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This year the Open Space Alliance announces a new Board of Directors. They are: President – Sallie McCarthy; Vice-President – Jack Clifford; Secretary – Steve Glass; and Treasurer – Elizabeth Young. I want to thank Steven Hamp for his years of service as President, and we are grateful that he will continue to serve on the board. The board meets on the 3rd Thursday of the month at 4:00 p.m. at the Open Space Visitor Center. We welcome your attendance anytime

The City of Albuquerque’s Open Space Division is proud to announce the opening of its newest bike trail! Take a ride or a stroll on a new addition to the West Mesa trails network. The Paseo de la Mesa Trail runs from 81st Street (near to the Volcano Cliffs water tanks) up and west almost to Paseo de Volcan.

A score and five years ago, our city fathers brought forth a new divisionconceived for everybody and dedicated to the proposition that not allland is created equal. At that time our community was engaged in agreat struggle to prevent the loss of its character to the wrecking ball orthe bulldozer blade. And while there have been setbacks, the victorieswere greater and the result has been beyond impressive.

The Open Space Alliance is proud to be the host for the City of Albuquerque Open Space Visitor Center’s 3rd Annual Open Space: A View with Room. This fantastic art show runs through December 11th. All of the art work in the show depicts the many lands being preserved as part of the City of Albuquerque’s Open Space System. The paintings primarily highlight and bring into focus the variety of spaces that are available in the city of Albuquerque.

The hot days of summer are coming to an end. Cottonwood trees will soon turn golden and flutter in gently blowing breezes. Fall means harvesting summer's gift of green chiles and other New Mexican specialty crops grown with acequia waters. The cool morning air also reminds Albuquerque residents that the colorful hot air ballons will soon fill the skies above the Rio Grande Valley and surrounding Mesas.

At the end of last year the Open Space Police (OSP) were absorbed into the Albuquerque Police Department (APD). As a special unit in APD administered by Captain Mike Castro and Lieutenant Ruben Griego, the Open Space Police continue patrolling and responding to calls affecting Open Space properties and facilities.

For fifty years Albuquerque's Parks and Recreation Department has flourished. As the sleepy little town of 50,000 residents of the 1940's doubled its size by the early 1950's, the need for leadership to direct the growth of our parks was apparent. Under the five member City Commission, several community organizations petitioned for a government entity to direct the future of theboomtown's green space.

While closures are in effect, the City and the Open Space Division strive to provide our citizens with recreationalopportunities throughout the year. The Open Space Summer Series (details on page 7) continues through August and offers many chances to enjoy the outdoors and some of the best music, entertainmentand speakers in Albuquerque.

After the cold of winter passes and the temperatures slowly increase, so too does the visitation to the City of Albuquerque’s vast Open Space Network. Every year hundreds of volunteers come out to do much-needed work to spruce up the City’s Open Space properties for the summer. The dedication and enthusiasm that these volunteers bring when doing their part to beautify our city never ceases to amaze me.

As summer approaches we look forward to a prosperous monsoon season. The year started with several storms with the help of the El Niño cycle. Wildfl owers have been in bloom, insects and reptiles are on the move, and larger mammals can be seen as you hike and explore our wonderful Open Space lands.

Summer is in full swing and visitation to Open Spacelands is at an all time high. Not only does the warmerweather increase visitation to Open Space properties, italso brings out the spirit of volunteerism in people aswell.

This spring and summer the Open Space Division hosted three highly successfulannual volunteer events that helped to preserve our precious natural resourcesand public lands. The Spring Cleanups in the Sandia Foothills, National RiverCleanup, and National Trails Day each received some of the highest volunteer turnouts we’ve seen for these events since their inception.

I am a paper cup. I was very useful once, but when I was no longer needed, I was discarded. Not put into a bag with other used items I was merely pitched into the Rio Grande River, just north of the Bosque where I began my lonely and rather hazardous journey. Sink or Swim!

Artists have always been inspired by the beauty of nature, and with over 28,000 acres of protected Open Space lands in and around Albuquerque, there ís plenty to be inspired about.

There is a Phoenix rising from the ashes of the Pueblo Montano fire that took place two years ago, but in the shape of an eagle. Chainsaw artist Mark Chavez,one of the firefighters who helped put out that fire in the bosque, seemed to be an imminently appropriate choice to carve sculptures into the standing dead cottonwood trees at the trailhead.

January-March 2014, Volume 15, Issue 1

This edition of the Open Space News is dedicated to the memory of Jay Lee Evans.

Celebrating the City Open Space Division’s Outstanding Volunteers, A Message from Mayor Richard J. Berry.

In the spring of 2011 the City of Albuquerque’s Open Space Division (OSD) submitted a project to the “International Awards for Liveable Communities” (LivCom Awards) in Berkshire, England. Albuquerque’s submission was “Glass Gardens” Environmental Restoration and Habitat Enhancement. This year the LivCom Awards committee announced that the City of Albuquerque was one of only a few cities in the United States chosen as a fi nalist for the Project Awards. Congratulations are due to the City’s Open Space Division for receiving this important recognition.

Greetings from the Mayor’s Office! It is an honor to serve you as Mayor of thegreat city of Albuquerque, home to one of the best Open Space systems in thecountry and endless opportunities for outdoor recreation. Our family is veryactive in outdoor activities such as hiking and skiing, and we’re so happy thatthe Open Space Division is here to offer over 29,000 acres of land for ourcommunity’s enjoyment.

In 1984, a new Division was formed within the City’sParks and Recreation Department. Known as the Open Space Division, its employees were charged with the responsibility of protecting and managing environmentally and culturally significant lands in and around the City of Albuquerque.