August 4 – 8 the Rockies team traveled through New Mexico learning about wildlife management on a few unique ranches and preserves. Outside of Raton, NM, researchers spent two days touring the Vermejo Park Ranch. Though game and predator wildlife populations at Vermejo Park are healthy, through the Turner Endangered Species Fund they are working to re-introduce the black-footed ferret and Rio Grande cutthroat trout, among other species. Next, researchers visited the Fort Union Ranch, where the Fort Union National Monument and Santa Fe Trail are also located. Here, researchers learned the struggles of turning a profit on a working ranch, and the importance of preserving open space and history. After a brief stop at the Wind River Ranch, the Rockies team ended their trip with an overnight stay at the Valles Caldera National Preserve, a unique land management experiment by the federal government. In 2002, after being purchased by the government from private owners, management of the Preserve was transferred to the Valles Caldera Trust, who valiantly pursue the missions of multiple use, sustainability, and financial independence.
Rockies Project Mission Statement
Building upon 130 years of service to the region, the Rockies Project conducts state-of-the-art research helping Rockies residents clearly see our communities, our environment, and our economy so we can better shape our future.-
Recent Posts
- Community Based Conservation in Greater Yellowstone
- American Bison: Native Wildlife or Domestic Livestock?
- The Effects of a Warming Climate on Glacier National Park
- Our Beef Doesn’t Burn: Ranching vs. Drilling in the Thompson Divide
- Protecting native wildlife to maintain ecological and economic stability: westslope cutthroat trout
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