Here at the land trust, we are always asking how to care for this place we call home. We love to learn about and from our fellow community members who work to make change that is beneficial to us all. Recently, we were able to talk with Tobias Duncan, a community member of San Cristobal, about some work he has been doing to re-green the San Cristobal Valley. The conversation went like this,
Me: “Why do you care so much about the environment?”
Tobias: “Because I live there.”
Wise words, indeed.
Earth Resiliency
In brief, Tobias and the San Cristobal Acequia Association have secured grant funding through the New Mexico Healthy Soils Grant to purchase seed and cover operating costs of seeding (i.e, machinery, labor), so that community members without the means have the opportunity to have their fields seeded, at no cost to themselves. This means that fallow, barren fields can be returned to a more vibrant state.
There are various effects of this work, but let us consider two: the decrease of erosion, and the increase of earth resiliency. As water moves downhill, it wants to carry away what is beneath it. The faster it moves, the more it takes. When plant life is present, the water has more obstacles to slow it down, which means it is able to take less material, less dirt. Because of this, it is more likely to soak into the ground, replenish the water table, and fortify the life that is there. This becomes our second effect: the increase of earth resiliency. Where there is more water, there is more opportunity for life. Where there is more opportunity for life, there is more regeneration of life. Think post-fire regrowth, or drought-time abundance, or even the opportunity to lie down in a life-filled field on a hot day and feel your body refreshed, anew. This is earth resiliency: the ability to respond with health in times of sickness.
As previously mentioned, Tobias has secured funding through the San Cristobal Acequia Association. The following entities are approved to receive funding from the New Mexico Department of Agriculture’s Healthy Soil Program: Pueblos, Tribes, Nations, Acequias, Land Grants, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, NMSU’s Cooperative Extension Service, and other local governmental entities with “proven land management to support healthy soil.” Individual applicants, including “individuals, businesses, and nonprofits directly engaged in farming, ranching, and/or other forms of land management,” are also eligible to apply.
This program requires work and coordination, but its effects are local, tangible, and hopefully long lasting. Tobias and the San Cristobal Acequia Association serve as an example that the work can be done, and we believe, as far as possible, it should be done. We encourage you to become involved in your local communities and organizations, and inquire whether or not this is a viable program for you. You can visit the NMDA Healthy Soil Program webpage here.
Working Lands Resiliency Initiative
A similar program at the Land Trust is the Working Lands Resiliency Initiative, which aims to share farming equipment, knowledge and labor amongst the larger Taos community. The Initiative began in 2019, but is currently in a rebooting phase, so more information will be available in the coming weeks. Our hope is that the program has broad appeal, and specific effects: to strengthen local agriculture, promote sustainable land use, and reinforce the deep-rooted farming traditions of our home.
As always, if you would like to support the work we do, Donate Here, give us a call or come by the office to inquire about volunteering, or attend one of our many workshops. Stay tuned, friends.
Our deepest gratitude to Tobias and the San Cristobal Acequia Association, to all earth-workers and caretakers, and to you, our readers and fellow community members.
With Peace and Hope,
Hunter Brown
Taos Land Trust
P.S. Exciting update! 🌿 We’ve also secured a Healthy Soils Grant to revitalize Rio Fernando Park + neighboring lands along the Vigil y Romo acequia. Stay tuned for how you can help turn these spaces into thriving, resilient ecosystems-just like San Cristobal! 🎉
