Dear Mayor Berry and Rio Grand Vision team (RGVT):

I struggle with being polite. I struggle with gathering my thoughts. I struggle with communicating with people. The efforts that I have gone to thus far in opposing your plans to reduce and diminish the health of the bosque have been, as far as I am concerned, nothing short of Herculean.

I have attended meetings. I have read letters. I have talked to people on the phone. I have written articles. I have launched an online petition. I have continually rallied my soul from the edge of despair. And for what?

I’m not sure.

Sometimes I think you people aren’t even human.

But of course you’re human. But I think, sometimes, if this story took the form of a Hollywood movie starring Drew Barrymore as a wildlife biologist out to save our bosque from being turned into an urban park, you would have an emotional reaction, maybe even shed tears.

But when that same story is unfolding right in front of you, and the wildlife biologist is not Drew Barrymore but some guy you’ve never heard of, yammering on about “riparian areas are the lifeblood of biodiversity in the Southwest” and “land ethic” and “biophilia,” all you can do is look at your watch.

What is it about your fellow citizens preferring the bosque in a natural state that puzzles you?

Do you have any idea how many thousands of years, how many countless millennia, have gone into the making of the wondrous environment you are attempting to enhance and improve? Do you have any idea of the irreversible damage your plans will cause to this magnificent landscape? How does the health of the bosque for future generations not matter to you?

The bosque, if you had bothered surveying people prior to drafting your plan, matters to Albuquerqueans. We draw spiritual sustenance from it. We feel communion with it. We experience renewal amidst the natural beauty. We take comfort in sharing the space with a multitude of other shy, elusive creatures: migratory birds, porcupines, weasels, muskrats, and on and on. We enjoy the shade and beauty of the cottonwoods. We enjoy the coolness of the air sweeping across the river…

A wild river running through the heart of the city? This is something NO OTHER MAJOR U.S. CITY can lay claim to. Every other river city has been commercialized and devastated. Start withSan Antonio, and go on from there.

What about the veterans? Are you aware of the comfort and solace that a wild untrammeled area like the bosque provides our scarred warriors? Are you aware of the elusive peace we are able to experience walking in the shadows of the cottonwoods?

As the Sierra Club has cordially acknowledged, your desire to encourage people to enjoy the river and bosque is a worthy goal. However, The Rio Grande Vision intends to encourage use of the bosque and river by fundamentally changing what the experience of the river and bosque is. The bosque is presently a wild, natural place in the middle ofAlbuquerque. It is a place where residents and visitors can go to experience the cottonwood forest, the birds, the murmur of theRio Grande, and the peacefulness of the wild in the midst of an urban area.

However, your Rio Grande Vision would, to a great extent, change the bosque into much more of a standard-issue urban park, something you could visit anywhere. The Rio Grande Vision risks destroying what makes the bosque a unique and wonderful place.

Boardwalks, pedestrian bridges, viewing platforms, artwork, etc. are not “compelling,” but are instead inconsistent with the experience of a natural, green space. The bosque is not a putt-putt golf course. We don’t need ornamentation.

This bears repeating.

Boardwalks, pedestrian bridges, viewing platforms, artwork, etc. are not “compelling,” but are instead inconsistent with the experience of a natural, green space. The bosque is not a putt-putt golf course. It doesn’t need ornamentation.

Instead of attempting to replicate what has worked in other urban parks that are different from our bosque, The Rio Grande Vision should attempt to accentuate and promote what is wonderful and unique about our bosque and river.

How can you not recognize you are ruining something by displacing and/or occluding the natural forms that already exist there? Putting art in the bosque? Putting boardwalks in the bosque?  Putting observation towers in the bosque? The bosque does not need art to beautify it or make it interesting, and dirt trails are just fine.

And do you have any idea how terrifyingly ugly observation towers are? Do you have any idea how ferociously ugly observation towers are? Have you ever been to a concentration camp, refugee camp, POW camp, prison, or seen such a place depicted in the movies?

If people feel the need to see up above the trees, they have numerous bridges they can walk or drive across: Central. Bridge. Montaño. I-40. The list goes on. What are all those cut-outs in the bridges but areas for the public to enjoy elevated panoramic views? As you can see, your observation platforms already exist. No need to put up more structures.

Why are you trying to give us something we don’t want or need? The City leadership should court the opinions of Albuquerqueans, and abide by the rules and regulations of the Bosque Action Plan, rather than bushwhacking a rogue path and laying waste to public opinion.

What follows are the hundreds of comments that have been posted to the online petition signed by over 600 people and counting. Please read them, one by one, as I have. These are the collected calls of your residents, not bird calls, not cat calls, but human calls. Calling out as best we can to the human in you: Let the bosque be!

It is not too late. Instead of electing to play the role of the “big bad Mayor,” you can have an epiphany, go out with Drew Barrymore in the bosque, and actually feel something when she calls your attention and impulsively squeezes your hand:

dawdling slowly up the branch you’re passing under,

a porcupine.

Respectfully submitted,

Alex E. Limkin

Warriors With Westhusing

Recipient: Ken Sanchez, Roxanna Meyers, Isaac Benton, Brad Winter, Dan Lewis, Ray

Garduno, Janice E. Arnold-Jones, Trudy E. Jones, Don Harris, Mayor Richard

Berry, andRioGrande Vision Team

Letter: Greetings,

I oppose ABQ The Plan: The Rio Grande Vision in its present form. The Plan for the Bosque should promote and facilitate use of the Bosque as a wild, natural place. This is what makes the Bosque a unique treasure forAlbuquerque. The Rio Grande Vision plan proposes inappropriate development within the Bosque.

The Plan should fund a strong conservation/restoration component to ensure that our beautiful cottonwood Bosque thrives. The ecological impacts of the proposals should be assessed before The Plan is finalized, as required by the Bosque Action Plan.

Petition Comments through 6/11:

Alex Limkin Albuquerque, NM 2013-05-31 As a veteran of war living within the city limits, the Rio Grande Bosque is one of the few places I can go to experience some peace and solace. Building in the Bosque will be noisy, polluting, destructive and create eye sores all over the landscape. The tall viewing platforms the Mayor wants to put in will stand out like sore thumbs and be useless when there is nothing to look. If I want a commercial artificial “Riverwalk” I’ll move toSan Antonio.

Kristen Weil Albuquerque, NM 2013-05-31 KEEP THE BOSQUE WILD!

Ivy Brown Waregem, Belgium 2013-05-31 Because we need to keep nature wild!

RosamariaLimkin Albuquerque,NM2013-05-31Because your planned development and construction in the Bosque translates into an irreparable loss to the Bosque, to the river, to their habitat, to their

beauty, and to the children ofAlbuquerque.

JillMcElmurry Albuquerque,NM2013-05-31Because I live here and want as much wild open undomesticated land around here as possible.

PatriciaBelletto Albuquerque,NM2013-05-31The Bosque is a gem. We need to protect the beauty and quiet.

Jamie HoAlbuquerque, NM 2013-05-31 The Rio Grande Bosque is amazing just as it is. The “Rio Grande Vision” will alter negatively not only the beauty, but is a danger to the land and the many

species that live there. Why MESS this up and makeAlbuquerquejust another

generic urban sprawl?

IanMentken Albuquerque,NM2013-05-31The Bosque is one ofAlbuquerque’s jewels. Efforts to preserve it, ala a national park, are welcome. But any designs to commercially “develop” it will

surely ruin its pristine beauty and likely interfere with the natural balance of the

ecosystem.

Kathryn Miller Placitas, NM 2013-05-31 We need to save and protect for our future generations to know and understand what the Rio Grande Bosque is and why WILD is important

LissaHammit Albuquerque,NM2013-05-31open space is important keep the river wild please

KimFike Albuquerque,NM2013-05-31The bosque is where I go for work and for play. I go there for exercise and for relaxation. I bring my friends, my family, and my pets. I love this special place and it breaks my heart to see others wanting to destroy it. The habitat is already extremely stressed and the animals barely able to find enough food and shelter to survive. I oppose this development, some areas in our world just need to be left alone.

Claudia Crawford Albuquerque, NM 2013-05-31 I saw/read the article in American ProfileMay 26, 2013and understand where the Mayor is coming from. UnlikeSan Antonio, theRio Grandeis not a channelized river. UnlikeIdaho Falls,Portlandand theRoanokeValley,Albuquerqueis a harsh environment without the rainfall to replenish damage to the landscape by construction activities. To create such a greenwalk through our bosque would be to destroy it for most wildlife. Birds and other wildlife will not be able to make the bosque their home when people are using it in great

numbers. Our cottonwoods will not be replenished by the little rain we do get when hardened trails cover their roots. I applaud the concept but keep it to the currently developed areas.

Mina Yamashita Albuquerque, NM 2013-05-31New Mexicois my adopted home and one of the most beautiful places in the world. We need to protect the bosque and the natural habitats that preserve our natural resources for both wildlife and human inhabitants. We are already suffering from loss of water. We need to maintain the fragile balance of the bosque’s ecology or lose it and its many connected resources.

Tanya LandinAlbuquerque, NM 2013-05-31 Keep nature the way it is! There are too many houses, buildings, etc. already! Why touch it? I take my son down to the Bosque at least twice a month and it is a wonderful experience for him to connect with nature.

Art Logan-Condon Albuquerque, NM 2013-05-31 I love the Bosque and want it to remain natural.

JeremyMcClain Placitas,NM2013-05-31I am a biologist and understand the grave importance of not permitting further development along the Rio Grande Bosque.

