Andy Holycross (Chair)
Bill Burger
Bill Radke
Bob Bezy
Bruce Taubert
Cecil Schwalbe
Daren Riedle
Don Swann
Emily Taylor
Erik Enderson
Erika Nowak
George Bradley
Marty Feldner
Mike Sredl
Phil Rosen
Roy Averill-Murray
Sheridan Stone
Tom Brennan
Tom Jones
Tony Gill
Trevor Hare
Trevor Persons

At the May 2004 AZ PARC meeting, I&M conservation issues and goals identified at the inaugural AZ PARC meeting were reviewed. A draft concept proposal for an Atlas of Arizona's Amphibians and Reptiles (AAAR) was presented as one possible solution that could address all of the inventory goals raised at the inaugural meeting. Many monitoring initiatives would likely benefit as well. During the break-out session, the I&M TWG discussed the scope, structure and approach of a concept proposal for AAAR.

1) A two-phase approach to building the AAAR was broadly endorsed by meeting participants. Under this model, specimen-based information would be incorporated beginning immediately, and "observation-based" information would be incorporated in later stages. However, meeting participants agreed that some observation-based elements required planning at project inception. Specifically, it was agreed that HDMS representatives should be involved in AAAR planning/design/development as soon as possible.

2) Alternatives to basing the AAAR at the herpetological collections of the state's Universities were discussed. However, there was broad support for a collections-based project ... particularly during the database-building phase and into the foreseeable future, so long as the Universities demonstrate a commitment/ability to support the project. The collections offer ready access to the bulk of Arizona's specimens, taxonomic expertise necessary for ID verifications, infrastructural support, and are already integrated in HerpNET as geo-referencing partners for Arizona specimens.

3) We briefly discussed marketing and potential funding sources. A variety of potential funding sources were identified, from the agency, private, and NGO sectors. It was agreed that AZ PARC should solicit and incorporate comments from the I&M committee, AZ PARC membership at large, and AGFD on the draft concept proposal. After the concept proposal is finalized, it will be sent to a broad spectrum of potential funding sources, with an invitation to attend an informational meeting in September.

Finally the I&M TWG agreed that a forum on the AZ PARC web site would be helpful to continue discussions as the AAAR proposal is developed. The group agreed to limit access via a password to the forum to I&M TWG members, only to limit random traffic; any AZ PARC member may join and participate on the I&M TWG and receive the forum password from the chair (Andy Holycross).