Babbitt’s actions wouldn’t have gotten off the ground if it weren’t for Greg Goodwin, a retired Forest Service biologist. Goodwin was the first to spot the cacti on Babbitt Ranches land in 2006 while doing volunteer biological surveys. He ended up spending seven years surveying for the cacti in different areas of the ranchland north of the San Francisco Peaks, producing data that formed a foundation for the Babbitt management plan. Goodwin spoke highly of the landscape.

“It appears to be a pretty pristine grassland,” he said.

While Cordasco didn’t know of any other endangered plant or animal species that make a permanent home on the ranches, Goodwin said he alone has documented 350 different species.

“I think that shows you even though it doesn't look like it, it's this extremely diverse, dynamic plant community in which this pediocactus seems to be doing fairly well,” he said.

The exemption for Babbitt Ranches wasn’t looked at favorably by all, though. Michael Robinson with the Center for Biological Diversity was more skeptical about Fish and Wildlife’s decision, saying that in the context of species recovery, protected lands are always better than those that fall outside that protection.