we maintain and then we’re going to carry that forward as we explore future destinations in our solar system,” said NASA Mission Manager Barbara Janoiko with Desert RATS (Research And Technology Studies).
continued on page 6 … continued on page 6
…
the heart of the Babbitt Ranches Community, that which truly matters most, is our effort in being aware of our character, principles, values and ethics. We strive to understand who we truly are deep inside and determine what kind of people and organization we want to be.
turbines
more
feet
arrays of solar panels
wind
reach
than 300
to the sky and
being planned
installation,
spotlight
Researchers articulate the potential impact of Coconino County solar and wind power projects in terms of health for people and the planet
A New Narrative for Green Energy Expresses the Value of 2.8 Gigawatts
Coconino County is uniquely positioned to hold the largest wind and solar complex in the United States with a potential
portfolio, Billy Cordasco addressed stakeholders at Arizona Nordic Village in October saying, “It’s
2.8-gigawatt
February 2024
Coconino County hosted representatives from the National Association of Counties (NACo) along with White House and Congressional staff members on a field trip to the Babbitt Ranch Energy Center north of Flagstaff. Photo by Stephen Pelligrini and Coconino County
Members of the Western CO Bar Legacy Conservation Community gathered for a historic meeting at Arizona Nordic Village to commemorate the way forward in renewable energy. Photo by Chad de Alva
CoconinoCountyBoardofSupervisors Chair Patrice Horstman visitedwithBlattnerEnergy's PrairieHandyside.
Jim D. Babbitt, Jr., signs a wind turbine blade.
A Yellow Rose
The presentation of a single yellow rose is a tradition of Babbitt Ranches. This tradition allows us to reflect and to embrace our passed loved ones and to share this embrace with their families. Our thoughts are with those lives lived well, who will forever stay in our hearts.
A Yellow Rose
Its gentle beauty reminds us of the love our family and friends haveforus…Itssoftyellowhuesymbolizesthehopeandjoythat comes with tomorrow’s sunrise… Its loveliness lives on in our heartsandremindsusofthosewhohavewonderfullygracedour lives and who will always remain in our thoughts and prayers.
Patricia Louise Bilby Moore (1948 – 2023)
Patricia Louise Bilby Moore was born in Flagstaff on March 12, 1948, to Ralph Bilby and Mary Babbitt Bilby. She grew up with her five siblings in Flagstaff and graduated from Flagstaff High School in 1966. She attended all three state universities as an undergraduate and graduated from Northern Arizona University with a sociology degree. In 1969, she married James David Moore and raised their children Richard, Rebecca and Emily. Eventually, both Jim and Patty worked at NAU. There, she completed a Master of Education in Human Relations and a Doctor of Education. In 2011, she retired from her position as associate vice president of the NAU Extended Campuses. Ms. Bilby Moore was well read and stayed well informed. She loved nothing more than discussing politics and exchanging ideas. She enjoyed gardening, painting, art, cake decorating, playing the guitar and piano, traveling, distributing advent calendars at Christmastime, and took great joy from her collection of dolls and restoring antique doll houses.
The Community of Babbitt Ranches fondly remembers beloved family and friends.
Babbitt Ranches is a Community within a Community integrated with broadly diverse groups of individuals with varying thoughts, interests, skills and history. With yourself, with family and friends, with the community and with the environment, one way or another and in the end, relationships are all there is. Thus, it’s simply not just about things and doing things, but about the meaning of things. With a genuine consideration for others, LifeScapes provides a venue through which Babbitt Ranches participates with the community.
Babbitt Ranches, Wupatki Renew Time-Honored Agreement Promoting Like-Minded Conservation
For the leadership of Babbitt Ranches and Wupatki National Monument, there is a spirit of land conservation without boundaries when it comes to protecting cultural resources, wildlife corridors and habitat, geologic features and viewsheds. And it’s been that way for decades for these Northern Arizona neighbors.
“We have enjoyed an excellent relationship built on a mutual respect and similar land conservation ethics to preserve and protect natural and cultural resources including viewscapes, landscapes and the natural quiet,” said Wupatki’s Resources Stewardship and Science Manager Lisa Leap.
“In many ways, how Babbitt Ranches manages their land feels like an extension of the monument.”
