Education Programs
At Taos Land Trust, our education programs are designed to inspire curiosity, foster hands-on learning, and connect people of all ages to the land we all love.
Rio Fernando Park is at the heart of our education initiatives—a 20-acre outdoor classroom where students and community members can explore wetlands, play among the wildflowers, or get their hands dirty planting seeds.Through first-hand experiences on the land, learning comes alive while improving the public park for the entire community.
Our education programs include the Emerging Ecologist School Program, Community Programs, and Internships—each offering unique opportunities to learn, engage, and make a difference. Whether you’re a student discovering the magic of wetlands for the first time, a family attending one of our workshops, or a young adult gaining career skills through an internship, there’s something here for everyone.
Come learn with us and be part of a community that values education, connection, and care for the land!
Emerging Ecologist School Programs
Our Emerging Ecologist School Program is designed to immerse students in experiences that connect them to nature, encourage exploration, and foster problem-solving skills. We offer tailored workshops and activities that make learning engaging and impactful for local school groups, homeschoolers, and young adults.
School groups are invited for free, customized workshops led by our experienced educators. These workshops cover a variety of topics, including plant identification, biodiversity, watersheds, agriculture, nature art, and land stewardship. Each lesson offers opportunities for nature immersion experiences and is carefully adapted to meet grade-level standards, ensuring that students of all ages can fully engage with the material. Upon request, we can also provide detailed lesson plans and grade-level standards to teachers for seamless integration into their curriculum.
By engaging students in environmental education at an early age, we’re helping to create a generation of thoughtful stewards who will protect our natural resources for years to come.
If you’re a teacher or group leader interested in scheduling a workshop or learning more about the program, please contact our Education Coordinator, Nora Wicks at wicks@taoslandtrust.org.
Community Programs
Throughout the year, we offer free community programs and workshops that bring people together to learn, connect, and steward the land. From biodiversity and sustainable land management to ecology and the arts, our events are designed to inspire and empower individuals of all ages whether you’re interested in hands-on involvement or simply want to spend time outdoors with your community.
Here are some of the community programs we offer:
– Food Forest Workshops: In collaboration with the Food Forest Movement of Taos, we host seasonal workshops on permaculture design, tree pruning, and creating sustainable food systems.
– Agriculture Workshops: We occasionally offer hands-on workshops covering topics like orchard management, healthy soils, no-till farming, cover cropping, irrigation techniques, invasive plant management, natural dyes, food processing, and more.
– Science Outside: These fun, seasonally-themed outdoor events combine science and exploration to engage kids in learning about nature while enjoying the beauty of Rio Fernando Park.
- Harvest Festival (Fiestas de la Cosecha): Every October, TLT hosts a vibrant fall harvest celebration featuring hayrides, pumpkin carving contests, food, music, workshops, and more. It’s a family-friendly event that brings the community together to honor the season’s bounty.
- Summer Solstice Celebration: Held in June, this event often includes outdoor workshops and community gatherings to mark the longest day of the year and celebrate summer’s vitality.
- Earth Week Events: In April, TLT organizes Earth Week activities, including educational workshops and family-friendly events focused on environmental stewardship.
- Our event schedule changes from year to year based on community needs and seasonal opportunities. To stay updated on upcoming events and workshops, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. (LINKS)
– Volunteer Opportunities: Volunteering is a wonderful way to get involved with preservation and agriculture while giving back to the community. It’s also a great chance to learn new skills! Visit our Volunteer page to learn more about how you can join us.
Internships
Through paid internship opportunities, Taos Land Trust supports and trains the next generation of scientists, farmers, and environmental leaders. These internships provide hands-on experience and on-the-job training in areas like ecological monitoring, data analysis, agroecology, acequia systems, healthy soils, and community leadership. Each year, our internship programs vary, but they often include partnerships with impactful organizations such as:
– Youth Conservation Corps (YCC)
– AmeriCorps
– New Mexico Workforce Connections Internships
– Climate Corps
These programs are designed to provide meaningful work experiences that not only benefit the interns but also contribute to the health and sustainability of our land and community. Our interns gain valuable skills while making a difference.
If you’re interested in joining one of these programs or learning more about current opportunities, visit our Employment page for updates.
Why Join an Internship with Us?
– Gain hands-on experience in stewardship, agriculture, and environmental stewardship.
– Learn valuable skills like data analysis, ecological restoration techniques, and leadership.
– Be part of a community working toward a sustainable future for Taos and beyond.
YOUTH CONSERVATION CORPS
Every summer, the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) program at Taos Land Trust brings together local youth to care for the land and make a difference in our community. This year, 11 amazing young people worked at Rio Fernando Park, restoring wetlands, maintaining acequias, tackling invasive species, and growing food for local families. Along the way, they learned valuable skills like ecological monitoring, water conservation, and teamwork—skills that will serve them for years to come. Many of them go on to pursue careers in environmental science or related fields, ensuring that our community continues to thrive sustainably for generations.
