Save Our Bosque Task Force: Bridging River and Community; Amy Erickson

 

 

Amy Erickson¹*and Gina Dello Russo²

 

¹Save Our Bosque Task Force, Socorro, NM, USA, avianecologist@gmail.com

²Turner Enterprises, Inc., Socorro, NM, USA, gdellorusso@wildblue.net

 

 

The Save Our Bosque Task Force was formed in 1994 by citizens of Socorro County, New Mexico, who were concerned about degradation of the ecosystem along the Rio Grande bosque due to dumping of trash, off-road vehicle use, illegal fuelwood cutting, and wildfire. Since then, we have expanded our mission to include large-scale restoration projects which enhance wildlife habitat and reduce the threat of wildfires in the bosque. We maintain strong partnerships with government agencies, private citizens, and other environmental nonprofits. Our partnership with the Restore our Rivers initiative has allowed us to increase capacity by hiring a full-time program director, start a successful internship program, and take a more active role in the monitoring and long-term maintenance of riparian restoration projects. Although our mission has evolved over the past 24 years, we still remain heavily invested in the local community by maintaining our public nature area and riverine parks, building a bosque walking trail which provides access to the river, hosting the annual Bosque Conservation Day for local 5^th graders, and connecting local landowners and land managers with programs and funding sources to help conserve and enhance their property. The Save Our Bosque Task Force strives to use up-to-date scientific data and personal outreach to the community to guide our efforts as we work towards our goal of a healthy, sustainable, and functional riparian ecosystem in Socorro County and beyond.