KathleenRhoad Albuquerque,NM2013-05-31I treasure theRio Grandeand the bosque and want to conserve and preserve it’s beauty and habitat.

DonMichaelis Albuquerque,NM2013-05-31Because it is uniquely wild in the center of a city, the bosque should remain that way. The Mayor’s plan looks like more shortermism (prettying up rather than shoring up) — in place of creating a grand plan for cleanup, restoration and securing the bosque as a sustainable forest with diverse natural inhabitants. Nature needs help here, not hindrance. Please be a good steward of this resource, not a short term opportunist. Thank you.

PhyllisHoge Albuquerque,NM2013-05-31As wrote you re this last week, our wildness makes urban ABQ unique. As is. Keep the bosque wild.

GlyndaSzekely Albuquerque,NM2013-05-31The Bosque doesn’t need to be ‘improved upon.’ Don’t destroy our Bosque!

ChristinaHartsock Albuquerque,NM2013-05-31Keep the bosque wild and undeveloped. That is the vision that Aldo Leopold had and the way we benefit from this lovely place.

Dave Foreman Albuquerque, NM 2013-05-31 I was born here 66 years ago and have always enjoyed the Rio Grande as an outstanding strip of wildness through the middle of town. Don’t wreck it.

Denise Wheeler NM, NM 2013-05-31 The bosque is a unique envorinment we must do all that is possible to protect it. The Mayor’s proposal will destroy it.

Felecia Caton-Garcia Albuquerque, NM 2013-05-31 I live within a quarter mile of the bosque & I run there nearly every day. All humans need wild places. I lack the resources to regularly get out of the city; this is my wild place & I love it.

Lisa SwartzLoveland, CO 2013-05-31 Good grief, just leave it alone.

KristinLeve Albuquerque,NM2013-05-31I’m signing because I love my city and want to keep our open spaces natural.

Susan Morgan Maple Falls, WA 2013-05-31 NM is my home, and the Rio Grande Bosque is a national treasure as well as one of the most beautiful and ecologically important areas in Albuquerque and NM.

Colista Reynolds Albuquerque, NM 2013-05-31 Leave it wild.

KristinHogge Albuquerque,NM2013-05-31I love walks along the river. At night, bats appear. There are birds galore and many four legged animals that roan the area. More humans mean fewer sitings. Also, I am concerned about the access streets to the river. I live on Candelaria and cars fly down day and night. I don’t see restaurants and boats adding to the beauty of the river.

Judy BAbcock Peralta, NM 2013-06-01 Why mess with mother nature. she is doing a great job. We humans are the ones messing thing up.

AshliGorbet Albuquerque,NM2013-06-01I am a wildlife biologist living inAlbuquerque. Research from our non-profit organization has shown the massive importance of the bosque to migratory, wintering, and breeding songbirds. Development, fragmentation, and disturbance will likely have great impacts on populations of songbirds that are already declining due to habitat loss, drought and other climate-related factors, and human impacts. I strongly urge you to keep the bosque wild and not turn an important and unique habitat into an “amusement” park. This plan will surely injure the ecological and biological value of theAlbuquerquearea as well as the hearts of its people.

jill chavez los lunas, NM 2013-06-01 Keep it wild like the Gila!!

Ann OliverCincinnati, OH 2013-06-01 Why would someone fromOhiowant to sign this petition? Because I’ve visitedAlbuquerqueseveral times over the past 20 years (love green chile, posole, sopapillas, and had almost 10 years of a subscription to New Mexico Magazine!) and enjoyed the scenicRio GrandeRiver. Please don’t destroy one of your city’s greatest assets by channelizing and concreting your riverbanks. Celebrate the bosque, don’t obliterate it! And take good care of your birds and all the fine folks at theRio GrandeNatureCenter!

DianeLongenecker Albuquerque,NM2013-06-01The river itself is precious. Development along its banks will and can damage this gem.

HazelTrabaudo Albuquerque,NM2013-06-01It is a place I go to walk and enjoy the natural beauty of the river and the trees, it is a great place to take friends and visitors. It is a unique place and I have lived in many places it is rare to find an urban area as peaceful as the Bosque.Hundreds of different species seem to feel the same way.

Carolyn Johnson Alpine, TX 2013-06-01 I love wild undeveloped areas. They’re disappearing. It’s disastrous.

Pat Folsom Waitsfield, VT 2013-06-01 I spend winters in ABQ and know how important these wild riparian areas are to wildlife and the people who love them.

karen wechteralbuquerque, NM 2013-06-01 preserve our wildlife please

Gayle Vance Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-01 In this time of extreme drought, we should be marshalling our resources to preserve and protect our precious Bosque. Albuquerqueans need the tranquility of this wild habitat — not another amusement park.

CarlLundblad Tucson,AZ2013-06-01ABQ Native

Connie Adler Silver City,NM2013-06-01 I walk in the bisque every morning and it is a unique, fragile environment that cannot withstand the kind of development proposed by MayorBerry.

Megan Pitman Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-01 I work with wildlife outside ofAlbuquerqueand know how important the Rio Grande Bosque through the city is for wildlife populations.

MC Coppage Atlanta, GA 2013-06-01 I aided in mountain lion research one summer on the Bosque, and getting to stay in a place that had remained as truly wild and untouched as the bosque is an experience I’ve never had again. It truly is unique and even entertaining the thought of developing it is ridiculous.

Leslie Bryant Corrales, NM 2013-06-01

I’m rooting for the primitive,

The rough and the wild,

The living with less,

The communing with Nature.

My heart is with the poets and the writers,

The musicians and the dancers,

The singers and the storytellers,

The painters and the sculptors-

For that familiarity lies within each of us

If we are willing to tap into the well.

julie wiltalbuquerque, NM 2013-06-01 The bosque is beautiful just the way it is. Keep it wild.

Mary Ray Winston, NM 2013-06-01Cottonwoodbosques are important and beautiful and becoming ever more rare. Please keep them wild!

Robert Carleton Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-01 Restoration of the Bosque and improved access to it are each critically important. But, “The Plan” as proposed over-reaches. Environmental Impact and Long-Term consequences of our actions need to be included in every decision we make. Though I credit the mayor for making this proposal, I am convinced that his vision cannot be achieved without significant long-term degradation of the bosque and our wonderful Middle Rio Grande!

Steve Collins Lubbock, TX 2013-06-01 This site is an ecological gem, and a treasure for the people ofAlbuquerque. Don’t spoil it.

KatherineWinski Albuquerque,NM2013-06-01The idea of destroying our wonderful Bosque and river habitat for cheap commercialization sickens me to the core. This area should be protected, not destroyed by commercial development. The only need we have for paved trails in the Bosque has already been fulfilled. Save the Bosque, don’t destroy it!

Deb Novak Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-01 I am willing to consider changes to the bosque, but the last public talk I was at talking about this plan could not say what the effects might be on plants or wildlife.

Tom Stewart Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-01 The plan depends on the beauty of the bosque, yet the health of this woodland depends on a return to occasional flooding over the banks of theRio. This is incompatible with extensive riverside infrastructure.

Mark Weil Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-01 I live near the rio grande, I am a member of the Rio Grande Boulevard Neighborhood Association, and I vehemently oppose development to this extent in the bosque.

RobStitt Snohomish,WA2013-06-01As a fromer resident of Albuquerque, I like to hope that some of the things I enjoyed when I lived there will continue on into the future.

Heather Toman Rio Rancho, NM 2013-06-01 Wildlife at the Bosque is irreplaceable. There is plenty available to see and do now in the Bosque, we do not need more restaurants! We have plenty in Albuquerque, the Bosque is the last place to put more!

Danielle Deemer Columbus, OH 2013-06-01 I am a NM native!! I care about this too

Barbara Clark Corrales, NM 2013-06-01 The Bosque is a treasure. Dont ruin that.

BethBrownell Albuquerque,NM2013-06-01Our bosque is a precious resource wild. Very few cities have this kind of nature escape so accessible. Changing this is frightening to me.

Carole L Esley Camden, ME 2013-06-01 Because it is such a beautiful habitat for so many species…. a rare place that should be kept for future generations. Once disturbed by development, there will be no going back. Our children’s children deserve better!

ZoeKrasney Albuquerque,NM2013-06-01I had originally supported the plan, which at that time had a much smaller footprint. While I do agree that bringing more people to enjoy our river, especially children is a goal, right now the plan is unacceptable, permitting too much development of a precious ecosystem.

Beth Morris Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-01 The jewel that isAlbuquerqueis created by the river and its bosque. Trying to become some poor version ofSan Antonioor any other river city would be a horrible mistake, costly way beyond return n both financial and environmental terms.

Susana Villalobos Longmont, CO 2013-06-01 Even though we live inColorado,New Mexicois my home town. The Bosque is PRECIOUS! Plese keep it wild.

Roxanne AllenAlbuquerque, NM 2013-06-01 The bosque is fragile because of years of no flooding. We need to strengthen the forest, not punch holes in it with “development.”

Lee Martinez Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-01 While aspects of Mayor Berry’s plan have merit, the Sandias, the Petroglyphs, and the Rio Grande are what give Albuquerque its unique character and appeal. Intrusive development and encroachment on our natural habitats will have irreversible consequences. Before it is too late, let’s not jump on Mayor’s bandwagon to turn this beautiful treasures into commercial ventures.

