Valle de Oro October 2022

NMVFO volunteers returned to Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge just south of Albuquerque for a non-trail project, disassembling old walkway decking for later use. Half our group removed screws and stacked and sorted lumber.

The other half used battery-powered tools to break down and stack chunks of decking.

Afterwards, we made so much progress that we did weed clearing along a bike path. Herbicide (“Roundup”) could not be used on an urban refuge.

Valles Caldera 2022

16 NMVFO volunteers worked on a one-day project with a wetlands contractor, Steve, to build rock and sod structures for a water restoration project in the headwaters of the East Fork of the Jemez River in the Valles Caldera National Preserve.

As we worked, our leader instructed us on how the dams and swells we were building will make water channels wind back-and-forth more, and avoid deep channels forming too early, allowing wide shallow water flow in the headwater area.