New Mexico Newsletter, Spring 2004
Protecting the Rio Grande: Ute Mountain
Photo by: Jane Bernard
by Rebecca Procter
Ute Mountain hunkers down on its sage-covered plain like a buffalo cow, seemingly impassive and solemn under the more jagged peaks of taller mountains surrounding it on the east, west, and north. At the border of Colorado and New Mexico, the mountain rests on the basalt plateau of the San Luis Basin, which is cut by the Rio Grande Rift, a deep fissure in the earth's crust. The Rift forms the bed of the Rio Grande, creating a gorge that becomes ever deeper as the river runs south toward Taos.
Ute Mountain is the subject of one of the Trust for Public Land's most recent projects that will eventually see the transfer of approximately 14,000 acres to the public domain. Beginning in 2002, negotiations were initiated to purchase land that will come under the oversight of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). $3.3 million in federal funding was used to purchase the first phase, about one-half of the total land to be acquired. When complete, the entire mountain will be protected, as well as over six miles of frontage on the Rio Grande, which begins to cut its spectacular gorge into the basalt and river sediments north of the state line.
New Mexico's congressional delegation, whose support was critical to securing funding for the first phase, was persuaded by the wide range of supporters for the project. For over twenty years, wildlife experts and recreational specialists, as well as private citizens, have expressed deep enthusiasm for the area's potential to provide both wildlife habitat and low-impact recreation. BLM has tried to be responsive to all users, and has kept the portion it has acquired closed to public access until a management plan is developed for the entire property.
BLM plans to solicit input from concerned parties, including recreational users, citizens of nearby towns such as Costilla and Questa, and conservationists. A balance of viewpoints and interests must be achieved, however challenging, as BLM begins its stewardship.
 |
| Hikers along the Wild and Scenic stretch of the Rio Grande Photo by: Jane Bernard |
Puebloan people from farther south as well as the historic Ute tribe for which the mountain is named probably utilized the area for hunting. Species would have included not just the deer, elk, and antelope known today but probably buffalo (bison) as well. We have only an inkling of the variety of cultural resources that may be present around Ute Mountain.
Once protection is complete, visitors and local inhabitants will have an opportunity to help the old buffalo cow guard her natural and cultural treasures. Your financial support will help TPL complete the second phase of this acquisistion, and it will allow the organization to work on similar land conservation projects in New Mexico.
A Letter from the Director
TPL staff: Karyn Stockdale, Brian Drypolcher
Deb Love, and Kristin Watson.
(budding TPLer is Keely Stockdale.)
Photo by: Ted Harrison
Deborah Love, New Mexico State Director
The Trust for Public Land had arguably its best year ever in New Mexico in 2003--conserving over 7,000 acres of Ute Mountain, acquiring a new trailhead off Hyde Park Road in Santa Fe, working to create the first new state park in 20 years at the Mesilla Valley Bosque Park in Las Cruces, securing several hundred thousand dollars in funding for the next phase of planning for the Santa Fe Railyard Park, helping to design a new entryway to Albuquerque for rail and bus passengers, creating millions of dollars of funding for parks and trails in Gallup, working with Santo Domingo Pueblo to preserve over 1,000 acres of recreational and scenic land outside of Placitas, creating trail opportunities on the Santa Fe River...the list goes on.
2004 looks to bring us even greater opportunities and challenges, as we strive to create statewide and local sources of funding for land conservation as well as assist communities and agencies with the challenging task of preserving land. Our work has never been more urgently needed. The US Census Bureau anticipates that in the next twenty years, New Mexico will be the second fastest growing state in the nation. It is time for us to ask ourselves some tough questions--what are we, as communities, doing to prepare for this growth? What lands should never be developed, and how can we protect them before it is too late?
As you read this issue of the newsletter, I hope you will share our excitement about the opportunities we have here in this state to make a difference. It's not too late to protect those magnificent landscapes that characterize our communities and define our state. We welcome your involvement and your support, without which we couldn't begin to accomplish the incredible range of projects we are involved in. Please join us in shaping New Mexico's future!
Placitas Preserves Habitat and Open Space
When Placitas resident Rick Burnley saw people staring at a large map on the hood of a Lexus, he was nervous. He correctly suspected that the beautiful valley near his home was slated for development. Concerned that riparian habitat would be lost along with the rural character of his community, Burnley decided to find out if something could be done to protect the land, known locally as the Crest of Montezuma.
Located 15 miles north of Albuquerque in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains, Placitas has experienced intense development pressure. Throughout the area, new homes are being built at an astonishing rate. Developing the ecologically sensitive area seemed like too much to area residents who have seen coyote, bear, and deer drink from the creek that traverses the property, and watched great horned owls and bald eagles soar overhead.
