Growing Resiliency, One Plant at a Time

As spring unfolded and the world began opening after a global pandemic, it sure felt like May was busier than usual this year! To add to the flurry, the Sustainability Office and partnering departments continued to hold Earth Day Planting events; kicking off May 1 at the Hondo Fire Station (District 4), a later celebration was held at the Edgewood Senior Center on May 8 (District 3), and finally "a wrap" of the month long planting production, was completed at the Max Coll Community Center on May 15 (District 5). In the three locations, nearly 100 drought tolerant and native plants were put in the ground, along with thousands of wildflower seeds, and several species of fruit trees. Approximately 60 volunteers showed up to add more life, shade, pollinators, and edible gardens to these facilities, planting alongside County Commissioners from each district. 

Now comes the hard work of making sure these new plants get the care they need, so they can thrive for years to come. Several dedicated fire fighters and community members are stewarding the new plants by watering them twice a week, but they need your help! If you live near any of the three community facilities, and would like to contribute to the beautification and ecological enhancement of your community, get in touch with us at sustainability@santafecountynm.gov to get involved.

Other organizations across the County also held planting events this spring. Santa Fe High School students, in collaboration with Southwest Urban Hydrology, RainCatcher Inc., and the Santa Fe Watershed Association created 20 pocket rain gardens in the Santa Fe High School parking lot to improve shade cover, enhance bird and pollinator habitat, and capture as well as filter storm water. These pocket rain gardens will divert 330,000 gallons of storm water on average per year, slowing the flow and providing for more infiltration into the ground instead of further scouring of the Arroyo Chamiso. In addition, the Santa Fe Watershed Association, as part of their CommuniTree program, planted 100 cottonwoods and 1000 willows in a riparian area downstream from Frenchy's Field in partnership with Tom Noble and Rio Grande Return.

Although it may seem counter-intuitive to plant trees during a drought, when the right tree is planted in the right place and at the right time, trees can provide numerous benefits to the land such as mitigating the urban heat island effect, increasing microclimate humidity, sequestering carbon, and helping to hold water in the soil by protecting soil structure and enhancing the biodiversity of microorganisms below ground. Green spaces are also one of the most important factors contributing to wellbeing; when communities don't have access to parks and green spaces, their residents suffer from higher stress levels and diminished wellbeing. The City of Santa Fe's TreeSmart Santa Fe program, which launched this spring, uses these principles to promote a healthy tree canopy in Santa Fe through an equity lens and the CommuniTree program is focused on planting the right tree in the right place throughout the County to protect the watershed areas.

All of these seemingly small acts of planting trees and shrubs add up to make a big difference in improving the quality of everyone's life, fostering community connections, and strengthening climate resilience in the face of drought and rising temperatures. There is still time to plant the right plants in the right places and to be a part of the actions which also contribute to the county-wide and global initiative program: Join the fun and the solutions for the ever important 30x30 goals to conserve 30% of all land and water by 2030!

Board of County Commissioners Approves Development of Integrated Climate Action Plan

Santa Fe County Commissioners reaffirmed their commitment to climate resiliency at the May 11 Board of County Commissioners Meeting by voting unanimously to approve and publish a recent greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory of County operations and develop a County-wide integrated climate action plan. Sustainability staff, in collaboration with Adelante Consulting, presented the results of the GHG emissions inventory during the public meeting. Keep an eye out for the results which will be published soon on the Sustainability Office's website.

More and more municipalities across the world are developing and implementing integrated climate action plans, which incorporate focuses of both climate mitigation and adaptation. The next step for Santa Fe County is to develop a community-wide GHG emissions inventory. This will set the foundation for a County-wide GHG emissions reduction plan, which satisfies the mitigation component of an integrated climate action plan. Part of this process includes a climate vulnerability assessment and a natural resources inventory to identify areas in which the County will need to adapt in order to enhance resiliency as temperatures rise and water becomes more scarce. Sustainability staff will be working closely with the global sustainability network, ICLEI, to implement these next steps. Stay tuned for developments and opportunities for public engagement in the months to come!

What Can I Do? Increase Wildfire Resilience

Though rainfall was a bit higher than average this past month, fire officials are urging New Mexicans not to let their guards down when it comes to fire prevention and preparedness. Vegetation can dry up quickly and start a blaze in any ecosystem, not just forests. According to State Forestry Division spokesperson Wendy Mason, of the 181 fires that have burned in New Mexico since January, burning some 5,370 acres, 90% were started by humans. Though fires are important for the health of New Mexico's fire-adapted forest ecosystems, help keep wildfires wild by following these practices: 

1. Recreate responsibly. Make sure your campfires are completely out, and practice Leave no Trace principles. Keep a shovel and extra water handy in your vehicle to put out campfires. In some areas you can't have a campfire—check for fire restrictions before recreating on public land by going to nmfireinfo.com/fire-restrictions.

2. Avoid engaging in activities that produce sparks on hot and windy days, like welding and cutting or grinding metal, or driving an unmaintained vehicle on unpaved roads.

3. For the many Santa Fe County residents who live in the wildland urban interface (WUI), protect your home by using landscaping to create a "defensible space". Read this comprehensive guide to learn how to make a defensible space and find additional tips here.

Learn more about Santa Fe County's Community Wildfire Protection Plan, and how to get involved, here!