INTRODUCTION TO LOCAL AGROECOLOGY & TRADITIONS

New Mexico Earthlings partnered with Catspaw Ranch in Chromo, Colorado to host a weeklong paid internship for six of Northern New Mexico's rural youth (from Mesa Vista and Escalante High Schools). The goal was to expose rural youth to opportunities in the field of natural resources. We reached our goal by introducing students to professionals in the field, exposing them to conservation monitoring through field days and workshops, exploring a 52,00-acre ranch, and sharing with them different perspectives of land stewardship. The internship was a wonderful hands-on opportunity that left both students and educators wanting more.  

Interns learned about wildlife monitoring through an early morning elk survey and wildlife surveys throughout the week. They learned about water quality by testing a nearby stream for water quality with River Source Outdoor Educator, Rich Schrader. They also learned about soil monitoring techniques by testing two plots using the Comprehensive Assessment of Soil Health (CASH) protocol with our very own outdoor educator, Claudia Reynoso. Furthermore, students learned about communicating science through collaborative efforts with Victor Jaramillo, Carmen Taylor, and Tim Harrmann. 

In the end, our mission is to continue creating a network to expose our rural youth to outdoor education, economic opportunities, and promote the healing of our sacred lands and deepen our connections to the land. 

New Mexico Earthlings created a lasting relationship in the Summer of 2021 when we hosted a six-week conservation writing workshop for students 8-13 years of age. Throughout the summer, NME exposed youth to many aspects of Natural Resource Management and the economic opportunities associated with this field. NME explored Chama through the lense of a natural resource manager. We dove into topics such as fiber, soil health, water quality, vegetation surveys, and science communication. NME visited Tierra Wools, the Chamita, the Chama River, and even all the way down to El Guique to harvest garlic. 

Our Summer 2021 cohort was exposed to professionals throughout the field such as: farmers, sheepherders, weavers, wildlife ambassadors, natural resource managers, foresters, ranchers, herbalists, and many more.