Fortunately, research led Burnley to Karyn Stockdale of the Trust for Public Land. Stockdale met with Burnley and other Placitas residents, and then began discussions with the landowners about ways of protecting the land that would meet the needs of all parties. Good news came when Stockdale approached officials from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and discovered they were interested in acquiring and protecting the property.
While BLM was interested, the agency did not have the funds to purchase the property within a timeframe the landowners could accept. Some quick negotiating by TPL allowed Santo Domingo Pueblo to acquire 1,077 acres of the Crest property in November 2003. Santo Domingo will hold the property as a "conservation buyer" until the pueblo is able to complete an exchange with BLM, expected to take place in mid 2004.
BLM plans to work with area residents to develop a resource management plan that will protect wildlife habitat and allow for low impact recreational use. Through the exchange, Santo Domingo will acquire ancestral lands nearer the pueblo.
Parks for People--New Mexico
Building Healthy Community in our State
By Michele Huff
Urban parks and open spaces are an essential part of healthy, livable communities. Eighty percent of Americans now live in cities, and too many of them live out of reach of a park, playground, or community garden.
Urban greenspace provides a range of tangible benefits, such as mitigating air and water pollution, providing opportunities for recreation, reducing crime, and fostering cohesive neighborhoods. As part of a broader urban agenda, investing in open space can serve as an anchor for attracting businesses, stabilizing property values, and revitalizing neighborhoods.
TPL New Mexico supports land conservation efforts that improve the quality of life for all our communities. Below are highlights and updates on TPL's Parks for People projects in New Mexico.
Santa Fe Railyard Park
The 400-year old Acequia Madrea runs
throughthe Santa Fe Railyard Park
Photo by: Brian Drypolcher
With funds from Santa Fe County, the State of New Mexico and private sources, TPL has initiated the final phases of design for the Santa Fe Railyard Park and Plaza. In January we ran an intensive series of focused design sessions with park architects and stakeholders on the project. One highlight of this activity was a half-day workshop on water conservation and water harvesting.
The water workshop included a slideshow on permaculture techniques and rainwater harvesting systems presented by Joel Glanzberg of Regenesis Group; a field trip with Richard Jennings to look at water harvesting demonstration projects; and a spirited brainstorming session to explore creative water management and appropriate plantings for the Park and Plaza. The design team will convene again in the spring to present the next draft of the park design.
Mesilla Valley Bosque Park
Children explore the Rio Grande bosque
in southern New Mexico
Photo by: Pamela Bamert
The dream of New Mexico's first state park in 20 years has moved a bit closer to reality. TPL and its partners secured a grant from the federal Farm and Ranchland Protection Program to match $234,000 in state funds awarded last year for land acquisition along the Rio Grande south of Las Cruces. However, more funds are needed, as the appraisal came back higher than anticipated in this fast-developing area of southern New Mexico.
State Parks has already begun a master plan for the park and should have a draft in six months. The park will provide access to the Rio Grande as well as recreational and educational opportunities to over two million residents in the Las Cruces/El Paso area--one of the fastest growing population centers in the U.S.
TPL and its partners are looking to the state legislature and private sources to secure the remaining funds needed to complete acquisition of the conservation easement. Your contribution now will help us continue this important effort, and will help demonstrate to legislators and private foundations the public's interest in seeing this park built.
Developing Tri-Centennial Park
The City of Albuquerque will celebrate its 300th anniversary in 2006 and is planning several initiatives to commemorate its founding.
One such initiative is the creation of Tri-Centennial Park as part of the Alvarado Transportation Center off Central Avenue and First Street. For many years the train depot and surrounding area have been run down and neglected, but now this area is being transformed as part of an overall downtown revitalization project undertaken by the City of Albuquerque.
The new depot will replicate the traditional colonial style of the old depot and historic Alvarado Hotel. Developers and the City of Albuquerque plan to add retail businesses and residential condominium units in the adjoining neighborhood. Soon, the Alvarado Center will compliment a bustling residential and commercial district with people transitioning to and from the city by rail and by bus.
Amidst this ambitious undertaking, civic leaders in Albuquerque contacted TPL to lend its expertise to the visioning process for Tri-Centennial Park, a 1/4-acre property at the heart of the new transit center. TPL envisions a space designed to complement the new structure and support the emerging neighborhood.
Acknowledging our ties to Alburquerque, Spain, the park will have a grove of cork trees--important trees in the Extremadura region of Spain. And, there will be a large sculpture that is an exact reproduction of a monument in place in New Mexico Plaza, which is a new plaza under development in Alburquerque, Spain. Tri-Centennial Park will provide a spectacular open space for Amtrak riders looking for a way to pass the time, for people who live and work in the area, as well as a venue for community events such as a local farmers' market.
