Valles Caldera/Jemez Mountains

Status:	Identified	Area:	89000 acres (36000 hectares)
County:	Sandoval	Elevation:	8000-11000 feet ( 2400-3400 meters)
Town:	Los Alamos	Location:	35°49.9’N, 106°29.2’W

Ownership	Santa Fe National Forest, 1474 Rodeo Road, Santa Fe, NM 87505, 505-438-7840; Valles Caldera National Preserve, 18161 Highway 4, Jemez Springs, NM 87025 (505) 661-3333
Habitats	Forest (pine, fir, spruce, riparian), Grassland, Wetland (streams)
Land-use	Rangeland/pastureland, Recreation, Hunting/fishing, Nature conservation/research
Threats	None noted
Site Criteria	State conservation species (D1)
Site Description	At the heart of the Jemez Mountain region, the Valles Caldera National Preserve contains a stunning and unique mix of grasslands, forested mountains, and geologic features found nowhere else in the American Southwest. The land sustains one of the country's largest wild elk herds and provides habitat for a wide range of other wildlife, including 17 threatened or endangered species, and such animals as the black bear, mountain lion, goshawk, peregrine falcon and Rio Grande cutthroat trout. The new preserve also encompasses most of the Valles Caldera, a massive crater more than a half-mile deep and 15 miles wide that was created by a huge volcanic eruption more than a million years ago. Secondary volcanic domes arise from the caldera floor, including Redondo Peak, which climbs to more than 11,000 feet. Hot springs occur in the west-central part of the caldera and reflect the relative nearness of molten rock to the surface. Geologists have used Valles Caldera as a model for unraveling the history of many other volcanic eruptions around the world. The Valles Caldera National Preserve is managed by a nine-member Valles Caldera Trust. Trustees, appointed by the President, include the supervisor of Sante Fe National Forest and the superintendent of Bandelier National Monument, both of which are adjacent. The seven other Trustees will include experts in such areas as wildlife conservation, sustainable resource use, and cultural and historic preservation. Under the legislation, management principles require resource protection; allow for sustainable resource use, including logging and grazing; and call for the ranch to be as financially self-sustaining as possible, consistent with other management requirements.
Birds	Birds of the New Mexico high mountains (southern rocky mountains) found here include Three-toed Woodpecker, Red-naped Sapsucker, Blue Grouse, Steller's Jay, Gray Jay, White-breasted Nuthatch, Pygmy, Nuthatch, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Mountain Chickadee, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Western Tanager, House Wren, Hairy Woodpecker, Mountain Bluebird, Hermit Thrush, Townsend's Solitaire, MacGillivray's Warbler, Green-tailed Towhee, Band-tailed Pigeon, White-throated Swift, Black Swift, and Red Crossbill.  Northern Goshawk, Red-tailed Hawk and Turkey Vulture can be seen overhead. Occasionally a Zone-tailed Hawk from nearby Bandelier National Monument can be seen. The caldera contains an isolated breeding population of Eastern Meadowlark.
Conservation Issues	None listed
Conservation Plan	2004 Fire Management Plan, 2004 Fire Use Plan, 2004 Livestock Grazing, Fonsi Grazing 5/20/03, Stewardship Register – Noxious Weeds, Programmatic Agreement Regarding Historic Property Protection, Status of Natural Resources
Monitor(s)	None assigned
Nominator	Stephen M. Fettig, HCR 1, Box 1, Suite 15, Los Alamos, NM, 87544, 505-672-3861 extension 546 Martin MacRoberts, 2982 Orange, Los Alamos, NM 87544
Sources	New Mexico Breeding Bird Atlas Work on the Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP): Summary of 2002 and 2003 Observations, Stephen M. Fettig [BBA] Breeding Bird Survey Route 60059 Vallecito [BBS]
Links	Valles Caldera National Preserve Valles Caldera Coalition
Directions	Take NM-4 13 miles west from the entrance to Bandelier National Monument or an equivalent distance via NM-501 and NM-4 from the town of Los Alamos.

Species	Year	Status	Population	Source	Criteria
American Dipper	98-00 02-03	Resident Breeding	1 individual 0.01 relative abundance	BBS BBA	D1
Black Swift	98-00	Breeding	3 individuals maximum	BBS	D1
Black-throated Gray Warbler	02-03	Breeding	0 relative abundance	BBA	D1
Blue Grouse	98-00 02-03	Resident Breeding	2 individuals maximum 0.05 relative abundance	BBS BBA	D1
Clark's Nutcracker	98-00 02-03	Resident Breeding	2 individuals average, 7 individuals maximum 0.37 relative abundance	BBS BBA	D1
Cordilleran Flycatcher	98-00 02-03	Breeding Breeding	4 individuals average, 8 individuals maximum 0.52 relative abundance	BBS BBA	D1
Dusky Flycatcher	98-00 02-03	Unknown Breeding	1 individual average, 1 individual maximum 0.06 relative abundance	BBS BBA	D1
Flammulated Owl	02-03	Breeding	0.03 relative abundance	BBA	D1
Grace's Warbler	98-00 02-03	Breeding Breeding	11 individuals average, 22 individuals maximum 0.09 relative abundance	BBS BBA	D1
Green-tailed Towhee	02-03	Breeding	0.13 relative abundance	BBA	D1
Hammond's Flycatcher	98-00 02-03	Breeding Breeding	1 individual average, 2 individual maximum 0.11 relative abundance	BBS BBA	D1
Lewis's Woodpecker	02-03	Breeding	0.05 relative abundance	BBA	D1
MacGillivray's Warbler	02-03	Breeding	0.04 relative abundance	BBA	D1
Mountain Bluebird	02-03	Breeding	0.36 relative abundance	BBA	D1
Northern Goshawk	98-00 02-03	Resident Breeding	1 individual average, 1 individual maximum 0.04 relative abundance	BBS BBA	D1
Olive-sided Flycatcher	98-00 02-03	Breeding Breeding	4 individuals average, 10 individuals maximum 0.11 relative abundance	BBS BBA	D1
Plumbeous Vireo	98-00 02-03	Breeding Breeding	3 individuals average, 5 individuals maximum 0.18 relative abundance	BBS BBA	D1
Pygmy Nuthatch	98-00 02-03	Resident Breeding	2 individuals average, 6 individuals maximum 0.37 relative abundance	BBS BBA	D1
Red-naped Sapsucker	02-03	Breeding	0.11 relative abundance	BBA	D1
Townsend's Solitaire	98-00 02-03	Breeding Breeding	2 individuals average, 4 individuals maximum 0.44 relative abundance	BBS BBA	D1
Virginia's Warbler	98-00 02-03	Breeding Breeding	7 individuals average, 11 individuals maximum 0.18 relative abundance	BBS BBA	D1
Western Bluebird	98-00 02-03	Resident Breeding	3 individuals average, 4 individuals maximum 0.34 relative abundance	BBS BBA	D1
Williamson's Sapsucker	98-00 02-03	Breeding Breeding	4 individuals average, 8 individuals maximum 0.44 relative abundance	BBS BBA	D1

 
Last Updated 10/23/07