The Empire Ranch, built by Walter Vail and family, was one of the most financially successful and long-lived cattle enterprises in Arizona. For over 140 years, the owners of the Empire wisely managed its natural resources – soils, waters, and vegetation in the Cienega Valley. Today those grasslands are some of the richest and most stunningly beautiful in this state. This talk will present the story of how those ranchers survived flood, drought, and economic challenges and how the Bureau…