Aaron LewisAlbuquerque, NM 2013-06-01 My home is within 5 minutes walk of the bosque. In the past 5 years we have seen bald eagles return to the bosque it would be a shame to see it any other way.

CarolClericuzio Albuquerque,NM2013-06-01We treasure the natural state of the Rio Grande Bosque

roman lopezalbuquerque, NM 2013-06-01 go to the bosque every day

Sheila MahoneySilver Spring,, MD 2013-06-01 Natural Beauty is a rarity and should be preserved. There are plenty of Commercialized spaces inAlbuquerque, we don’t need more and we should protect the few we have left.

Allison SchachtLos Lunas,NM2013-06-01The Bosque is a haven for wildlife. Hawks, owls and falcons nest there, along with many other birds. It’s a place for people to get away and experience peace and contact with nature. Please leave it the way it is!

JeffBuckels Albuquerque,NM2013-06-01We live in theSouth Bosque, on a farm w/ water rights. Very concerned about the future of the Bosque and the River in general.

RipHarwood Albuquerque,NM2013-06-01For the people and the wildlife

MaryMackie Albuquerque,NM2013-06-01Our bosque is one of a kind. Once it is gone, we can never get it back.

Catherine FellowsAlbuquerque, NM 2013-06-01 In my opinion, “developing” the Bosque is incredibly shortsighted. I think it will hurt tourism, not encourage it. Bars and restaurants are everywhere and “wild” environments are few and far between.

Aja CurreyLas Vegas, NM 2013-06-01 The bosque is an extremely important part ofalbuquerque. Why would you ruin it?

PeterCallen Placitas,NM2013-06-01I would want to see an ecological restoration plan first, before a human use plan. No agricultural “waste” water full of nitrates tops the list of restoration needs.

Marco Llanos ABQ, NM 2013-06-01 I ride my bicycle near the Bosque on a daily basis.

Jackson Day Rockport, ME 2013-06-01 Keep it wild.

JoanGillis Albuquerque,NM2013-06-01As a person, I am generally concerned about what humankind is doing to our environment. As a new resident of ABQ, I see the Bosque in its current state as an opportunity to leave nature and her environment alone.

Bill O’Neill Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-01 As a state senator representing the affected area, I am extremely concerned about the potential commercialization of our bosque

RayBenefield Rockmart,GA2013-06-01I am an environmentalist?

Karen Henman Terre Haute, IN 2013-06-01 I visit my sister inAlbuquerqueoften. We enjoy the wildness of the Bosque and I don’t want to see that destroyed.

JeanMarsden Placitas,NM2013-06-01Not anAlbuquerqueresident per se, so my vote doesn’t count if you’re a voteseeker. In any case I add my voice to the chorus of wild living things. This unnatural human obsession of trying control, manipulate, plan and exploit that which is perfect, rare and a gift. We might be thankful the bosque allows us to live with it.

Adrianne Akmajian Neah Bay, WA 2013-06-02 I grew up in theVillageofLos Ranchos. The Bosque is an amazing habitat and a locale that truly shows the beauty ofNew Mexico.

Nancy Brigham Aurora, CO 2013-06-02 It’s a very important wildlife area. This is on a migration route for birds.

Rozanne Stoman Winfield, IL 2013-06-02 I visitAlbuquerqueperiodically and I love the beauty and peace that it brings me. I have visited the bosque with friends who live inAlbuquerqueand feel that it is something special, unspoilt, and uncommercial. It is part of what makesAlbuquerqueandNew Mexicospecial. Please preserve it. Anyone can build a bunch of shops. It takes a special eye to recognize when what you have, is simple, organic, and enough.

TylerBrown Albuquerque, South Africa 2013-06-02 Nature is not a destination…it’s something amongst which we live. The undeveloped, wild beauty of theRio Grandemust be kept as it is!

AnitaAmstutz Albuquerque,NM2013-06-02We need to fund more green space in neighborhoods, not destroy the tiny bit of wildness we have in our midst.

TeriNeville Albuquerque,NM2013-06-02We need to be aware that the increased sounds with increased urbanization causes stress and disturbance to these natural systems. It is not all about us (humans).

Jennifer Edwards Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-02 We need to protect our natural ecosystem before profit and entertainment.

sharon miles albuquerque, NM 2013-06-02 Preserve our unique gem – the Rio Grande bosque wilderness right in the middle of ABQ! There are plenty of development opportunities elsewhere in ABQ.. Don’t exploit our treasure for developer greed!

Katie Stone Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-02 Keep commercial development away from our fragile, disappearing river.

karen lyallAlbuquerque, NM 2013-06-02 People enjoy the bosque as it is…it needs to be preserved, not commercialized. We need to protect, not exploit, one of our most precious resources.

carol benson albuquerque, NM 2013-06-02 TO RESIDENTS WHO MOVED HERE FROM PLACES LIKE KY THE BOSQUE AS IT IS IS LIKE NECESSARY AIR. An urban park is a lovely thing if it is created out of nothing but to destroy a wild place is unconscienable in our day. Concrete and restaurants will certainly kill us all pretty soon. ABQ has already lost more than 2% of our trees in 5 yrs and this will eliminate wild animals and migratory birds. Our future generations, if they survive must be in the WILD to learn to love nature and preserve it. We do not want private entities deciding such vital things.

Denise Suttle Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-02 I believe that further development will drive away the very source of enjoyment we are hoping to preserve–the wildlife, nesting birds, fragile ecosystem. Keep the bosque wild for future generations.

Margaret Herlan Los Ranchos, NM 2013-06-02 This is important to me because I do not want the habitat of so many species to be compromised!

Barbara Leonard Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-02 Evidently the mayor doesn’t understand the importance of a wild outdoor area and how people can enjoy it. It’s different and better from a commercial park. I’d hate to lose the opportunity to use the Bosque with fresh air, a place to walk and bike, to more structures. Build in the city, not the bosque!

Hakim Bellamy Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-02 I think it is important we have a 3rd party study the ecological impacts, we can’t go back in time once we destroy this watershed….there are more sustainable ways to monetize the Bosque for Eco-tourism. I do support spotlighting the Bosque as a Green Destination for people who really want to enjoy open spaces and nature, but we don’t have to add unnecessary bricks and mortar projects to do so. There are plenty of other places to build in the city and underutilized buildings/spaces already owned by the City and the County (and the state). We should be good stewards of those spaces (and tax dollars) as well.

Caroline Wells Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-02 Keep the Bosque wild! It’s a necessary habitat for many birds and other animals, as well as a wonderful place to visit.

diane glenn Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-02 For the health of our planet we all have to have places where we can learn about and enjoy what nature offers.

Kristine Maltrud abq, NM 2013-06-02 The wildness of our beautiful bosque along theRio Grandemust be protected for upcoming generations of residents and visitors.

LouisaBarkalow Albuquerque,NM2013-06-02The Bosque is a natural treasure. In some countries it would also rights like people and corporations. Since that is not the case here, it is the right and obligatiom of the people who recognize its inherent value to stand for its preservation and protection. We humans are privileged to walk in nature. In my opinion, it is the highest of conceits to imagine we should use nature to enhance our pleasures. I oppose restaurants, private business squeezing money out of the Bosque. In so far as we are capable of being stewards of nature I support preserving and protecting the trees and the water in our midst as deemed reasonable by environmental science.

James Smith Fernandina Beach, FL 2013-06-02 To preserve and protect a beautiful slice of the environment.

SaritaStreng Albuquerque,NM2013-06-02I feel like the richest person in the world when I am in the Bosque and am exposed to such a beautiful, natural place. Please do not destroy this gem of a place with deveoping it in an un-natural way – i.e. please no restaurants, boardwalks, etc. The only development I would like to see in the Bosque are developments that will support wildlife, the forest, and long-term stability of nature. I would support someADAaccess developments, but that is enough.

The beauty of the Bosque makes me want to makeAlbuquerquemy forever home. The birds, trees, beavers, turtles, coyotes, river need our support and love.

MandiraFeldvebel Albuquerque,NM2013-06-02Our beautiful bosque is the jewel ofAlbuquerque, and we should be working to strengthen it’s wild nature, not detract from it. One of the reasons my husband and I returned to Albuquerque to live and run our business is because of easy accessibility to the natural beauty of the Bosque; being a quick walk from such a beautiful and wild ecosystem in which we are able to view hawks, eagles, sandhill cranes, and other species is enriching, and we must work hard to keep this treasure intact for our children and grandchildren.

Margaret Westfall Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-03 Part of what people love about Albuquerque is that rural feeling, it’s not like a big city such as in California, for example, where every square inch, river, creek or wherever is being DEVELOPED, never to be natural again.

Noralyn Parsons Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-03 The Bosque is a treasure precisely because of its natural state, and is important as a wildlife corridor also. Development of the Bosque does not enhance our area either for Albuquerqueans or for tourists. And development severely hinders the free movement, including viability and diversity of species within the urban environment. The ecological impacts of The Plan have not been studied. Please halt further construction until impact has been measured, and citizens have had a chance to weigh in. Thank you.

Virginia Burris albuquerque, NM 2013-06-03 MayorBerryand ABQ City Council I strongly oppose the plans the you are proposing for the Rio Grande Bosque. We citizens want the bosque preserved in its wild status. We do not want the development you propose in the Rio Grande Vision. This refers to restoration and preservation but really you are describing development and commercialization. Many cities have development and commercialization; FEW cities have the Rio Grande Bosque in the wild state. We love the bisque wild. Do not destroy it with your plans.

Also, you are required by the Bosque Action Plan to assess the ecological impacts of the plan.

thank you.

