Projects

Ecotone’s work area is mostly concentrated in the northern Rio Grande Bioregion and the surrounding mountain areas, stretching across northern New Mexico. We aim to align our initiatives in focus areas at a landscape scale. Such focus areas typically comprise entire drainage basins or eco-regions across hundreds of square miles. This landscape approach ensures that we can optimally seek the integration of ecological as well as socio-economic processes to achieve solutions beyond the project level. Our focus landscapes include the Galisteo Wildway across central Santa Fe County, the eastern flank of the northern Rio Grande Bioregion between Chimayo and Taos centered around the Embudo valley, and the Cimarron watershed and Valley Vidal.

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Click on each Project Site dot to learn more

Map of Ongoing and Recent Ecotone Project Sites

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Watersheds, Wetlands, and Riparian Areas

2021-ongoing: Wetland restoration planning, implementation, and monitoring using the NM Rapid Assessment Method for the Lower Embudo Valley wetlands and simultaneous development of Wetland’s Action Plan.
2020-ongoing: Wetland Restoration along the Rio Quemado on Santa Fe County’s Los Potreros Open Space: planning, implementation, and monitoring and simultaneous updating of a Wetland’s Action Plan for Santa Fe County.
2018-2020: Completion of a Watershed-Based Plan for the Lower Embudo Watershed, NM.
2018-2019: Keyline Design for Restoration of Headwater Slope Wetlands the Holman Creek Wetlands Complex, in the Valle Vidal, NM.
2016-2019: Ecological Restoration of the Galisteo Bosque Wetland, in the Village of Galisteo, NM.
2013-2016: Aquatic restoration planning and implementation of the Galisteo Creek on a private property between Cerrillos and Galisteo, NM.
2015-2016: Landowner education and support with tree planting, Cow Creek watershed, Pecos, NM.
2010-2015: Watershed restoration implementation, planning and research for an Update of the Watershed-Based Plan for the Lower Embudo Watershed, Embudo, Dixon, Ojo Sarco, Las Trampas, NM.

Forests, Woodlands, and Fireshed Areas

2021-ongoing: Planning, design, implementation oversight and monitoring of woodland restoration on State Trust Land in the Lower Embudo Valley, a US Forest Service Collaborative Forest Restoration Project, with NM State Land Office, Carson National Forest, and Wood Sharks, LLC.
2022-ongoing: Community Wildfire Protection Plan development with Dixon Volunteer Fire Department.
2021-2022: Community Wildfire Protection Plan update for Colfax County, NM.
2019-ongoing: Research on best practices for ecological management of piñon/ juniper woodlands.
2018-2020: Wilderness research and watershed assessment on the San Pedro Parks Wilderness for the Upper Rio Puerco Watershed forest restoration planning project, near La Jara, NM.
2018-ongoing:Conservation planning and protection of several private forest land preserves in northern NM.
2017-2019: Forest stewardship and restoration consultation on several private forest properties in the Sapello and Manuelitas watersheds, NM.
2016-2019: Prescription planning and monitoring for the collaborative forest restoration project on NM State Trust Lands on the Cerro del Aire, near Tres Piedras, NM.
2014-2017: Social and economic monitoring of forest restoration impacts of the Rowe Mesa Collaborative Forest Restoration Project.
2013-2017: Woodland and grassland restoration, drainage management and erosion control, Galisteo, NM.
2013-2017: Forest and watershed restoration planning, education and implementation for the Lower Embudo and Trampas watersheds, Dixon and Las Trampas, NM.
2010-ongoing: Forest and woodland assessment, management planning, supervision of forest health improvement and riparian ecological restoration projects, and monitoring for Glorieta Freedom Ranch and several other private landowners throughout northern New Mexico.

Open Space Areas and Trails

2021-2022: Research and implementation oversight for a handicap accessible trail segment at The Nature Conservancy’s Santa Fe Canyon Preserve, Santa Fe, NM.
2021-2022: Management plan and rehabilitation plan for the Conservation Homestead of the Santa Fe Conservation Trust in the Galisteo Basin, NM
2019-2020: Wetland restoration at Santa Fe County's El Peñasco Blanco Open Space, in La Cienega, NM.
2018-2022: Forest health planning and implementation oversight of forest thinning at Santa Fe County’s Ortiz Mountain Preserve Open Space, near Madrid, NM.
2018-2022: Grassland revegetation with keyline design and soil health improvements and revegetation for a pollinator meadow at the Santa Fe County’s Los Potreros Open Space, Chimayo, NM.
2018: Planning and design of rural road and grassland restoration for the Pecos River Open Space and associated conservation easement lands, near Ilfeld, NM.
2017-2018: Development of a Best Practices manual and management plans for riparian areas, grasslands, and forests and woodlands for Santa Fe County Open Space properties.
2016-2018: Forest and woodland assessment and thinning plan for wildfire prevention and forest health improvement, Santa Fe County.
2015-2016: Open Space Management Planning for the Los Potreros, La Cieneguilla, and San Pedro Open Space properties, Lamy Open Space and Park, Madrid Open Space, and Ortiz Mountain Preserve in Santa Fe County, NM.
2014-2016: Ecological planning for a Master Plan for the Thornton Ranch Open Space in Santa Fe County, NM.
2012-ongoing: Trail restoration, soil & water conservation, and wetland restoration at the Eldorado Community Preserve of the Eldorado Community Improvement Association, in Eldorado, NM.

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Rangeland and Soil Ecosystems

2021-ongoing: Stewardship planning and ecological restoration (keyline design and cultivation, seeding, and erosion control techniques) at the Conservation Homestead, a conservation property of the Santa Fe Conservation Trust in the Galisteo Basin, NM.
2021-2022: Ranch conservation planning, soil health improvements, soil stabilization, and water spreading at a private ranch in Tucumcari, NM.
2018-2022: Soil health restoration and native herbaceous revegetation (keyline design and cultivation, cover cropping, composting, and mulching) of a dry alluvial meadow at Los Potreros Open Space, in Chimayo, NM (see also under Open Space Areas and Trails).

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Community Stewardship Education

2020-2021: Healthy soils webinar series.
Ongoing: Periodic articles in Green Fire Times and periodic presentations for Quivira Coalition, the New Mexico Wetlands Roundtable, and other events and alliances.
2015-2016: Landowner education and support with tree planting, Cow Creek watershed, Pecos, NM.
2014-2021: Stewardship planning and occasional group education events for a private forest preserve, near Rociada, NM.
2012-ongoing: Periodic workshop and workday facilitation for stewardship of the Eldorado Community Preserve, in Eldorado, NM.
2012-2021: Participation in the Trails Alliance of Santa Fe for stewardship of the regional trails network.
2012-2017: Coordination of the New Mexico Wildways network for the protection of wildlife linkages in the Northern Rio Grande Watershed Area.

Ongoing volunteer workdays on a variety of projects: Join our Newsletter or check our calendar to stay updated about upcoming volunteer opportunities!

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