Santa Fe Conservation Trust
Santa Fe Conservation Trust
The Santa Fe Conservation Trust works to improve everyone's quality of life in and around Santa Fe through our conservation, trails, and community programs that provide more equitable access to nature. Here are some 2022 outcomes:
Land Program — In 2022, we protected 2,200 acres via five conservation easements. This brings total acres protected to over 45,000 acres in three counties, strengthening our resilience to climate change.
Conservation Homestead — Our 300-acre property where we teach land restoration techniques and provide public access via 5 miles of trails.
Trails Program — SFCT created over 75 miles of trails in/around Santa Fe. Trail volunteers donated over 42 work days and 730 hours of labor to maintain them for the City to ensure safe/enjoyable access for all.
Night Sky Protection Program — We have an MOU with Santa Fe County to partner with us to monitor light pollution over Santa Fe. Light pollution negatively impacts plants, wildlife and human health. Data will inform education efforts and help strengthen night sky protection ordinances.
Passport to Trails (field trips for primarily Spanish-speaking kids in south side schools to our dirt trails) — Took 582 kids/teachers/parents on 28 field trips to the Dale Ball trails. Since 2014, 3,836 participants have visited the trails.
Vámonos: Santa Fe Walks (32 free walks after work and on Saturdays) — This program provides equitable access to nature to elders, the Spanish-speaking immigrant community, kids, those who don’t know where to walk, or don’t like to walk alone. Almost 490 people participated.
Safe Routes to School Grant (to encourage kids in the K-8 Santa Fe Public Schools to walk or bike to school) — SFCT instigated 60 walk and roll events for 1,700 participants. Next summer's goal is to have a coordinator in the Santa Fe Public Schools to promote walking and biking to school with City involvement to create better sidewalks, crosswalks, etc. to make it safer for kids to get to school.
_____
The Santa Fe Community Foundation invited nonprofit partners to submit stories related to its April topic of Environment.
Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian
Last year, the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian opened Carved Stories by Hopi artist Mavasta Honyouti. Featuring all sixteen low-relief carvings from the Coming Home series — created in tandem with Honyouti’s children’s book Coming Home: A Hopi Resistance Story — the exhibit recounts his grandfather Clyde Honyouti’s experience at an off-reservation federal boarding school. This Indigenous-led project offers a powerful and visually compelling reflection on Hopi life, culture, and history. As Brian Vallo notes, “Carved Stories… is both powerful and beautiful.”
Kha'p'o Community School
With support from the Native American Advised Fund, sixth-grade students at Kha’p’o Community School embarked on Our Voice, Our Stories — a year-long documentary project blending traditional Tewa arts and modern digital storytelling. Through pottery, weaving, sewing, and film, students explored their cultural identity and celebrated their voices as young Tewa people.
Truchas Services Center Preschool
The Truchas Services Center Preschool serves children from all the surrounding communities, providing supervision and appropriate curriculum for children ages 3 to 5 years old. The mission of the Pre-School program is "Children learning through playing".