Virgnia Burris

PhoenixForrester Albuquerque,NM2013-06-03Keep the Bosque Wild, NO Development ever. Protect our wildlife at ALL costs!

Thank you.

Barbbara Ferris Chestertown, MD 2013-06-03 Go find another place to exploit. Pls leave something of which there are only 5 in the world – alone. Moving out there and would love to see this area left as is.

ArnoldBronson Albuquerque,NM2013-06-03The world is losing to much of its natural environment. The Bosque is precious, save it.

Alison Owens Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-03 Were it not for the beauty and accessibility of the Rio Grande Bosque, I probably would not choose to live in Albuquerque, it’s one of the best things about this city. Please leave the Bosque alone! Don’t interfere with nature.

Joanne McCloskey Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-03 Their are other opportunities for development, but only one Bosque.

Jetta andJohn Reynolds Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-03 Our land needs to be preserved, our wildlift in the bosque, is a valuable and unique feature on Abq.

Bhanu Harrison Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-03 I take regular walks in the Bosque and have seen a huge increase in trash, loose dogs, beer cans etc. the Bosque should be a refuge away from civilization.

Frances Richardson ABQ, NM 2013-06-03 We need to keep the shrinking habitat for all the birds and animals in the bosque

Marcia Dorchester Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-03 As a kayaker, I delight in the fact that I can see nothing but Nature from Algodones to Corrales, other than a few mansions near the river (built too close to the river, in my opinion). Please keep our bosque a good home for wildlife.

Alyson Steinman Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-03 If you study nature, then in this drought the most devastating thing you can do with what is left of our natural environment is to pave it and develop it more. We need the trees to keep a water cycle going, and protect the habitat that is left in this small ecosystem. Developing like theSan Antonio”river walk” would have detrimental effects to the natural habitat.

Deborah Gavel Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-03 Why do we not honor the Rio Grande River by giving her water rather than taking it away with more development?

Why do we not understand the sacred nature of the bosque?

Why do we fail to see that the cottonwood trees cannot prosper without water?

Why do we not see that development at any level is detrimental to the very

nature of nature?

How is it that we continue to be blind to the other- than- human creatures that co-habitat the land along theRio GrandeRiver?

Why do we think that Mother Nature is something to be capitalized on? And why do we not see that the engineering that is a constant stress to the delicate balance of nature in the city ofAlbuquerquewill only be further stressed by construction?

Can you imagine living along the river with backhoes and trucks further degrading the bosque with noise pollution, petro pollution and construction materials invading the scene? The development along the river has already inflicted lasting scars that can never heal. The Jetty-jack flood control engineering project is something that has destroyed the beauty of the place and there is no simple way to remove them. The Middle Rio GrandeValleyis not a place to be developed as a capitalistic scheme, this is a special place, a unique wildlife corridor not an avenue for making money. What we observe today, is a dying bosque. The river is not allowed to flood and the cottonwoods are not able to speak. Please reconsider any plan to further develop the bosque as a further stress on a delicate ecological system.

We need to stop this from moving forward. I hope that those involved in Mayor Berry’s office will consider that what we lose through development can never ever be restored. What we lose to a hope for monetary gain can never be banked.

The number one reason that I live in theNorthValleyis to be in close proximity to the river. I want it to remain as much in its natural wild state as possible.

Forever.

T. Seamus O’Sullivan Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-03 The Rio Grande Bosque is a treasure without any development and while there are aspects of the city plan that I think are good, like excluding private intrusion within the levees, my fear is that the best plan will be eventually compromised without a vigorous citizens’ oversight panel with authority. And as someone who regularly uses the bosque, the biggest immediate need in my opinion is to remove the deadfall, which is certain source of fuel for another wildfire.

Jean OssorioLas Cruces, NM 2013-06-03 Although I’m not anAlbuquerquerestident, the health of our state’s great river is important to me.

SaritaNair Albuquerque,NM2013-06-03Every city with a river has a commercialized river walk – we are the ONLY majorAmericanCitywith a wild river running through it. Keep our unique bosque!

Linda PaffordSan Lorenzo, NM 2013-06-03 We have so badly mishandled our planet’s eco system and continue to think our water and air are commodities to be owned. Of course we can use the water in theRio Grande, but we must be respectful stewards of the eco system that exists lest we do irrevocable damage which in turn damages ourselves. This is one of the places we MUST maintain!

Charles Callahan Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-03 Its important to me to protect and reserve areas like the Bosque for wildlife so I can educate my kids and show them, “Look, that’s a coyote, heron, kingfisher, chipmunk, bullfrog, catfish, Garter snake, praying mantis, centipede, owl, eagle, mourning cloak butterfly, honey bee, blue belly lizard…”. What I don’t need is another Casino, increasing in local crimes and garbage.

DebraOrlofsky Albuquerque,NM2013-06-03Once the bosque is gone it is gone forever.

SusanShallenberger Albuquerque,NM2013-06-03I love the natural bosque – if we develop it, it will be destroyed. Please don’t do it!

Rachel Sanchez Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-03 Because it is important to live in harmony with nature. Enough is enough with the destruction of the Bosque!!!

Joan Robins Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-03 we need wildness and water, What will you look at from the docks etc. if there is no water to speak of?

LauraKowalchuk Fairborn,OH2013-06-03I have a BS in Environmental Science, and I love to go hiking. Although I have not hiked in the Bosque yet, I have been reading a field guide about much of the plants and wildlife. It seems like a sensitive, ecologically rich area. I imagine the birds and animals would be greatly disturbed by heavy equipment rolling through the bosque. Commercializing the area could lead to more fires due to careless cigarette smokers. Please consider developing restaurants, bed and breakfasts, etc. elsewhere.

MarlenePerrotte Albuquerque,NM2013-06-03The bosque is not a commodity to be used in commerce development!

DoreenSiracusano Albuquerque,NM2013-06-03Living near the bosque enriches my life and that of many others. i do not want it developed. i feel we need more natural,quiet places ;it would be a shame to commercialize it. Let’s remember the value of nature and simplicity.

Sandra Garriott-Stejskal Albuquerque,NM2013-06-03Our Rio Grande Bosque is the last remaining kind and scope of natural Bosque in the world. Most people I know go to the bosque because it is a NATURAL habitat for plants and animals, and too much devlepment would threaten and distract from that. Please consider the enviormental impact of the current plan and consider preserving the treasure we already have.

PamelaMichaelis Albuquerque,NM2013-06-03theRio Grandebosque is not, and can never be, the Riverwalk inSan Antonio. We shouldn’t try to force that on this beautiful still wild place.

MaryZaremba Albuquerque,NM2013-06-03Our Bosque is a treasure and it’s pristine beauty cannot be replaced. Further development would threaten it’s already fragile ecology. This is our third year of drought and it’s obvious that the river, the bosque and the wildlife are stressed. Please preserve our Bosque.

AnneFitzpatrick Albuquerque,NM2013-06-03Wilderness is so rare. Keep it!

Suzanne Probart Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-03 We have lost more than the river can bare of the ‘wildness’. This is senseless development for the sake of a few tourist bucks!

Conna Meader Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-03 The Bosque is a unique, fragile ecosystem and our only “wild place here in Albuquerque.It should be preserved and protected.

LynnetteRizek Corrales,NM2013-06-03Our bosque is unique and beautiful as it is. Please take care of what has always been there.

Nathaniel herndon Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-03 Not a fan of berry or his “vision”.the city has done a significant amount of backsliding on the current administration’s watch.let’s hope this helps retain this precious slice of undeveloped nature

Shelley Simms Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-03 The bosque’s wildness is what makes it unique. We already have a lovely developed areas in place that provide education and recreational opportunities i.e,Rio GrandeNatureCenter, Open Space, andTingleyBeach.

Anita FelicianoMadrid, NM 2013-06-03 The Bosque will not benefit from this type of development.

Angelle St.Pierre Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-04 I love our walks in the Bosque. It’s one of the reasons I loves living inAlbuquerque!

Diane Flynn Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-04 Tne Bosque is 1 of the defining natural elements/assets of ABQ. Environmental protection should be the # 1 priority for this asset, not accessability. I walk the existing trails in the Bosque regularly and many are very accessible. Don’tdevelop this precious habitat in ways that discourage wildlife occupancy, and opportunities for quiet reflection in a natural setting. Does everything have to be about development?!

JasonCovingtonVancouver, WA 2013-06-04 I am an Albuquerquean living out of state. I return home as often as I can to visit the Bosque. Please do not destroy it.

Rebecca McGraw Conway, AR 2013-06-04 We lived inAlbuquerquefrom 1993-1999. The bosque is a jewel in the crown of the city, and God isn’t making another one. Keep it natural for future generations of Albuquerquinos to enjoy.

Arlette MillerAlbuquerque, NM 2013-06-04 It would be OK to add viewing platforms on existing bridges. But a resounding NO to boat ramps, pedestrian bridges, and a restaurant. The wildlife in the bosque is under enough pressure already.

John Martin Kent, WA 2013-06-04 Was a formerAlbuquerqueresident that was touched by its beauty during my 30 years there…

ColstonChandlerAlbuquerque, NM 2013-06-04 What makes the Albuquerque Bosque, in which I walk weekly, unique is its lack of commercial development. Developing even theTingleyBeacharea brings not only the trash, crime, crowded parking, lack of respect for the environment that crowds normally bring, but it also implies recurring expenses by the city that you haven’t even begun to address in your haste to cut the city budget to obtain funds for capital projects. Put on the brakes!!