Don’t just take our word for it—here’s what Aron Rivera, our 2024 crew leader, says about his experience working for YCC:
“My name is Aron Rivera, born and raised in Taos, New Mexico. I’ve done seasonal work since I got out of high school. I decided to get involved with YCC because a good friend of mine from working at Taos Ski Valley, Jim Johnston, recommended it. It ended up being one of my favorite seasonal jobs. My favorite part of being on the YCC was the variety of things we did; every day was something different if not a continuous project we worked on. The educational background with the YCC was also a favorite, getting to know why and what we were doing is important to understand. The connections you make at the YCC are special and can help you grow as an individual and with your crew. My biggest takeaways from being a crew lead there showed me the gaps and troubles I had to be a better leader. I learned a lot with the job, showing me I don’t always know everything. It expanded my interests working with forestry and gave me a great perspective on how big the industry is and how important it is. Being a YCC crew lead helped me recognize some flaws in my leadership style. The training helped me recognize now I can become a better leader for any future career path I decide on taking. I feel like I have a lot more confidence in myself and how I can handle the job and be an example for others while doing so.”
If you’d like to support the YCC program or know a young person who might want to join us next summer, please reach out to Nora Wicks at wicks@taoslandtrust.org.
2024 YCC Program Highlights:
– Youth Employed: 11 local youth participated in conservation projects.
– Training Sessions: 89 sessions covering ecological monitoring, water resource management, and more.
– Community Impact: Thousands of pounds of food grown for local families; wetlands restored; invasive species mitigated, and new trails built.
-Ecological Research: Invaluable scientific studies help us nurture and protect our green spaces. Topics included: impact of snowfall on Rio Fernando groundwater flow, bindweed mitigation, correlation between native plants and native pollinator species, impact of mulch on soil health.
– Career Skills: Participants gained hands-on experience in GIS mapping, plant identification, leadership development, chainsaw safety, tractor operation, resume writing, interview skills, conflict resolution and more.
We can’t do this without your support! Your donations go directly toward training programs in conservation and career skills, tools and equipment for restoration projects, and infrastructure improvements at Rio Fernando Park. Your support helps ensure that we can continue offering meaningful employment opportunities while addressing critical community needs like food security and climate resilience. If you’d like to support the YCC program, your generous donation can have a real impact.
New Mexico Workforce Connections Internships
Through our partnership with the New Mexico Workforce Connections Internship program, young adults gain hands-on experience in various fields, including:
- Ecological monitoring
- Data analysis
- Community leadership
- Regenerative agriculture
- Soil health
- Acequia (traditional irrigation) systems
Interns with the NM Workforce Connections Pre-Apprentice Program will be contributing hundreds of hours of work toward restoring critical habitats, developing sustainable farming practices, grant writing, journalism, program development, outdoor educational programing and more. These opportunities not only provide valuable career skills but also deepen participants’ understanding of the importance of conservation and advocacy in protecting our shared resources.
2024-25 Apprentice, Hunter Brown wrote about his experiences so far:
“I was interested in the opportunity to learn from local professionals in the fields of ecology, agriculture, restoration, management and conservation. There is a strong sense of community here in Taos, and I thought this program would be a way to positively engage with and affect the community. I am very impressed with the amount of people doing seemingly different work, but who only do different jobs in service of the greater work we are all engaged with. In our differences we share the same concerns, hopes and dreams. In one day I may meet with a gardener, a pasture and plant specialist, a mechanic, a chef, a grandmother and a computer specialist. All of these people congregate to work with the earth, to heal the earth and ourselves, and to listen deeply to whatever needs to be done. I hope to use agricultural skills to grow my own food and possibly help others to do the same. I hope to further cultivate relationships with community members, to help foster our next generations, and be a person of service to the wider community.”
2024-25 Apprentice, Avery Burstein, wrote about why he joined the program:
“Since moving to New Mexico in 2023, I’ve wanted to learn more about the ecology and growing conditions in the state and I thought TLT would be the perfect place to do that! I’ve been most interested to learn about the invasive species mitigation methods that the Taos Land Trust has used at the Rio Fernando Park. I love learning about native species and what we can do to restore lands to be happier and healthier! Taos is so much about the connections you build and the people you know. I hope to have a farm in the county some day and having the opportunity to work with TLT and the amazing farmers, teachers, and volunteers in their network will be invaluable!”
Learn more at the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions.
These two young people and their passion for Taos and the land truly inspire us here at Taos Land Trust. They represent the heart of what our education and internship programs are all about— open minds, a love for the land, and giving back to their community. We’re proud of their dedication, and commitment to making a difference in Taos long after their internship ends.
If their journey inspires you too, we invite you to support our work. Your donation will help us provide essential tools, training, and resources to expand these opportunities and deepen the impact of our programs. Together, we can continue to grow future leaders who care for the land and our community. Please consider donating today.