This January, Wupatki National Monument (WUPA) as part of the National Park Service, and Babbitt Ranches, specifically the CO Bar Ranch, renewed their Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) “to establish a partnership of communication, cooperation and coordination…so that CO Bar lands adjacent to WUPA are managed to meet the operational needs of the CO Bar while preserving and protecting the landscape, viewshed, and the natural and cultural resources in a manner that leaves them unimpaired for future generations,” according to the document.
“We could not ask for better conservation partners,” said Billy Cordasco about the National Park Service employees at Wupatki National Monument, on behalf of Babbitt Ranches. “For as long as I can remember, we have met out on the land together to discuss how to help struggling species like the American pronghorn and golden eagle. We share research
and strategies and have great respect for each other’s land management plans so that we are working together and in sync for the benefit of the land and its inhabitants on a landscape scale.”
Leap says she appreciates how Babbitt Ranches recognizes and promotes scientific research.
“In my experience, a lot of landowners say they want research, but don’t follow through. Babbitt Ranches follows through with valuable, credible research about wildlife corridors, plants, archaeological and geological resources.”
In addition, Wupatki currently is engaged in a Wilderness study. Nearly 35,000 acres of land adjacent to Babbitt Ranches are eligible for ultimate protection under the National Wilderness Preservation System because of their wild characteristics defined in the 1964 Wilderness Act as “an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.”
“What makes this area so special is that it is one of the most densely populated archaeological resources in the Southwest,” said Leap, whose area of expertise is ancestral Puebloan cultures of the Four Corners Region. “It’s where multiple cultural groups coexisted in the late 1080s after the eruption of Sunset Crater Volcano. The Indigenous people who are here today have ancestors who lived through the eruption. They bring a tribal perspective of respect to resource management, which is such a nice flavor.” Wildfire is another management consideration that moves across borders and thus, Babbitt Ranches and the monument have discussed wildland fire management practices. “Our policies in the past have called for full fire suppression,” said Leap. “We are updating our wildland fire plans to research the potential of letting wildfires burn more naturally, providing benefits to the ecosystem. Babbitt Ranches is in full support of that.”
Representatives for Wupatki National Monument and Babbitt Ranches both praise each other for their longstanding trust and cooperation developed out of a deep love and respect for the land and its resources.
“We can’t say enough about the collaborative efforts we’ve enjoyed through years of cooperative land management practices and landscapescale conservation,” said Cordasco. “This relationship we have with the folks who work at Wupatki National Monument is just truly special, meaningful and rare. We appreciate their genuine sincerity and commitment to the land.”
In the MOU, The Babbitt Ranches Conservation Philosophy is defined as “a process that takes place within each individual and must begin with awareness of the surrounding environment and an understanding and appreciation of its intrinsic values. With awareness comes a sense of responsibility and obligation to care for the land. A sense of responsibility and
obligation translates into the need for individuals to be accountable for their actions as those actions affect the land.”
The memorandum also states that WUPA “harbors one of the largest protected areas of juniper, savanna, grassland, and desert shrubland within the southern Colorado Plateau region. The uninterrupted vistas, stunning night skies, and natural sounds are still significant to a number of contemporary Indigenous Indian tribes as evidenced by oral history, continuing traditional practices, and archeological study.”
“The way Babbitt Ranches views landscape health and the way they care for the land and have a relationship with the land is incredible,” said Leap. “Not only are they wonderful neighbors to Wupatki National Monument, they realize they are part of a greater community.”
Leap has worked with the National Park Service for more than 30 years and been in Northern Arizona since 1987. Her hope for the future is greater appreciation and awareness for the natural and cultural resources, and land management on a landscape scale. She has officially stepped down from her leadership role and plans to spend 2024 as a mentor within Wupatki National Monument and as an educator to visitors about the wonders and beauty of the environment, particularly the Four Corners Region.
As the strong El Niño weather pattern is diminishing, National Weather Service meteorologists are watching to see if it will bring more rain and snow to Northern Arizona with the potential for additional atmospheric river events in early March.
“With our heavy rain and snow early in February, most locations have recovered somewhat from the dry fall and early winter, but most areas of Coconino County are still
below normal with regard to our water-year precipitation, since October first," said NWS Meteorologist in Charge Brian Klimowski, Ph.D.
The outlook for the rest of the winter and spring is leaning wetter than normal with the lingering El Niño, he added. “That will hopefully make up the remaining deficit of rain and snow from the fall and early winter."