Deborah Hall Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-04 The Bosque is a wild treasure that we share with wildlife, which protects the river, and is one of the best parts of the city. Keep it wild!

noma cassetta oro valley, AZ 2013-06-04 Every eco system is of utmost importance to survival of many species even the human. We are in serious trouble in our effort to protect this Bosque. It is imperative this be given immediate attention.Please do not destroy this gem any further.

scott halealbuquerque, NM 2013-06-04 Let me get this straight: The river and Bosque’s value is its natural state and the Mayor and his handlers want to commercialize and expand human impact?

Not good.

MichaelZummo Albuquerque,NM2013-06-04The bosque is where I go to get away.

Richard Garriott-Stejskal Albuquerque,NM2013-06-04People need places to get away from the commercial everyday world to rebuild their souls. It would be a shame to not have a place like that.

BeverlySalas Albuquerque,,NM2013-06-04While I am not opposed to all development in the Bosque, I would not like to see commercial development. The boat ramps, a couple of boardwalks and a pedestrian bridge or two would be fine…good to get people out to the bosque where they can grow to love it and want to protect it. Please do not turn the Bosque into a commercial, for-profit entity.

LeiahAtchisonAlbuquerque, NM 2013-06-04 The bosque is the one place where you can still go and feel in touch with nature. Walk, ride your horse contemplate life. Please don’t make it another artifact to consumerism.

CarolynSiegel Albuquerque,NM2013-06-04Once we place built structures in the bosque, we restrict the ability to flood it and maintain the cottonwood forest. There will be no going back.

elizabeth weil albuquerque, NM 2013-06-04 My perception is visitors to abq are taken aback and impressed that this urban portion of the Rio Gr. has been left alone, for the most part. There are enough cities with developed water fronts. Leave this one the way it’s always been!

Pam letourneausanta rosa, CA 2013-06-04 Because i still have roots inAlbuquerqueand the Bosque is one place I always go because of its natural beauty. It is stunningly beautiful…

Yolanda Garcia Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-04 The wild nature of the Bosque makes it unique; do we have to follow other cities to make it “fake”? Let’s concentrate on helping the Bosque keep its natural greatness–water or no water. Save the resources to help the critters living here not be pestered by commercialism and too many “pedestrian friendly” sites. Don’t get on the slippery slope!

KrisCallori Albuquerque,NM2013-06-04Please take the time necessary to study the true ecological impacts of development in the Bosque Ecosystem. As one of the largest cottonwood riparian zones in the world, our river inAlbuquerqueis a true asset entrusted to us. We must understand all of the impacts of human interaction in this established ecosystem so that any proposed development is natural, restorative and enhances the experience for all creatures that inhabit this ecosystem.

LucillePackard Albuquerque,NM2013-06-05Because I care about the natural untainted parts of our state that make us unique and beautiful!

DebPaczynski Albuquerque,NM2013-06-05The more nature is co-opted, the more it becomes a remote concept in peoples’ minds. Understanding the human/nature interface in times of growing population and scarce water resources is primary to responsible management and custodianship of natural spaces.

Joseph HavilandPanama City,Panama, Panama 2013-06-05 As a previous resident ofAlbuquerque, now living in Panama Central America, who will return to this city again and again because of special places like the Bosque andOldTown,I oppose ABQ The Plan: The Rio Grande Vision in its present form. The Plan for the Bosque should promote and facilitate use of the Bosque as a wild, natural place. This is what makes the Bosque a unique treasure forAlbuquerque. The Rio Grande Vision plan proposes inappropriate development within the Bosque. The Plan should fund a strong conservation/restoration component to ensure that our beautiful cottonwood Bosque thrives. The ecological impacts of the proposals should be assessed before The Plan is finalized, as required by the Bosque Action Plan.

Sincerely,

Joseph A. Haviland

Sarah Mount Albquerque, NM 2013-06-05 KEEP THE BOSQUE WILD

CrissSwaim Albuquerque,NM2013-06-05Conservation/Preservation is very different than development. Open space that is privatized or has restricted access (like lodges & restraunts) does not benefit the public. Scale it back

Daniel Willard Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-05 The Bosque is a fragile enviornment. The last thing needed is more commercial development.

Jill Sanders Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-05 This bosque ecosystem is already under stress, so preservation for all species within it should be the first priority. Not tourism.

Verne Huser Alburquerque, NM 2013-06-05 I spend a great deal of time in the bosque leading bird walks and nature hikes for the Nature Center and the Open Space Visitor Center. I’d rather see the bosque flooded with water every spring than flooded with people who don’t respect the bosque or follow the basic rules of bosque use.

bill mason albuquerque, NM 2013-06-05 wild areas with no motor vehicles are especially important to city folk.

Katherine Jackson Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-05 We need to nurture any wildlife habitat left in our world today

ErmelinaMontano Albuquerque,NM2013-06-05We have plenty of restaurants and bars in this city. Let’s leave the bosque in it’s natural state for all the wild life and it is just beautiful the way it is.

EdwardLoughran Albuquerque,NM2013-06-05One of the major factors of in the decision to moved toAlbuquerqueafter retirement in 1991 was the attraction of the bosque. I have volunteered at the

Nature Center for 18 years involving research programs. it needs to remain as wild as possible in an urban area.

ShirleyKondo Albuquerque,NM2013-06-06There is entirely too much concrete and hardscape inAlbuquerque. The Bosque connects me with nature, the plants and creatures that inhabit nature.

This is very important for everyone. Please allow the Bosque to be what it is

now.

HilaryNoll Albuquerque,NM2013-06-06In depth environmental impact studies must be completed and reviewed prior to any development plans proceed. Addtionally, if development proceeds, design should blend with the landscape and be ecologically beneficial/sustainable.

SueGunckel Albuquerque,NM2013-06-06We live very close to the Bosque near the Botanic Gardens and use the area nearly everyday for recreation and rejuvenation. We enjoy seeing wildlife in a natural habitat. We think it most important to keep the Bosque as wild as possible for them. Use the already developed areas for people. Leave the Bosque as a NATURAL area.

ErnieVillescas Albuquerque,NM2013-06-07We need to preserve as much of nature as we can, and not exploit it. I love birdwatching, and I am sad to see the number of birds decreasing. I would hate

to hasten the decreasing bird population by harmful development of the bosque.

MarkRomwalter Albuquerque,NM2013-06-07The most important thing we can do as humans is to PROTECT the natural environment in the bosque…not move in/invade with more people and more trash.

sophia Thompson Albuquerque NM, NM 2013-06-07 The bosque and its wild, undeveloped nature are what make it wild. If the city moves forward with current development schemes they are taking what is currently a one of a kind, unique system and modifying it into just another urban park, anotherSan antonioriver walk.Illgo toSan Antoniofor that and go to the Bosque for peace and relaxation. Furthermore, this is the ONLY full length north south wildlife in the state corridor that is complete. current development ideas WILL sever this vital connection for wild species, whose

presence is one of the reasons people want to go to the bisque in the first place. As the plan suggests we do need to foster our city’s connection to the river and there are many ways we can do it. Slamming a bunch of stuff down just to meet a mayors end of term agenda sounds like any other politician’s

project that thrown down without a lot of foresight and prep work and is unsupported when the damage has been done, and the full half-assness of the project planning is realized. Only this damage will be much harder to repair. The idea has potential and needs to be designed by ecologists not architects

ONLY. Despite the mayor’s candycoating of the environmental design aspects of the project, the montages that are selling the proposal are severely lacking in ecology principles and need to be rethought. I do NOT support this plan in its current form. Thank you for your time.

Sophia

Kenneth MillerAlbuquerque, NM 2013-06-07 I oppose the plan to bring expanded parkingintothe are as well asCampbell Rdparking. When the San Juan water project was completed Campbell Rd was

narrowed to promote lesser through way and primarily residential access. Nothing was ever considered in the plan to accommodate commercialization of the area.

Judy MullerAlbuquerque, NM 2013-06-07 Our wild places are becoming so overdeveloped that they are no longer wild. TheRio Grandeis one ofAlbuquerque’s greatest treasures; we need to love it and leave it alone.

JulieChynoweth Albuquerque,NM2013-06-07The bosque is a beautiful wild space where we love to wander and escape from city life. While I appreciate urban parks very much, I think the City of Albuquerquecould do a better job of maintaining the ones we have for the public’s enjoyment. There is no reason to turn the bosque into another city park. It is different and special as a more natural environment and I hope that the City will direct its resources into its conservation and preservation.

Cristina Davies Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-07 The most desirable cities have perserved green space for their residents and guests to enjoy. Do not jeopardize this stretch of river and one of our only

green spaces. Additionally, the river offers critical habitat and feeding grounds for a wide variety of species, many of hte avian species listed or endangered. Develop the Rail yard to the Convention Center and create a revenue generating corridor that can be used to sell your convention center if you want to develop!

Debra Goolsby Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-08 It’s ok to make some improvements, such as too much sand in bike paths, but ANYTHING done, needs to be and look minimalistic.

Sean McNatt Rio Rancho, NM 2013-06-08 Introduction of more development in the bosque will only destroy it and as it has been shown with the zoo and bio park the ability to upkeep this plan will end as soon as there is a revenue problem.

