Valle Vidal Celebration Events: July 20-22, 2007

From Defenders of Wildlife NM:
We had an incredible victory last fall with the passage of the Valle Vidal Protection Act, which permanently protected this beautiful area in northern New Mexico's Carson National Forest from oil and gas development. Valle Vidal means "Valley of Life," and it truly lives up to the name. The area teams with elk, mule deer, bald eagles, and mountain lions, and provides important habitat for the Rio Grande cutthroat trout.

Celebration!
To celebrate this amazing victory, the Coalition for the Valle Vidal is hosting a celebration next Saturday 7/21. The celebration is open to all ages and will include workshops and other events including archery, fishing, nature hikes, birdwatching, and aquatic insect identification. This event is free and open to the public.

Stream Restoration
Although the Valle Vidal has been protected, there is still much work to be done to restore the health of streams in the area that serve as important habitat for imperiled fish species including the cutthroat trout.  Defenders of Wildlife is supporting the Albuquerque Wildlife Federation on their 25th year of restoring streams in the Valle Vidal.

We'll be building rock dams and possibly some elk and cattle exclosures. The majority of this work will take place on Saturday 7/21 with a fun and tasty BBQ that night. See the attached flyer (PDF) for more information. Please RSVP to me for this project by Thursday 7/19.

**(Editor's Note: The New Mexico Wilderness Alliance is also holding an event in connection with the celebration. Click for a flyer (PDF) about their Youth and Appreciation Day at Valle Vidal on 7.21.07.)**

Feel free to contact me with any questions. I hope to see you in the Valle Vidal next weekend!

Lisa Hummon
LHummon@aol.com
New Mexico Outreach Representative
Defenders of Wildlife
824 Gold SW, Albuquerque, NM  87108
(505) 248-0118 x5, (505) 248-0187 (fax)
www.defenders.org