Price's Dairy

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Proposed Middle Rio Grande National Wildlife Refuge, New mexico

Credit: Kim Kurian Photography

The Trust for Public Land, in partnership with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and Bernalillo County, is hard at work to protect Price's Dairy, the largest—and one of the last—undeveloped properties in southern Albuquerque. Long the target of real estate development, this 570-acre farm sits along the Rio Grande just five miles south of downtown Albuquerque and provides critical refuge to migratory birds and other wildlife.

A National Wildlife Refuge in the making

In late September 2011, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced the approval to establish Price's Dairy as New Mexico's first urban national wildlife refuge. The planned Middle Rio Grande National Wildlife Refuge, which is within a half hour drive of nearly half of New Mexico's population, will be a place for people to connect with and learn about the natural world and will provide valuable habitat for wildlife. Once fully restored, visitors to the refuge will be able to see waterfowl, small mammals, and neotropical migrant birds, including the endangered flycatcher.

Today, the refuge exists in name only, with many challenges ahead including securing the funds needed to purchase the property.