V Bar V Ranch
The V Bar V Ranch near Camp Verde, Arizona, is a research and extension center that addresses environmental, wildlife, and domestic livestock issues applicable to ranches in the state and throughout the Southwest. It dates to 1927 when various holdings – including one owned by the Bradford Family, originators of the V Bar V brand – were incorporated into the V Bar V Cattle Company.
The 78,000-acre ranch includes varied elevation and vegetation zones, including high desert chaparral, pinyon-juniper, and pine, that are typical of most commercial ranches in central and northern Arizona. The ranch also holds a U.S. Forest Service grazing lease and thereby functions within the complex environment of public grazing. As a result of this setting and history, the V Bar V Ranch provides unique research and educational opportunities for sustainable rangeland management.