At its July, 11, 2023, meeting, the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) of Santa Fe County (County) unanimously approved Resolution 2023-074 adopting the Countywide Climate Action Plan (CAP) Phase 1 (Section 1 and Section 2).  The Action Plan was adopted in support of the 2015 Paris Agreement and to meet Science Based Target (SBT) goals of over 50% greenhouse gas emissions reduction by 2030 and 100% by 2050.

Since February 2023, the County has been working with ICLEI, a UN and Department of State recognized expert organization in the field of assisting governments in the tracking, mitigation and resiliency planning for climate change and GHG emissions reduction.  Sustainability staff contracted ICLEI to assist with the development of the CAP Phase I and to collect data necessary for the creation of the Plan.  The CAP provides a first phase road map for meeting the goals of 100% reduction of GHG emissions as well as outlines the County's vulnerability and ecosystem risks. The CAP also provides best practices and recommendations for reducing emissions across the sectors of transportation, built environments, solid waste, water and wastewater.  In addition, strategies for increasing carbon sequestration through holistic and resiliency-related approaches for the County's unique geographic and climate challenges.  Scenario comparisons and options between levels of plan efforts are provided in the Plan.  

Highlights in the resulting Plan outline a comprehensive research and science-based guide for the following: 

• A first-phase tool and map to inform decision making for future steps required by the County to reduce GHG emissions by 54% by 2030 and 100% by 2050.
• Recommendations for future County policy initiatives.
• Recommendations for internal Cross-Departmental Team partnering to enact the Plan's recommendations and best practices. 
• Suggestions for updates to align the Sustainable Land Development Code with net zero emissions and 30x30 goals. 
• Target strategies that prioritize sectors responsible for the highest emissions in operations and throughout the County.

While many of the Plan projects and efforts are already in motion, the more detailed work planning and Cross-Departmental Team formation is the next step and will be in place by the end of the 2023 calendar year.  Hats off to all of the many contributors who made this Plan possible and "forward ho!" on making it all happen together!  

According to the latest data and mapping, Santa Fe County is proud to announce that we have successfully met 31% of our conserved land and water goal in FY23. 

In support of the 30x30 global initiative efforts, the County's Sustainability Division, Open Space program, along with the Master Naturalist's Program and other volunteers have taken part in a number of conservation activities over the last year. Special thanks to the many efforts made by a number of committed organizations throughout the County in protecting parks, open spaces, and Conservancy/Land Trust designated areas. These activities included the installation of two new raingardens at the County Fairgrounds and follow up on planting maintenance and health in previous Earth Day event sites.  Open Space crews removed invasive bull frogs which are relocated to another County property already inundated.  The County does not kill any wildlife on County Open Spaces.  Invasive plants removed from Open Spaces properties include perennial pepper weed, knapp weed, and elm saplings. These troublesome species require on-going control for prevention from crowding out native plants and grasses. Erosion control activities, wildlife monitoring, and wildlife-friendly fence installations are just some of the other critically important conservation activities that took place this past year and are on-going projects.

Important action continued on County properties also to prevent livestock from entering into fragile ecosystems and support healthy habitat.  By excluding cattle from wetland areas, water quality improves, leading to increased plant and animal species life!

Key community partners, such as the Santa Fe Watershed Association and Xerces Society, support conservation efforts as well. In the last year, Xerces created healthier habitats in over 185 properties in Santa Fe County and provided 8,350 pollinator plants for planting on residential and public space properties. The Santa Fe Watershed Association helped support County greenspace in the Santa Fe River corridor by providing over $8000 in plants to the greenspace trail areas along the river. Conservation and community partnerships are essential in getting this important work done!

While the global 30x30 initiative definition for "protected and conserved" land and water is an iterative aspirational goal and general in language specification, the County seeks to fulfill the pledge by including, conserving and mapping all areas that are stewarded for the purpose of healthy, thriving native habitat and biodiversity. Gratitude to all who have been a part of this essential work so far; now let's go for increasing the protected and stewarded land and water to 40% in 2024!

The Arbor Day Foundation lists the following benefits of trees on their website; many of which are directly health related! 

• A study of 10 cities found community forests save an         average of one life each year. 
• Office workers with a view of trees report significantly         less stress and more satisfaction. 
• One large tree can provide a day's supply of oxygen for up to four people. 
• More than 20% of the world's oxygen is produced in the Amazon Rainforest. 
• Forested watersheds provide quality drinking water to more than 180 million Americans.
• Trees lower surface and air temperatures by providing shade. Shaded surfaces may be         20-45 degrees cooler than the peak temperatures of unshaded materials.
• Evaporation of water from trees has a cooling influence. 
• During one year, a mature tree will absorb more than 48 pounds of carbon dioxide from         the atmosphere and release oxygen in exchange.

The recent global heat wave is just one harbinger of increasing temperatures to come.  Every single person can help cool the planet and mitigate the impacts of climate change by planting more trees.  Though this action isn't a panacea for what we are facing in extreme weather events and will not make up entirely for all of the destructive impacts of climate change, it is a simple act that can make a very dramatic difference in our health and landscapes for the next generation.  Commit to planting 5-15 trees a year starting now (the right tree for the right location) and do your part to cool the earth's growing fever!