City Dedicates Dr. Clifford Crawford Trail
Honoring the founder of the Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program and his lasting impact on the Middle Rio Grande Bosque
ALBUQUERQUE – The City of Albuquerque Parks and Recreation Department today dedicated the Dr. Clifford Crawford Trail in the Rio Grande Bosque, officially naming an existing trail in honor of the late UNM professor, scientist, educator, and founder of the Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program (BEMP). The dedication was held on what would have been Dr. Crawford’s birthday, recognizing his decades of leadership in environmental education, scientific research, and Bosque conservation.
City officials, Open Space staff, BEMP staff, family members, former colleagues, students, volunteers, and community members gathered for the ceremony, which included a ribbon cutting a walk along the trail to a newly installed interpretive sign overlooking the Rio Grande, and remarks celebrating Dr. Crawford’s enduring legacy. The event concluded at the Rio Grande Nature Center State Park visitor center with a presentation highlighting the continued success of the Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program and the ongoing stewardship of the Bosque.
“Dr. Clifford Crawford’s passion for the Bosque helped generations of students develop a deeper understanding of one our city’s greatest natural treasures,” said COO Matthew Whelan. “Naming this trail in his honor ensures that his legacy of education, conservation, and community stewardship will continue to inspire everyone who visits the Bosque.”
“Dr. Crawford’s vision forever changed how we study and care for the Bosque,” said Parks and Recreation Director Dave Simon. “The city is proud to honor someone whose passion for science, conservation, and community continues to shape the way we manage and protect the Rio Grande Valley State Park today.”
About Dr. Clifford Crawford
Dr. Clifford Crawford founded the Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program (BEMP) in 1996, creating a hands-on environmental education program that connected students with ecological research throughout the Middle Rio Grande Bosque. Beginning with just three monitoring sites, the program expanded to 33 active sites spanning 270 miles of the Middle Rio Grande and now generates more than one million data points each year.
For nearly three decades, BEMP has engaged thousands of K-12 students, teachers, college interns, and volunteers in collecting ecological data that continues to inform land management decisions throughout central New Mexico, including those made by the City of Albuquerque Open Space Division in the Rio Grande Valley State Park.
The newly dedicated Dr. Clifford Crawford Trail and interpretive sign serve as a lasting tribute to his commitment to science, education, and the protection of the Bosque, ensuring that future generations can learn about his remarkable contributions while experiencing the landscape he spent his life studying and protecting.