Looking forward to the monsoon season, Klimowski says there are no
strong signals pointing toward either wetter or drier weather. “The aspect of the monsoon is partially driven by the winter. That is, if we have a particularly wet winter and spring, we'll often see our monsoon precipitation delayed, frequently with below normal rainfall values. like what happened in 2023. If the late winter and spring seasons are dry, our monsoons lean toward wetter than normal.
page 2 February 2024
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Coconino Plateau Forecast
prehistoric pueblo on Babbitt Ranches has been documented with three-dimensional imaging technology and stabilized to preserve its standing walls. Tsopki is also serving as a hands-on learning station for Northern Arizona University archaeology students. The multi-storied building is just outside Wupatki National Monument near the Little Colorado River. It could be called the mine of dreams. In 1959, the promise of room, board and riches kept young men working for free in the Northern Arizona high desert. Buried in the dirt for decades is the story of what history has judged to be a scheme to extract millions of dollars from investors without extracting uranium ore. The story played out on land now owned by Babbitt Ranches. Hear from one of the workers, Hugh McKeen, on the DiscoverywithBabbitt Ranches podcast.
Podcast
Northern
A series of storms in 2023 kept Flagstaff residents along with Arizona Nordic Village busy digging out from the record-breaking snowfall. Article III Cowboy Essence Section 4. Cooperation Listen if you want to be heard. Be interested in finding the best way, not in having your own way.
This
Discovery
Shares a Dark Glimpse of
Arizona History
Seeing Red
Hereford and Red Angus calves dot the landscape
About 2,000 calves were born last spring on Babbitt Ranches, with more than 90% of the cows having babies.
“It was happening all across the ranches,” said Ranch Manager Clay Rodgers. “Calving season started in mid- to late-February and ended in April.”
Rodgers says the calves stand up almost instantly after being born.
“The cow will lick them clean, stand them up and get them nursing within 15 to 20 minutes. They’re fairly tough.”
Article III
Black Angus in the mix. “It was a good calf crop last year,” said Rodgers. “The calves stay with the cows until October when shipping begins.” Meanwhile, last season’s foals began to arrive in the middle of April. “We have 54 mares and about 40 were pregnant,” Rodgers said. “We aim to offer about 25 at the Annual Colt Sale and keep some as replacements for brood mares and the cowboy remuda.”
Babbitt Ranches raises about 2,500 cows on average. About 70% are Hereford and 30% are Red Angus, with a small amount of
“Spring is always an exciting time on the ranch,” said Billy Cordasco. “From green grasses on rolling hills to the calves and foals, new life is everywhere.”
termrentalpropertiesinthehistoric BabbittBrothersBuildingat113N.San FranciscoSt.,indowntownFlagstaff, Arizona.Theapartmentsaremanaged bytheBabbittBrothersFoundation.
Refreshed Arizona Nordic Village Promotes Friendly Spaces, Forged Ethic
National Forest-like vibe created through new paint, renovations, retro artwork
Borrowing inspiration from the Forest Service with pinegreen paint and Smokey Bear brown trim, Babbitt Ranches has refreshed Arizona Nordic Village with a new coat of color, structural improvements, artwork reminiscent of the 1950s and a campground vibe that celebrates the woodsy environment.
Contractor Dean Gallaher reconfigured parts of the deck to expand the space and lead visitors into the central grounds of the property where weddings and large gatherings bring people together.
Meanwhile, new Smokey Bear posters, designed with a comfortable nod to days gone by were framed and positioned in the lodge; and illustrator Michael Hagelberg created artwork to evoke a feeling of nostalgia.
“I’ve been out there skiing and mountain biking around the trails, so I had a good sense of what the location was like, and I had a photo to reference for the design,” he said.
The artwork, acrylic on canvas, showcases the Morning Glory Backcountry Yurt among tall ponderosa pines and visited by deer, with the San Francisco Mountains as the backdrop.
Visitors are drawn to the Forged Ethic message: “At the heart of the Babbitt Ranches Community are our principles, values and character qualities. We strive to understand who we truly are deep inside and what kind of people and organization we want to be.”
Hagelberg, who was the illustrator for interpretive signs at Picture Canyon, says it’s fun to create an inviting place with ecological concepts through art.