Restoring the Santa Fe River
One of the colorful pocket parks
along the Santa Fe River
Photo by: Nathan Houchin
In our effort to create more parks, open space, and trails in Santa Fe, TPL recently accepted a donation of land in the Santa Fe River corridor, between Frenchy's Field and Agua Fria's San Ysidro River Park. This spring, we will convey a total of 19 acres to Santa Fe County's Open Space program. The Santa Fe River Project is a collaboration involving numerous organizations including TPL, the City, the County, and El Camino Real River Connection and its affiliates. The project's goal is to restore the river corridor and to create a permanently protected open space that preserves the history and natural environment of this precious cultural resource.
Where the Resources are Plentiful, and the Funding is Scarce
On the ground discussions about preserving
farm and ranchland in Taos County
Photo by: Ingird Lundahl
By Edward Archuleta
New Mexico is blessed with many wide-open and unspoiled spaces. The 1.8 million people who live in New Mexico enjoy one of the lowest population densities in the nation. In many parts of the state one can walk out the backdoor and hike through miles of undeveloped and unmarred landscapes.
Unfortunately, this situation is changing. Already unplanned and unmanaged growth is occurring at an alarming rate. The US Census Bureau predicts that within the next twenty years New Mexico will be the second fastest growing state in the nation. Clearly we must act now if we are to prevent our state from losing the landscapes we hold so dear.
Across the country, citizens are increasingly turning to the ballot box to affect change in their communities. TPL's national conservation finance program works with municipalities, counties, and state agencies to create funding sources for parks and open space. Since 1995, TPL has helped communities pass more than 170 local and state ballot measures across the country that have generated over $28 billion in new funding for parks and open space.
Here in New Mexico, where the resources are plentiful and the public funding for open space is scarce, we've got our work cut out for us.
Think Globally, Act Locally
In Taos, TPL played a leadership role in saving over 2,500 acres at the Taos Valley Overlook. TPL is continuing to work with the town of Taos to create a comprehensive open space and trails program, and to establish a funding source for the acquisition of critical open space and trails projects.
In Gallup, TPL recently worked with Mayor Bob Rosebrough and the local business community to pass a $4.19 million initiative to acquire land for trails, parks, open space and community revitalization. TPL will continue to work with Gallup to ensure this funding is used to promote the community's new economic development initiative and to create healthy places for residents to exercise and reconnect.
In Corrales, we hope to get a measure on the ballot this year to protect agricultural lands in this pastoral suburb of Albuquerque. If passed, this would be the first local Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) program in the state. Residents have shown strong support for such a measure, which would leverage over $1 million in federal funding awarded to TPL's partner, the Corrales Farmland Preservation Committee, through the Farmland Protection Program.
The Conservation Governor
These local efforts demonstrate the even greater need for a statewide funding measure. Our neighbors in Colorado, Arizona, Utah and Texas passed statewide measures for open space perservation years ago. As a result, local governments in those states have been able to purchase thousands of acres of land for parks, trails and open space. TPL is leading a coalition to pass a similar measure in New Mexico. Governor Bill Richardson has expressed his strong support for this effort.
The support of individuals now will allow TPL to respond to local requests and to work for passage of a statewide conservation finance measure that will allow us to plan a healthy future for our children.
Making a Difference
Rebecca Procter
Photo by: Sacha Procter-Weiss
"I love being part of the work of TPL as a volunteer because it forces me to stop worrying and complaining about the loss of open land, and do something positive," says Rebecca Procter, an archaeologist who takes time from her busy schedule to volunteer for TPL. "I have met many wonderful people at TPL, and through this organization, my network of friends and colleagues grows continually."
Procter first heard about TPL when she was still living in Texas. "I read a newspaper article about land acquisition and I thought, 'that's the way to make the land ownership system work for conservation.' I have a long-standing interest in efforts to maintain some open spaces and wild lands for the future--so much land is going under the bulldozer so fast, it sometimes seems as if we'll lose everything. TPL makes it possible to keep that from happening."
As an archaeologist, Procter specializes in the American Southwest and especially in the ceramics of our area. As a TPL volunteer, Procter has researched and written about projects in New Mexico. She is the author of the cover article on Ute Mountain in this newsletter and she wrote an indepth piece for the TPL website entitled "Rock, Sky, History: La Cieneguilla." Look for it in the "What's Hot" section at www.tpl.org/newmexico.
Posted 3/2004
Digg
del.icio.us
Facebook
Favorites
Google
Multiply
Newsvine
Reddit
Technocrati
StumbleUpon
MySpace