San Antonio Oxbow Bluffs
LOCATION: 5001 Namaste Road NW
CONTACT: Adryana Vialpando, Planner ● 505-768-4203 ● [email protected]
San Antonio Oxbow Bluffs (SAOB) is a 23-acre property purchased from the Poole family in Spring of 2021 by the City of Albuquerque’s Open Space Division with assistance from the State of New Mexico. In fall 2021, the OSD provided several walking tours and community listening sessions to obtain feedback about how the community would like to utilize the property. The OSD will begin next phases in the planning process.
Planning
The City of Albuquerque Open Space Division (OSD) completed a planning process that led to the approval of the San Antonio Oxbow Preferred Site Plan by the Environmental Planning Commission in late 2023. Throughout 2024, OSD and its contractor have been focused on finalizing construction documents and developing an interpretive signage plan. To learn more about the San Antonio Oxbow Bluffs project, click this story map link.
Next Steps
Looking ahead, Phase One construction is scheduled to begin in 2025. Phase one will include upgrades to the parking lot, installation of a trail system and grassland loop, creation of an outdoor classroom, and enhancements to the horno area to establish a Poole Recognition Space. During this time, access to Namaste Street and the southern portion of the San Antonio Oxbow Bluffs will be impacted by temporary closures or detours.
Review the slide presentation and community feedback taken in the fall of 2021.
Oxbow Marsh Restoration and Maintenance
The OSD is currently conducting restoration and maintenance projects in the Oxbow Marsh, located just below the SOAB. Projects include beaver dam mitigation, invasive species removal, and an endangered species survey. The OSD will coordinate quarterly volunteer stewardship events to engage the community in the restoration and management of this valuable habitat. These events will be posted on the Open Space City website when they are finalized.
The OSD is also working with the Bosque School and St. Pius X, who have graciously volunteered to perform general species inventories and help monitor the environmental quality of the Oxbow Marsh and surrounding area. These efforts are important to help inform science-backed management and preserve the quality of the oxbow for future generations. Additionally, The Native Plant Society is conducting bi-annual plant inventories. The OSD will continue to engage partners and the community in these efforts and additional citizen science projects.
To learn how to get involved with restoration projects at the Oxbow Marsh, contact Open Space Field Biologist Joanna Strange 505-768-4208 or [email protected].
