Santa Fe New Mexican

Conservation groups want input on Buckman area

By Staci Matlock | The New Mexican | 11/3/2008

People who like to hike, bike and ride horses along the Rio Grande northwest of Santa Fe have to contend with mounds of trash and occasional target shooters.

Off-roaders, meanwhile, are causing erosion and creating roads nearby at the Buckman Well field, an area closed to motorized vehicles.

Several conservation groups are hosting a public meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center to gather ideas for better managing recreation in the area and restoring some of the damaged landscape. The meeting is hosted by the New Mexico Wildlife Federation, Rio Grande Return, Audubon Society and SWCA Environmental Consultants.

The area at Buckman near a proposed river diversion project, south to Diablo Canyon and north to the boundary of San Ildefonso land is popular with a lot of outdoor recreationists. The land is starkly beautiful with sandy beach spots along the river, towering black rock cliffs popular with climbers and open dirt trails. Portions of the land are managed by the Santa Fe National Forest and other parts are managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. The agencies are trying to figure out how to resolve ongoing problems with public use in the area.

That's where the conservation group work comes in.

"We're trying to do some of the (National Environmental Policy Act) work upfront," said Alan Hamilton, conservation director with the New Mexico Wildlife Federation. "We want to engage the public, see what kind of recreation facilities and opportunities they would like to see. The ideas will go into a plan that goes to both agencies."

"Do they want more of a place to go hang out by the river and picnic? Do they want more horse trails?" asked Hamilton, who will facilitate the meeting. One idea is to create a set of connected trails from the outskirts of Santa Fe all the way to Diablo Canyon and the Buckman site.

He said rafters, trail groups, mountain bikers, bird watchers and others have been invited to the meeting, but everyone is welcome to attend.

Sandy Hurlocker, Española District ranger with the Santa Fe National Forest, said target shooting, all-terrain vehicle use and trash are ongoing problems in the Buckman area.

"Even though we have a closure out there, we have a lot of shooting at the river," Hurlocker said.

ATVs are causing erosion in an area south of Buckman city well No. 8, which is part of a long-established nonmotorized use area, he said.

And trash continues to accumulate in the area in spite of efforts by volunteers to pick it up. "We've had a couple Public Lands Day events focused on picking up trash in that area. It is kind of disheartening a year later to go back and it was like we were never there," Hurlocker said.

He said having early public input is important for building support for a recreation plan.

Contact Staci Matlock at 470-9843 or smatlock@sfnewmexican.com.