Randall Davey Audubon Center 2026

16 NMVFO volunteers gathered for a weekend car-camp project at the Randall Davey Audubon Center in Santa Fe, to build 0.2 miles of new trail, previously flagged by Jenny.

Here Phyllis demonstrates how to cut a 45 degree back-slope and 5 degree out-slope.

The soil was super-rocky, and pick-mattocks got plenty of usage.

The Audubon Center staff kindly provided pizza for dinner, and bagels and extras for breakfast, in their Pavilion.

The Center has plenty of nifty things to explore, including an amazing play/discovery area for kids. Carl gave a tour of historic buildings once belonging to Randall Davey, an important artist who came to Santa Fe in the 1920s and created until the 1960s.

Bosque del Apache 2026

Fifteen NMVFO volunteers were joined by two Refuge staff to work on trail at the Pollinator Enhancement Project at the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.

A thick tangle of old dead willow needed to be removed to reduce fire load and make room for new plant growth.

Many willows broke off by hand, while others needed small folding saws working in tight areas. Branches were stacked along the wide trail, which will later be picked up by heavy equipment with a grabber attachment.

We also cleared and stacked weeds around the Observation Blind, and installed two benches.

After work concluded, a majority of volunteers retreated to the Owl Cafe in San Antonio for green chile patty melts.

Related Post:

Los Luceros Historic Site 2026

NMVFO volunteers gathered for a long weekend of habitat restoration. Los Luceros offered us a professional kitchen, outdoor dining area, WIFI, and hot showers.

The site has historic buildings, an audio tour, churro sheep, friendly burros, and the Rio Grande.

An arborist on contract with FEMA was grinding/clearing brush and duff around stately cottonwood trees in the bosque using heavy equipment with a powerful macerator attachment, with the goal of protecting the trees from fire.

He asked us to clear brush and rake duff from cottonwoods to a distance of 5 feet, so his equipment did not have to get close to the cottonwoods and harm their roots, which tend to grow close to the surface.

Russian olives were thick and spiky, and we suffered an unusual March heat wave, but our crew persevered, and morale was high. Good project.