LOCATION: The Quivira Coalition's Red Canyon Reserve, near Socorro, NM
THE PROJECT: For this project, AWF is partnering with the Quivira Coalition to conduct landscape health monitoring and build restoration structures at Red Canyon Reserve. This rangeland property is managed as a land-based laboratory for experimenting with innovative restoration techniques designed for an arid environment.
SCHEDULE: Friday, May 4 – Sunday, May 6. We'll meet at the site Friday evening, work most of the day Saturday, and then finish up Sunday morning. Volunteers are welcome to stay for the whole weekend, join us just for the Saturday work day, or camp just one of the two nights.
GEAR: Bring everything you need for a weekend of camping. For the work, don’t forget gloves, hat, long sleeves, long pants, sturdy boots, and sunscreen. Warm clothes for the evenings and plenty of water are essential.
FOOD: AWF will provide breakfast burritos on Saturday morning and bison or veggie burgers on Saturday evening. Please bring a dish to share for the Saturday potluck dinner, along with your own lunches, Friday dinner, Sunday breakfast, and lots of water!
TO SIGN UP: Contact Scial at rioscial@gmail.com or 505-480-2906. Directions and further details will be sent to you once you sign up.
May 18-20, 2018 Rio Mora National Wildlife Refuge
LOCATION: Rio Mora National Wildlife Refuge, near Las Vegas, NM
THE PROJECT: For this project, AWF volunteers will return to one of our favorite project sites: the Rio Mora National Wildlife Refuge (formerly the Wind River Ranch). The refuge was established in 2012 with the goal of protecting and restoring riparian and grassland habitat for the benefit of a wide variety of species, including long–billed curlew, loggerhead shrike, burrowing owl, mountain plover, Southwestern willow flycatcher, a number of aquatic species, and migratory grassland and woodland birds.
AWF volunteers have participated in restoration activities on the property both before and afterit became a national wildlife refuge. This year, we will continue our work hand-building rock restoration structures to help hold water on the landscape and make the habitat even better for wildlife.
SCHEDULE: Friday, May 18 – Sunday, May 20. We'll meet at the site Friday evening, work most of the day Saturday, and then finish up Sunday morning. Volunteers are welcome to stay for the whole weekend, join us just for the Saturday work day, or camp just one of the two nights.
GEAR: Bring everything you need for a weekend of camping. For the work, don’t forget gloves, hat, long sleeves, long pants, sturdy boots, and sunscreen. Warm clothes for the evenings and plenty of water are essential.
FOOD: AWF will provide breakfast burritos on Saturday morning and bison or veggie burgers on Saturday evening. Please bring a dish to share for the Saturday potluck dinner, along with your own lunches, Friday dinner, Sunday breakfast, and lots of water!
TO SIGN UP: Contact Scial at rioscial@gmail.com or 505-480-2906. Directions and further details will be sent to you once you sign up.
MARCH 17 - Local day project at Valle de Oro Wildlife Refuge APRIL 6 to 8 - Wolf Creek, Ft. Union Ranch, NM MAY 4 to 6 - Red Canyon Reserve near Socorro, NM MAY 18 to 20 - Rio Mora National Wildlife Refuge JUNE 22 to 24 - Midnight Meadows, near Questa, NM JULY 27 to 29 - Midnight Meadows, near Questa, NM AUGUST 10 to 12 - Valles Caldera AUG 31 to SEPT 2 - Limestone Canyon, San Mateo Mtns SEPTEMBER 28 to 30 - Cebolla Canyon, SE of Grants, NM OCTOBER 20 - Local day project with Sandia Ranger District
awf projects
One of AWF's primary missions is to improve and preserve wildlife habitat for present and future uses. To further this goal, AWF hosts several volunteer restoration projects each year in locations around New Mexico. Project tasks include building rock structures in streambeds using the techniques developed by Bill Zeedyk, planting trees, installing fence exclosures to protect riparian areas, and removing old wire fencing that is hazardous to wildlife.
Some of the projects are one-day events at local venues in and around Albuquerque. Most are weekend camping trips in beautiful public lands in the state. Typically, participants arrive on Friday afternoon or evening, camp Friday and Saturday nights, and depart by Sunday noon. However, volunteers are welcome to join us just for the Saturday work day, or camp for just one of the two nights.
The camping events feature Saturday morning breakfast burritos and coffee, and a Saturday evening potluck dinner with grilled bison burgers and veggie options provided by AWF. Participants bring a dish to share to create a bountiful meal.
We welcome participants of all ages; individuals under 18 years of age require parental permission or supervision.