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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.

As I look back on 2007, it’s been one fantastic year. The Alliance continues to be a dedicated advocate for Albuquerque open space, and there have been many accomplishments throughout the year. These successes are attributable to the strong support that was achieved from Open Space Alliance (OSA) members, trail watch volunteers, and the Albuquerque Open Space Division

Within Tijeras Canyon exists a crossroads. Not just one for steel and rubber, but one for hoofs and fur. Tijeras Canyon has also been known as one of the worst places in the country for road kill.

We watched as a small group of sandhill cranes slowly circled overhead, spiraling downward with wings extended. One crane called out, as if giving directions to the others. Soon, more cranes joined the chorus, their ìgaroo-a-a-aî calls trumpeting all around us.

On one fall Trail Watch walk, the sound of a tractor was heard in the Bosque on the West Side north of Montano. Following it to its source, goat herder Ray Thornberg was seen riding his tractor as he pulled a trailer filled with fencing materials from one place to another. The goat herd of 450 was nearby, busily grooming the Bosque of invasive plants.

Summer Edition of the Open Space News.

April - June 2014: Volume 15, Issue 2

Spring and summer events and the Open Space Division's 30th Anniversary.

The City of Albuquerque Open Space Division received news from USA Weekend Magazine that its Make a Difference Day project for 2012 has been chosen for a City Award.

Spring is a busy time in Open Space. We welcome volunteer support as the weather warms and we prepare for summer. I will give you some headlines of ways you can participate. Don’t forget that the Open Space Alliance rewards volunteers with food and prizes at our cleanup projects. Bring the whole family to these exciting events!

As of April we’ve offi cially kicked off our volunteer event season with the month-long Sandia Foothills Open Space Clean Ups! After April, throughout the spring and summer you can get out and help the Open Space Division and enjoy the warm weather at the same time.

In April, the Sandia Foothills Open Space cleanupwill kick-off another year of outdoor volunteerism. There is a contagious enthusiasm when you gather early on a Saturday morning with neighbors and fellow trail users to work on projects that will benefit our Major Public Open Space areas.

While hiking, mountain biking, or horseback riding on one of the numerous trails of the Sandia Foothills Open Space, it’s easy to forget that this beautiful landscape looked quite different in the early days of the Open Space Division.