Steve Wentworth Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-08 I do wildlife photography and I know for a fact that what is proposed will damage wildlife corridors and habitat. We don’t need people on mountain bikes tearing thru the bosque areas scaring wildlife and damaging the peace and quiet of the area. What we need is bosque restoration and thinning to protect this fragile area – not development or hard trails.

michael callaway Moriarity, NM 2013-06-08 you have done so well, with trashing downtownAlbuquerque, you garner no confidence from me at any level. Leave the Bosque alone, there’s nothing wrong with as is, the issue is there is no profit in leaving alone. when I was growing up we used to play in the river all the time. We hunted there, we swam there when there was water. If you want to look at a disaster look at the river running throughSan AntonioTexas. It no longer exists it’s just a giant strip mall. So back off tear down what’s left of the downtown area and start over if you must screw something up screw something up you’ve already screwed up.

katharine holmes abq, NM 2013-06-08 this should not be an amusement park, but rather an area to treasure nature in its natural, unadulterated state. once gone, you can’t take it back.

KarenNaughton Albuquerque,NM2013-06-08I live very close to the Bosque nearMontanoBridge. I walk its trails with my dogs often. The tranquility of the trees and river are food for the spirit. It’s a legacy that we leave to future generations when so many empty land is given over to commerce and parking lots. The Bosque should continue to be a cherished sanctuary in our city.

Theodore Cooley Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-09 The ecology of theRio Grandein NM is not the same as the Texas Colorado inSan Antonio. The assumptions behind this proposal are scientifically incorrect.

yamuna devitaos, NM 2013-06-09 Keep sacred land sacred. No development!

BCGipson Pensacola,FL2013-06-09This bosque is necessary for migrating wildlife. Keep it clean, pure, and natural.

Melissa KochSanta FE, NM 2013-06-10 The bosque has so many wildlife species to depend on it. You won’t get to see these in an urban park setting. Why on earth would you even think of doing this? are you crazy?

VirginiaKoning Albuquerque,NM2013-06-10Progress today means respecting and preserving the dwindling wild spaces left. Lead in a ‘progressive’ way for our present and future!

Sheila Allen Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-10 The current Plan does not reflect any specific or concrete steps to be taken to address conservation.

Reginaromero Albuq, NM 2013-06-10 Cultural good sense. Historical good sense. Biological good sense.

MikeFriggens Albuquerque,NM2013-06-10I live near the Bosque and always have. I am also a biologist and believe that the Bosque should be enhanced strictly from a wildlife conservation and education perspective.

Gail Taylor Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-10 The Rio Grande Bosque is a precious place. Let’s appreciate its natural beauty as it is without trying to ‘improve’ what is already lovely.

Sue Wise Smith Deming, NM 2013-06-11 Let’s keepNew Mexicothe “LandofEnchantment” by Protecting Our Wild Places, like the Mighty Rio Grande and the Natural Beauty it is Right Now!

Please preserve this wild landmark in your beautiful city!

SusanOch Portland,OR2013-06-11 Because I love N M and lived there several times!

GaleDorion Taos,NM2013-06-11the innumerable peaceful hours of renewal that I’ve had walking around our magnificent Bosque listening to the wildlife, feeling at home.

David Ian Brindle Albuquerque, NM 2013-06-11 Because it is important to the future beauty ofAlbuquerque…

(to be continued)

Listening Horse Director Gus aha moment

Promise and Listening Horse Video–Alex.

Dear Mayor Berry,

Re:  Comments on ABQ the Plan: The Rio Grande Vision

I appreciate the opportunity to comment on the Rio Grande Vision document.  Henceforth, I will refer to the document as the “RGV.”  I am a professional Wildlife Biologist and was employed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service for 24 years.  Since 1999 I have served as a consultant to various non-governmental conservation organizations on a variety of conservation issues.  I live just 2 blocks from the Rio Grande Nature Center.  I am attracted to this area because of the natural diversity of life it supports and the seasonal spectacle of migratory birds that rely on the Rio Grande corridor for habitats that support them during migration.  And the howling of coyotes in the evenings is always a special treat.  Wild nature lifts my spirits, as it does for most people.

A central figure in the early development of Albuquerque was Aldo Leopold—arguably the most insightful ecological thinker of his time and a former member of the Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce (1918-1919).  He is venerated throughout the Rio Grande Bosque on kiosks and a trail is named in his honor.  In his book “A Sand County Almanac”, Leopold developed the tenets of what he called the “Land Ethic.”  He summarized that ethic with the following profound statement:

“A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, beauty and stability of the biotic community.”

Leopold followed this sentence with “It is wrong when it tends otherwise.” Leopold understood that healthy human communities required healthy natural ecosystems for their support and wellbeing.  He also understood the importance of setting aside significant tracts of wild areas as forever protected from ecologically destructive human development.  He understood the social and ecological importance of the Rio Grande Bosque as a natural amenity within Albuquerque and actively advocated for its protection in the early 20^th century.

Thirty years ago our State Legislature had the wisdom to act on Leopold’s vision and established through legislation the Rio Grande Valley State Park—a contiguous swath of riverside, “riparian”, vegetation protected and preserved in perpetuity along a 22-mile reach of the Rio Grande through the heart of Albuquerque.  Few American cities can boast such a magnificent natural amenity within their city limits.  Nearly 5,000 acres are protected from development that degrades the natural character and ecological integrity of the Park.  Protecting and restoring the ecological integrity of this natural treasure should be the top priority.  Many cities have invested millions of dollar to recreate such green amenities, while all we have to do is protect, and restore where necessary, what we already have.

However, I fear that the RGV starts us down a path of incrementally destroying the natural and ecological integrity of the Rio Grande corridor through yet to be fully defined “developments.” The opening statement on the website for the RGV states “The Rio Grande Vision (RGV) is about connecting Albuquerque to the river, while protecting the spectacular amenity and resource that flows through the heart of our community.” (underlining added)  The clever marketing slogan “connect, protect and excite” suggests three co-equal objectives for the RGV.  However, the vision document throws the “protect” objective under the bus with little more than honorable mention and no specific plans for significant protection and ecological restoration efforts throughout the RGVSP.  Imagine how spectacular the “amenity and resource that flows through the heart of our community” could be if a significant portion of the anticipated funding for RGV projects were directed to the objective of protecting and restoring the ecological health of the bosque.  This should be the first priority of the RGV, and would greatly enhance the value of the “connect” and “excite” features.

The State Legislature clearly recognized the importance of preserving the natural character of the Rio Grande corridor through Albuquerque:

Rio Grande Valley State Park Act, Section 2 (3/15/1983).  “DECLARATION OF POLICY. – The preservation, protection, and maintenance of the natural and scenic beauty of a designated portion of the Rio Grande and its immediate corridor is in the public interest.  The designation of the Rio Grande Valley State Park will enable people to enjoy the recreational, environmental, educational, and wildlife benefits of the river.  Therefore, the legislature declares it to be in the public interest, in furtherance of sound environmental policy to and for the good of the people to establish the Rio Grande Valley State Park.” (bold font and underlining added for emphasis)

The RGV significantly deviates from this mandated purpose.

Riparian areas are the life blood of biodiversity in the Southwest.  A majority of our plants and animals, many of which are rare and endangered species, depend upon riparian ecosystems.  These riparian ecosystems are themselves endangered with 80% of them already destroyed or severely impaired throughout the Southwest. 

Economic studies consistently show that human communities near significant protected natural areas have healthier economies.  Most people love Nature, a phenomenon world-renowned ecologist Dr. Edward O. Wilson refers to a “biophilia”—an innate reverence for nature among humans.  He wrote a book on the topic.

A leading cause of plant and animal endangerment, decline in biodiversity, individual species population declines, and species extinction is habitat destruction and fragmentation.  As suitable habitats decline and the remaining pieces get smaller, Nature suffers exponentially.  As human populations increase concomitantly with development pressure, Nature invariably loses unless strictly enforced protection measures are in place.  Reestablishing connectivity among remaining patches of wild nature is a major goal of modern conservation biology theory and practice.  The RGV would work against this goal by contributing to further habitat fragmentation and degradation.

As I read the enabling legislation for the Rio Grande Valley State Park and the Bosque Action Plan, adopted by the Albuquerque City Council in 1993 as a “Rank Two Facility Plan,” it appears to me that such protection is already in place—and could be violated by proposals in the RGV.

The RGVSP enabling legislation mandates the “preservation, protection, and maintenance of the natural and scenic beauty of” the RGVSP.  The duly promulgated Bosque Action Plan sets forth various policies to carry out and ensure the conservation of the bosque in its natural state.  Key policies (some paraphrased) of the Bosque Action Plan include:

Policy 1:  Land use decisions shall be ecologically compatible.  This policy requires an evaluation of the ecological impacts of facility development proposals within and adjacent to RGVSP, prior to any surface disturbing action.

Policy 3:  The RGVSP shall be managed to preserve and enhance its ecological diversity.  This policy must guide the entirety of the proposals (both near- and short-term) identified or alluded to in the RGV.

Policy 4:  Regeneration of cottonwood trees shall be emphasized to perpetuate their existence.  The plan recommends temporary over-bank flooding to promote cottonwood regeneration.  Such periodic flooding would likely be incompatible with many inside-the-levees structures and trails proposed in the RGV.

Policy 6:  All submittals for development, both private and public, on properties located on or adjacent to the RGVSP shall include a complete extraordinary facilities form submitted to the Open Space Advisory Board—for their review to ensure compliance with the Bosque Action Plan and other established requirements.

The RGV establishes a disturbing departure from the duly established and legally binding “conservation mandate” for the Rio Grande Valley State Park.  The RGV must fully comply with the legislated purpose and the approved policies of the Bosque Action Plan.