Nordic Village Appeals to Desert Dwellers
Lake Havasu City residents and visitors have been able to experience Arizona Nordic Village and high-country fun through the winter edition of Havasu: Arizona’s Coastal Life magazine. Editor La’Erica Conner-Slims shares information about yurts, cabins and cross-country skiing at the property some 250 miles away from the western Arizona community.
“Visitors looking to stay overnight can choose from several lodging options,” she writes, including yurts and frontcountry cabins, along with traditional campsites.
“Depending upon travelers’ needs, the property attracts a diverse demographic,” the article states. “Businesses who frequent the area typically organize corporate meetings or retreats. For families, an ‘off-the grid’ experience lies ahead of them.”
Preparing for News Media, Promoting Mid-Week Gatherings
In anticipation of winter media attention and yearround promotional opportunities, members of the Arizona Nordic Village leadership team spent an autumn afternoon creating key messages and practicing speaking on camera.
Article III
Cowboy
Essence
Section 11.
Skill Be prepared with knowledge and the ability to properly and quickly execute the fundamentals. Cover every little detail.
“We know from past experience that snowstorms not only bring out the local crosscountry skiers, but also the news media from Phoenix and beyond,” said Nordic Village General Manager Sydney Nieminen. “We wanted to make sure we were all prepared and feeling confident about stepping up to answer questions and using the moment to showcase other uses of the facilities like business retreats and family reunions.”
“The word is definitely out that Arizona Nordic Village is the place to go for that rustic chic setting that feels like you’re deep in the wilderness, yet you’re only a short drive to town,” she said. “Now we are focused on expanding the idea of mid-week weddings and overnight midweek lodging in yurts and cabins, which offers more options for catering and other services and fewer people on the road and at nearby attractions.”
The team also promoted the idea of rustic weddings during the week, as Nordic Village experienced another record year with more than 45 ceremonies and receptions on the property in 2023.
Nieminen, Assistant Manager Rachel Luzzader and Venue Manager Natalie Hewitt participated in the exercises. Bonnie Stevens, who supports Babbitt Ranches with public relations and communications efforts, created the workshop, eliciting support from NAU Associate Professor of Practice in the W.A. Franke College of Business Theresa Bierer and Videographer Morgan Boatman.
Babbitt Ranches is a Family Business, as such, the work of business and the complexity of relationships have had a significant impact on each other.
Through the years, Babbitt ventures have included cattle, sheep, trading posts, grocery stores, department stores, lumber companies, a livery stable, an automobile dealership, mining operations, farms, an ice plant, a funeral parlor and many others.
As the 21st century organizational community carries on the spirit of adventure, exploration and love for the land, the CO Bar, Cataract and Espee Ranches remain bustling with activities that bridge the business ventures from the pioneer age to the space age with a commitment to quality and long-term decision making. Cowboys ride, rope and brand while researchers study climate, explore renewable energy and simulate conditions of the moon.
730,000 acres of grazing land
275,000 acres deeded
Mostly Hereford cattle
American Quarter Horses; carrying
the historic Hashknife brand
February 2024 page 3
FramedSmokeyBearpostersinvitevisitorstorelaxandenjoytheforest.
Cowboy
Essence
Concentrate
achievement
Be determined
persistent.
Section 9. Intentness Set realistic goals.
on
by resisting temptations.
and
located upstairs,alongwithfiverustic-chicshort-
Article IV Cowboy Essence Character Qualities Section 3. Adaptability The ability to adjust to any situation. The Babbitt Ranches office is
February 2024
Forged Ethic
At the heart of the Babbitt Ranches Community are our principles, values and character qualities. We strive to understand who we truly are deep inside and what kind of people and organization we want to be.
February 2024
Can We Build It Without Harming Nature?” was published in early February 2024. She wrote: “On the grassland north of Flagstaff, a ranching family, solar developers and state wildlife biologists have come together to try out solutions on the fly. One sunny day last fall, a helicopter descended over a herd of pronghorn streaking across shrubby grasslands near the site of a planned solar farm.”
Article III Cowboy Essence
Section 1.
Industriousness
and why. “The collar will track how he responds to the solar farm, which will be broken up into sections. Fifteen corridors ranging from a quarter-mile to more than a half-mile will offer habitat and passage for pronghorn, mule deer and elk.”
There is no substitute for work. Worthwhile results come from hard work and careful planning.
