Cooperative Stewardship Agreement Summary

This Cooperative Stewardship Agreement for Habitat Improvement (Contract No. L25-09300337) is entered into between Daniel Bennett (Cooperator) and the State of Arizona through the Arizona Game and Fish Commission and the Arizona Game and Fish Department. The agreement authorizes the parties to execute a cooperative habitat improvement project on lands owned or controlled by the Cooperator, specifically targeting the Hackberry/Pivot Rock Allotment in Game Management Unit 6A within the Coconino National Forest, Red Rock Ranger District.

The project involves the sediment removal and cleaning of five dirt tanks (Pambo Tank, Sob Tank, Mescal Tank, Cimarron Tank, and Myrtle Tank) to their original depth and dimensions using heavy equipment, with access via existing roads or trails. Upon completion, the tanks will provide perennial water for cattle and wildlife, including elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, and small and non-game species. The Arizona Game and Fish Department will reimburse Daniel Bennett up to $15,000.00 for all labor, equipment, and material costs necessary to complete the habitat improvements, with labor involving heavy equipment included in this amount. Equipment, defined as items with a fair market value of $5,000 or more per unit, is excluded from reimbursement. Payment will be made upon receipt of itemized invoices, and all work must be completed by June 11, 2026, with proper compliance documentation from the Coconino National Forest obtained before commencing work. The agreement extends for five years from the last signature date, with annual monitoring and evaluation of project effectiveness conducted jointly by both parties, and may be terminated by either party with sixty days' written notice.