All proposals for developed facilities must undergo formal environmental review with meaningful public involvement and must be submitted to the Open Space Advisory Board for their review and approval.  With proper oversight, I believe there are many conceptual ideas within the RGV that would be beneficial and compatible with protecting and conserving the ecological integrity and natural beauty of the RGVSP.

I recommend the creation of a technical oversight group with appropriate areas of expertise relating to conservation biology and restoration ecology to ensure that proposals are compatible with the conservation mandates identified above.

I request that all ongoing and future developments be suspended until the RGV is brought into compliance with the Bosque Action Plan and receive meaningful public scrutiny, appropriate technical review, and required approvals to ensure compliance with controlling legal and policy documents.

Sincerely,

David R. Parsons

Wildlife Biologist

Skywalk 2013 began at the Hotel Parq Central in Albuquerque on Friday where out-of-town guests and participants had the chance to meet their fellow hikers.

Clockwise from top: Rod, Brant, Philomena, Jennifer B., Jennifer W., Matt, John, Pat

In keeping with the “self-motivated” and “self-directed” ethos of Skywalk, participants ended up hiking distances ranging from 17 to 30 miles through the Sandia Mountains. For next year, participants have the option of preparing for an out-and-back trip to Tunnel Springs of 52 miles, with two crossings of the mountain range, and over 20,000 feet of elevation change.

0615 start at Canyon Estates with John, Pat, and Chuck

John C. (USMA ’83) and Pat N. charge up the CCC Trail, carved out in the 30s by the Conservation Corps and a rugged test up to South Peak

John Cody

At Westhusing’s Bluff

L to R: Chuck Hosking, Alex Limkin, Brant Mcgee    –John Cody

L to R: Alex, Pat, Chuck Hosking,  Brant McGee        –John Cody

Near to far: AB, Chuck Hosking, Brant McGee, John Cody

Westhusing’s Bluff overlooking South Peak: Chuck, AB, Brant, John

John Cody and Chuck Hosking on the Crest Trail

Pat N. looks west from South Peak after roughly 11 hours on the trail. Westhusing’s Bluff in the background.

Chuck Hosking and AB take a moment late in the day at South Peak, overlooking Albuquerque

Due to drought conditions and threat of fire closures, next year’s Skywalk is being moved earlier in the year to May 17, 2014.

In memoriam of Colonel Ted Westhusing (November 17, 1960-June 5, 2005)

REPOSTED FROM NEW MEXICO COMPASS

By Alex Escué Limkin

— I don’t watch much TV, but I especially don’t watch TV on Memorial Day. The constant coverage of the president and others giving speeches and laying wreaths at cemeteries irritates me.

“Let’s take a moment to remember the fallen,” they tell us. With their studied gestures, their portentousness, their stentorian voices, they tell us that giving our lives for our country is sad and tragic but also glorious and sweet. They tell our children this. They told me this.

“We’re sad these soldiers are dead—but the way they died was pretty amazing and totally worthy of emulation. We would prefer no more soldiers had to die—but if you die on the battlefield, you’ll be remembered forever as heroes.”

Memorial Day started out as Decoration Day. This name makes more sense to me. Because if you think about the target audience for decorations, it’s usually children. Think of a birthday party. And then think of the Purple Star, the Bronze Star, the Silver Star, the Gold Star. You get stars for being good, you get stars for being a hero.

On the first Decoration Day in May 1868, Gen. James A. Garfield said of the fallen: “They summed up and perfected, by one supreme act, the highest virtues of men and citizens. For love of country they accepted death, and thus resolved all doubts, and made immortal their patriotism and virtue.”

Tell it to the mountains, general.

I will never lie to my sons like this. Instead, if I talk to them of war, I will tell them how unnatural it is to call upon men to kill strangers they have never met. I will tell them of the intense training they must undergo to overcome our natural revulsion to killing. I will tell them of the psychological breakdown they must endure in order to be turned into killing machines.

I will tell them of Sgt. Paul Sasse, former Special Forces soldier, wasting away in solitary confinement. I will tell them of Col. Ted Westhusing, dead by his own hand. I will tell them how down through the ages the old have made use of the young in this way, inflaming their senses with fiery rhetoric of battlefield glory.

I will wave no flag on Memorial Day. I will light no firecrackers. I will eat no hotdog. On Dying For Your Country is Hot Shit Day, when we communicate to our children the glory of death by war, I will do my best to remember how Wilfred Owen enjoined us to not believe the sham the old tell the young, that “there is nothing sweeter or more honorable than to die for your country!”

Oh, yeah? Then go first.

Reposted from New Mexico Compass

By Alex Escué Limkin & Rebecca Limkin

—Summer 2018

I sit with my son on my lap overlooking a dusty depression, a swath of brown erosion bordered by thorny Russian olives and dense saltcedars. “What is this place?” my son asks me.

“We used to call this place the Bosque,” I reply. “I brought you here to help you imagine what this used to look like, and why we try so hard to protect the patches of wild nature that still remain.

Photo Credit: Driving in Heels via Compfight cc

“Before you were born, your mother and I would take walks here alongside the Rio Grande in the shade of the cottonwood trees. We would park just off of Tingley Drive or by the BioPark and wander into the woods. There were many small trails, and we were familiar with all of them.

“There were no cars here, no sirens, no machinery, no boardwalks, no asphalt. We could take off our shoes and cool our feet in the water on hot summer days and feel like we were in the middle of a wilderness—even with the road just a few hundred feet away. The parking lots didn’t intrude into the Bosque, and there were no paved paths, trash cans or restrooms alongside the river. This all used to be trees, and the trees were filled with wildlife.” I waved my arm behind us.

“There were hundreds of different water birds and other animals that sheltered here: migrating geese and ducks and cormorants and herons and egrets, not to mention beavers and porcupines, muskrats and fish.”

“What happened?” my son asks.

“A mayor called Berry thought that the Bosque was not being used enough, so he hired a team of advisers to come up with what they called ‘improvements.’ The team decided that by building parking lots and bridges, boat launches and restaurants, people would come and spend money here.

“The mayor believed people wanted convenience and entertainment from the Bosque, not wildness or to feel the natural world around them. He seemed to think that people were afraid of touching the earth with their bare feet.”

“Did it work?”

“On one hand it did. More people came in their cars to buy things, but it lasted only a short while.

“The very year the mayor proposed his plan, the city fire department restricted access to the river because of the threat of fire. In the same year, the entire region was in a historic drought. There was little snowpack, and we hadn’t had our regular monsoons.

“Despite that, the mayor forced his development onto the Bosque, bringing huge earth-movers and dump trucks that ran for months, laying down tons of concrete and destroying habitat. A spark from one of the vehicles caused a fire that ravaged the area. The only trees that survived are those that can withstand fire, like these saltcedars.

Photo Credit: jared via Compfight cc

“After awhile, no one wanted to come here anymore. The wildlife fled or starved, and the remarkable feeling of being in a wilderness within a city, the feeling that your mother and I loved, was gone. That’s why it looks like it looks today.”

“Didn’t anyone try to stop him?”

“We did what we could. We attended meetings, we wrote letters, we called his office, we chained ourselves to a cottonwood. Our neighborhood association, and many others, signed resolutions opposing his plans. But in the end, the mayor won.  This is what his victory looks like for the Bosque.”

We stood up, pulled the tumbleweed thorns from our shorts, scowled at the boat launches tilted in the dry riverbed, and headed home.

*****

For more information on Mayor Berry’s plan, see riograndevision.com

Register your opinion at townhall.cabq.gov

Or contact the Mayor’s Office at 505-768-3000 or theplan@cabq.gov.

Why are veterans and dogs such a good match? For one, they share a lot in common. Dogs are known for their loyalty. So, too, are veterans. Dogs are tough and energetic. This is often the case with veterans. Dogs are empathetic and affectionate and possess senses that eclipse our own, and live in a world that is largely unknowable to us–yet they do not judge us. This is often what a veteran needs, as veterans often feel their world is separate and apart from the society they inhabit. Dogs listen to us when we need listening to. They will sleep at the side of our bed and not mind if we reach out to them in the middle of the night and hold them close. They will go to the ends of the earth for us and with us. They will love us. They will return our affection a thousandfold. They will reawaken our heart if it is numb or asleep. They will remind us to care for them just as we must care for our own heart and spirit. They will embody the spirit that needs tending. They will help us to live with our past and make our lives more joyful. For these reasons and many more, dogs and veterans are a good match.

After receiving a couple requests for guidance on training from other veterans, I am prepared to offer up what I have learned. I have a lot to say on the subject. The first thing I want to address is suitability and commitment. Many veterans get connected with dogs that come to them already trained. There are long waiting lists for these dogs, and if you can afford to wait, perhaps this is your best option. Other veterans go through training programs with their dogs. There can be long waiting lists for these programs as well. Regardless of how you get connected with your dog, you have to commit to that animal with all your heart and soul. If you don’t think you want to do that, or if you’re not ready for that, just wait. If you are numb and indifferent to life, start with baby steps.