She explained how the Arizona Game and Fish collared individual animals
Solar energy developer Cl¯enera had reached out to Babbitt Ranches in 2018.
Continuing with her story, Einhorn writes:
“For Babbitt’s president, Bill Cordasco, the idea of a large solar project was appealing both financially and morally.
It would bring in revenue for the family business while helping reduce climate risks for future generations. But he knew the pronghorn relied on that land. Mr. Cordasco wanted to find a solution that would meet everyone’s needs, including the pronghorn.
‘If you guys aren’t interested in working through this pronghorn deal, it ain’t going to happen,’ he recalled telling Cl¯enera during their first in-person meeting.”
Einhorn reported, “A back-and-forth over the site design led to adding migration corridors and closing off some dead-end areas where animals could have gotten trapped or disoriented. Developers and wildlife officials discussed the pros and cons of quarter-mile versus half-mile corridors.
(Would the smaller ones be wide enough for the animals to use? Would the larger be worth a significant increase in the overall footprint?) In the end, everyone agreed on the range of different corridors, creating a kind of natural experiment.”
A ‘Perfect Location’ for Wind and Solar Projects
Meanwhile, following Babbitt Ranches’ and Coconino County’s careful review, County Community Development Assistant Director and Planning Manager Jess McNeely said that Coconino County is in “a perfect location” for wind and solar projects.
“The county’s Renewable Energy Ordinance promotes utility-scale clean energy projects and we are seeing more renewable energy interest as coal-fired energy generation is shutting down,” said McNeely. “Babbitt Ranches is a wonderful partner in working toward the county’s bigger-picture interests.”
Supervisor Horstman spoke about how values important to the county such as wildlife conservation, dark skies protection, viewsheds and recreation are considered in the planning process.
A New Narrative for Green Energy Expresses the Value of 2.8 Gigawatts continuedfrompage1 doubling of solar generation. Wind increases by close to 2,000 GW hours. There’s a little decrease in coal generation and a large reduction in natural gas generation.”
In addition, he explained, “There’s almost 0% curtailment. Curtailment is what happens when you have wind and solar generation, but you don’t actually use it because there’s no need for it. But because of 3,000 MW hours of battery energy storage that is being deployed, every single megawatt hour that’s being generated can be used, not only without adding stress to the grid and its ability to match load and generation on an hourly basis, but by providing grid benefits that make it easier to do so by taking this renewable energy generation during the day, storing it and then releasing it in the evenings when we all get home and turn on the dishwasher, stereo and Roomba.”
“In today's world, making clean energy decisions based on carbon emissions alone is akin to managing your diet with calorie counts alone – it's an incomplete, outdated picture. Our TotalView Energy Platform is the much-needed ‘nutrition label’ for energy choices,” said DeMille.
“Our model expands this picture beyond carbon to examine particulate matter – the fourth largest contributor to global disease – as well as human toxicity emissions
that cause cancer, photochemical oxidants that cause smog, and a number of other emissions that impact public health and ecosystems,” said Howard.
He says the availability of more clean energy significantly reduces the amount of dangerous particulate emissions released into the air and breathed into lungs. Findings reveal that this large of a renewable energy center will result in a massive decrease in disease incidents, hospital admissions and premature deaths. “The reduction in particulate matter emissions will save over 5,000 years of life annually,” he said.
In other words, those who may be destined to die prematurely from exposure to pollutants in the environment, could get those years back.
Beyond human health, the TotalView Energy Platform’s calculations show that cleaner air, water and soil as a result of more green energy, make the region more habitable for at-risk species. “A reduction in this magnitude of carbon emissions will save over 10 local species per year,” said Howard.
The research also reveals that freshwater eutrophication, the process by which a body of water becomes progressively enriched with minerals and nutrients, will save close to two local species per year.
“Quantum’s TotalView Energy Platform has been a refreshing force that takes clean energy development conversations to a deeper level,” said Cordasco. “The impact analytics from Quantum provide an evidencebased narrative that speaks to all stakeholders about the benefits of renewable energy on human and ecosystem health.”
Cordasco pointed out that Babbitt Ranches took its time studying wind, solar and wildlife species, such as the golden eagle. Thinking longterm, he said, has allowed the Babbitt Ranches Community to identify what it means to be part of a broader perspective on a landscape scale.
