A Clear Purpose

The Taos Valley Watershed Coalition was formed in 2015 to focus on coordinating and prioritizing forest and watershed restoration on 280,000 acres along the western slope of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Taos County.

The streams and rivers that originate in this footprint are the primary source of water for towns, villages, tribal communities and traditional irrigators in the Taos Valley — one of the most culturally rich and ecologically vulnerable areas in the country. Our work is meant to protect and improve these watersheds from the threat of catastrophic wildfire for the benefit of local residents, as well as those who rely on safe, clean water from the Rio Grande further downstream.

Through productive cooperation, the coalition partners have made significant on-the-ground progress despite a complex patchwork of land ownership and challenging, hard-to-access terrain.

Reduced dangerous fuels by thinning more than 1,400 acres of forest

Brought in more then $3 million in federal state and local funding

Started or completed environmental planning on 66,000 acres of Forest Service lands

Performed 800 acres of prescribed burning

Supported the management of naturally caused wildfire on 525 acres on the Carson National Forest

Connecting The Dots

Click on the infographic at right to learn how our work in the Taos Valley balances support for the environment, traditional communities, the local economy.