“Quantum’s TotalView Energy Platform is a gamechanger in renewable energy. Its analytics foster trust, transparency and stronger connections across stakeholders,” said Cordasco. “As counties
require quantitative support, Quantum has empowered us to proactively shift the paradigm, providing the crucial information needed for permitting decisions. We have moved from qualitative conversations to a stronger, data-backed message.”
The missing link, he said, had been a lack of data to calculate long-term impacts and make informed decisions. “Quantum has helped us bridge that gap and thus, has revealed how the ripple effects of our projects extend far beyond affordable electricity — we're actively redefining the conversation with credible data to unlock our clean energy future. And these projects lead us to inspired hope,” said Cordasco. “Out of gratitude, all of us involved in these renewable energy projects, the Western CO Bar Legacy Conservation Community, get to participate in something that is right and good.”
“What’s happening in Coconino County for sustainability is benefiting the future for all of us,” she said.
Speaking on behalf of the Babbitt Ranches Community, Cordasco shared core principles that drive the 138-year-old family business and align with the county.
“These values we have for protecting wildlife, dark skies, endangered species, cultural resources, recreational experiences and viewsheds, they come from inside of all of us,” said Cordasco. “They are real and they matter.
Renewable energy allows Babbitt Ranches to embrace these values and maintain our ability to stay on that land.
Renewable energy developers are supporting these values
through the Babbitt Ranches Landsward Foundation.”
The Landsward Foundation is the educational and science research nonprofit arm of Babbitt Ranches.
Cordasco has praised the work of the county and federal government and emphasized that renewable energy projects will benefit the next generation, leaving them with options when the projects run their 30- to 40-year lifespan.
“What you do matters,” he said to the gathering of regional and national leaders in June. “You determine how we are going to lead. You are involved in projects that are bigger than yourselves, projects that will benefit generations to come.”
Character, Nature and Community have been bred into Babbitt Ranches for more than a century. The values that have made the people of Babbitt Ranches who they are and the characteristics that have shaped the organization into a lasting legacy are captured and articulated in The Constitution of Babbitt Ranches. It defines the organization’s Multiple Bottom Line, Conversation Council Creed, Cowboy Essence, Cowboy Essence Character Qualities, A Land Ethic, Sustainable Community Principles, Human Dimension and Science, Equity Model Fundamentals, Priceless Values and Constitution Commitment. These guide Babbitt Ranches’ organizational, ecological, economic and community decisions.
Wide and Varied Science is promoted, supported and acknowledged by Babbitt Ranches across the Coconino Plateau. The goal remains to affect a land ethic so that private and public land managers have science-based knowledge and technologies to support the sound stewardship and conservation of their lands and natural and cultural resources. Focus areas include:
Community and Relationships ◆ Sustainability ◆ Land Use Ethic ◆ Cross-Disciplinary Programs ◆ A Blend of Natural and Social Sciences ◆ Science and a Sense of Art ◆ Information Dissemination ◆ Regional Planning.
Conservation Projects support efforts to reintroduce the nearly extinct black-footed ferret; establish a golden eagle conservation area; and develop habitat for pronghorn antelope and other wildlife species.
Conservation Easements preserve open spaces for the enjoyment and participation of generations to come.
◆ Cataract Ranch, 34,000 acres to The Nature Conservancy
◆ Cataract Ranch, 6,000 acres to Coconino County
◆ CO Bar, 640 acres to Coconino County
Article V
Land Ethic Section 2.
University last May, Cordasco shared Babbitt Ranches’ long history of conservation and attention to pronghorn, deer and elk movement across Northern Arizona. “For us, the ‘goat bar’ reminds us that relationships are everything; that it’s the meaning behind our actions that’s important; and, that what we do is bigger than ourselves,” he said to an audience of wildlife researchers and managers from across the country.
A land ethic changes the role of Home sapiens from conqueror of the landcommunity to plain member and citizen of it. It implies respect for his fellow members, and also respect for the community as such.
communities as Babbitt Ranches has moved forward in renewable energy endeavors and continued participation in space exploration.
In a presentation to members of the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) at Northern Arizona
“My grandad, Ranch Manager John Babbitt, understood that the actions of the business had an impact on many things: the success of Arizona’s agricultural industry; employment in the local community including on Native Lands; and the health of wildlife populations, like deer and elk and their habitat. He felt a tremendous responsibility to this broader community and to generations to come. He also believed it was a great privilege to be in position to participate with the natural processes and to contribute to the future of Arizona and the nation,” said Cordasco. “All
of us in this room share that privilege and responsibility to be involved in projects that are bigger than ourselves.”
Cordasco pointed out that often people lose sight of why they do what they do. “That happened to the Babbitt family business in the 1990s. We had become involved in so many different projects and businesses across the region that we had forgotten the meaning behind why we do what we do.”
He shared how Babbitt Ranches was able to reconnect with its values and each other by creating The Constitution of Babbitt Ranches.
“What we realized was the business had a multiple bottom line, one that acknowledged organizational, ecological, economic and community benefits and impacts. It wasn’t just about the cattle ranch operations, it was about a land company that was involved in all kinds of research, habitat restoration, education, conservation and public recreation. And the one thing that bound the families and shareholders together was the vision that wildlife would always roam across the open spaces of Northern Arizona. The pronghorn antelope became a symbol of connectedness: relationships with human and biotic communities, the meaning
behind our actions and what our decisions meant for generations to come.”
In 1996, Babbitt Ranches created a Wildlife Management Plan, which led to many projects with organizations such as the Arizona Game and Fish Department, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Arizona Mule Deer Foundation, Arizona Department of Transportation, Arizona State Land Department, the U.S. Forest Service, Northern Arizona University and many others.
“We had the opportunity to engage in meaningful projects for wildlife, like restoring historic grasslands and collaring elk to gather information through radio telemetry,” he said. We became more deliberate about using what we knew through decades of observations on the land and what we were learning to benefit wildlife.”
The cowboys and I have witnessed how this has worked on the ground, keeping the pronghorn connected to the herd. But the goat bar worked in a different way, as well. It meant connectivity for people, too. The idea brought people together, created relationships, optimism and a focus on something bigger than ourselves. The goat bar was a symbol of the meaning behind our actions – how we impact
each other, our community, our environment and future generations. To us, it is a symbol of landscape-scale conservation.”
WAFWA conference participants visited the Babbitt Ranch Energy Center on the CO Bar Ranch where the ground was being prepared for a substation and wind turbines through NextEra Energy.
“Babbitt Ranches is a champion for planning renewable energy projects while maintaining deer and elk corridors,” said Flagstaffarea Terrestrial Wildlife
Program Manager Rob Nelson with the Arizona Game and Fish Department. “That sweet spot of coexistence is what we are trying to find in changing landscapes – landscapes that are impacted by drought, fire, recreation, climate and renewable energy projects. Workshop participants were really receptive to the strategies offered and the pathways Babbitt Ranches has spearheaded by working with various renewable energy companies and folding in the wildlife components.”
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February 2024
Babbitt Ranches Shines in National Spotlight for Renewable Energy Projects continuedfrompage1 How the ‘Goat Bar’ has Become a Babbitt Ranches Symbol of Connectivity Fencedevicebringsbothpronghornandcommunitytogether,promoteslandscape-scaleconservation The “goat bar” is a tool that has been used across hundreds of miles on Babbitt Ranches’ fence lines since the 1990s. It is simply a piece of PVC pipe, about four feet long, that pulls up the bottom strand and makes crossing the fence easier for pronghorn antelope, which prefer to go under fences rather than over them. “This has been highly effective in helping pronghorn connect with their habitat, but it also has been highly effective as a symbol of landscape-scale conservation and a land-use ethic that has helped the Babbitt Ranches Community stay connected to each other and the land,” said Billy Cordasco. In addition, that symbolic connection extends to include larger
VolunteersDaveRodgers(shownhereinstallingagoatbar)andTerryRice receivedrecognitionfromtheArizonaGameandFishDepartmentasVolunteer oftheYearfortheirworkplacinggoatbarsacrossmilesofBabbittRanches.
Quantum Energy’s Daniel Howard and Andrew DeMille say the impact of planned and proposed solar and wind projects in Coconino County can dramatically change the future of human and ecosystem health.
District 5 County Supervisor Lena Fowler, Community Development Assistant Director Jess McNeely and Deputy County Manager Andy Bertelsen joined Billy Cordasco on Babbitt Ranches where the substation was being constructed.
Paul D Mura celebrates the venture into renewable energy by signing his name to one of the wind turbine blades.