My own experience started with Listening Horse, a horse therapy program in Santa Fe. In that program, I was not responsible for the health and welfare of the animals, so I was not a risk to the animals. If you get a dog and you are unable to commit to it, unable to care for it, unable to be responsible for it, then you are just making things worse. It is bad enough what you are enduring, but as a first step you should strive to not inflict additional suffering on others. So baby steps. Start with hanging out with birds in the park, or ducks and geese at the pond. Or horses like at Listening Horse. Wait until you feel a kindness in your heart to these animals. Wait until you feel some kindness in your heart to the trees. Wait until you feel some bloom in your heart for life. Wait until you can sit on a park bench and feel some empathy for a dirty pigeon with a busted wing. Then something will come to you for you to love and care for that will embody your own spirit and serve as a spark for your own healing.

I cannot stress enough, if any doubt exists about your readiness for a dog in your life–whose welfare you must be wholly committed to–then start with an organized program, such as a horse therapy program, where you are not responsible for the health and welfare of the animal. Let a professional work with you and assess your progress over time.

When I was told by Listening Horse that I should “get a horse,” this showed that I was not only responsible enough to be trusted with another being, but that an animal companion could continue to be of great assistance to me. This cannot be said of everyone, but once those words were uttered, everything seemed to fall into place. Wait until you are in a place in your life where a person who knows and loves horses, or any other wild beasts, can openly advise you to “get a horse.” This will mean that the time is right.

Part of our ability to bond with animals is through our empathy, being able to share in the life experience of others, not just humans. For many veterans, our empathy has been laid to waste. We have had to cauterize our empathy in order to function and accomplish our mission. To live without empathy is a dark prospect, but many do so, and many do so who know nothing of war or pain or darkness or suffering.

These words and this guidance are for those for whom even a few blades of grass possess a sacred meaning, those who have lost their way and struggled, those who have known loss and pain, those who wish to come back into harmony, who seek harmony, who wish to not be the cause of more pain but the cause of joy.

If this applies to you, please continue reading.

All aboard!

The following are not firm rules, but rough guidance. From a practical standpoint, a veteran’s dog should be anywhere from 40-70 pounds. Since this is an animal that will be traveling with you, never leaving your side, a very large dog, such as a mastiff or great dane, is not a good choice. Likewise, very small dogs, toy dogs for instance, are often neurotic and unmanageable. The last thing a veteran needs to be around is a yapping dog.

Breed is important as well as size. Dogs bred for aggression and fighting should be avoided. If your desire a pit bull or rottweiler or akita so you can menace people, and keep the world at bay, you are not ready for a dog and this guide isn’t for you. Spend some more time in the park. The key to a good dog for a veteran is a gentle spirit. This does not mean a dog that doesn’t know how to defend itself, or come to your defense, or be alert and watching out for you. But dogs that have been bred for aggression and fighting are a poor choice. For this reason many gentle breeds, such as labs and retrievers, are paired with veterans. They are especially good with children and the public. Personally, I like a mixed breed, commonly known as a “mutt,” because they tend to not suffer the ills of inbreeding that many breed dogs suffer from. Be that as it may, you may not have a say in how your dog comes to you. And, if it is a pup, particularly a mixed breed pup, it may be difficult to estimate its eventual size and disposition. The key is that you feel a bond with the animal and you commit yourself to her, and you stick by her.

Good trait to look for in a puppy: thoughtfulness. This can often be observed by how the pup deals with a strange situation. Does it sit down and seem to study what is happening? Or does it just blunder into any situation? The more thoughtful the animal, the better. Many veterans who could benefit from a dog have poor judgment and are given to impulsiveness. A thoughtful companion that looks before it leaps is a good choice to compensate for this.

Female or male? Again, no firm rules, but I prefer a female. Why, I don’t know. Maybe it is just my imagination that they are less aggressive and more nurturing, but even if the bias is nominal, it is still worth considering. Again, how the dog enters our life may be outside of our control. Male or female may be immaterial. The main thing is that we commit fully to the animal

Training can begin as early as 8 weeks. One of the reasons it is wise to seek a formal training program is that typically veterans are hard-pressed to summon the patience that the job requires. They may be prone to a violent temper and easily frustrated. Losing your temper at your animal is outrageous and must be avoided at all costs. When you consider what your assistance animal is capable of in terms of helping you, and when you consider how damaging are the forces of distrust and betrayal, you will be wise to use every coping mechanism at your disposal to NEVER LOSE IT with your animal.

Training takes time. It takes patience. It takes commitment. It is often said that training never ends. Even when your dog is out and about in the world with you, it is always in training. Although it is easiest to train a pup, a patient and persistent trainer can make good headway with older animals. For this reason, there are training programs for veterans that only work with rescue dogs from animal shelters. If you are interested in going this route, and you are unable to wait for a slot in such a program, see if a dog training organization in your area will at least assist you in making an appropriate selection at your animal shelter.

Critical commands to focus on in the early going are “DOWN” and “STAY” and “COME. In fact, if these three commands are all the commands your dog ever learns, you will be in good standing. You do not have to bark orders at your dog. When you are out in the world, you will want to communicate with your dog in a subtle and peaceful manner, sometimes even in a whisper. Oral commands should be augmented with hand signals. The hand signal for “DOWN” is crouching at the level of the dog and pointing the tips of your fingers with an open palm to the ground. Accompany this hand signal with the verbal command, “DOWN.” Draw out the command so that instead of being a curt command, is sounds like a insistent plea: “Doooowwwwwn.” Initially, no dog will obey you. Going into the down position is a submissive posture. If you observe dogs, you will see when one dog wishes to show passivity and submission to a larger or more aggressive animal, it will grovel and go into something of a down position. For this reason, this is a difficult command for your dog, or any dog, to submit to. For this reason, you will have to complement your commands, initially, with a corrective training collar.

I recommend a plastic collar such as the StarMark plastic training collar. These collars comes in two widths, one for puppies and juveniles, and one for larger dogs. Depending on the ultimate size of your dog, you may be able to merely add links to the small width collar as the dog grows, or you may need to eventually work into the larger size. In any event, links in the collar must be added or subtracted so that it fits correctly at all times. A correct fit should allow several fingers to fit under the collar when it is being worn, yet allow the “teeth” of the collar to be felt when the collar is tightened with a quick tug. This training method may seem cruel, but when done properly, it mimics the corrective nip that a mother administers to her pups when she is raising them. If you have a doubt about the amount of force that you should use (it is a quick and deliberate tug that is desired, followed by an immediate release– NOT a sustained tugging) I recommend that you put the collar on your arm or leg (or even your own neck) and give a few tugs in order to familiarize yourself with what it feels like and the amount of force that seems reasonable. If it hurts some, but not much, (i.e. enough to get your attention), it is probably right.

Note: Any type of training collar you use must ONLY be used during training sessions and under your close supervision. ALWAYS REMOVE THE COLLAR AT ALL OTHER TIMES FOR SAFETY AND COMFORT!

It goes without saying: start with the least amount of force you think is necessary, and then gradually increase using the reaction of the dog as a guide.

Training sessions must be LIMITED in time! Dogs learn best when training sessions are short and immediately followed by play activity (fetch, running around the yard) as a reward.

The last thing you want to do is expect too much too soon, or to keep drilling your animal when they have tired.

5 MINUTES PER DAY IS PLENTY FOR THE FIRST 6 MONTHS!

Try to conduct this training as consistently as possible. This training can be incorporated into your daily walk routine. If you do not already know this, a well-adjusted dog needs to be out and about as much as possible, and not left alone for significant periods during its developmental phase,or any phase for that matter. At a minimum you should plan on walking your dog at least once per day for no less than a solid hour. As your dog, even in this training phase, will be out and about with you, they should be getting adequate exercise and stimulation. Even so, walks are necessary; a dog must interact with and monitor its environment–including other dogs–to be well-adjusted.

A sample training routine for a 10-week old pup could be as follows:

Take the pup to a consistent place. Initially you will want a place with little or few distractions (but not necessarily your backyard). Then, over time, you will want a place with increased distractions, so your dog will have to face those additional challenges while still paying attention to you. Remember, as your dog’s training improves, they will be able to deal with high levels of distraction while still obeying you (i.e. remaining sitting or lying down in any place of your selection while cats go by, clown cars, trains, etc.)

The reason you may not want to use your backyard is that you want your dog’s living area to be associated with only good memories as much as possible. Because training does involve some correction (i.e. mild punishment) it is nice if this can be done not where you live. (Although once your pup starts to catch on, i.e. 2-4 months into training, it is perfectly appropriate to give commands at home as well.)

Authorities are divided on this but I recommend NOT using treats as a training device. Not only is it unhealthy to have a lot of treats, but the dog tends to focus on the treats, and the treats themselves become a distraction. Needless to say, in the real world you will not be going around passing out treats to your dog every time it obeys a command. What works better is a quick “Good dog!” and something of a affectionate pat. Be consistent and judicious with your praise just as you are consistent and judicious with your punishment.

Initially, when the dog knows nothing, you will have to lean more heavily on correction. For instance, you will give the “DOWN” command (hand signal and voice) and the pup will just look at you. How should she know how to act? At this point, and nearly contemporaneously with your command, you will then give a quick firm tug on your lead so that the pup’s head is drawn towards the ground (you can initially then use your hands as needed to get the pup into the down position, drawing out on its front legs, etc.) Starting out, this lead can be just a short piece of 550 chord, 3 or 4 feet is plenty. A lead just long enough for you to be able to tug (4-8 inches) is also appropriate, but will usually be used after you have already made some progression in the training. Earlier on, the longer lead will give you more control. The pup will likely resist you. DO NOT LOSE YOUR TEMPER AND START MUSCLING AND JERKING YOUR PUP AROUND! Remember, your relationship with your animal is about trust and loyalty. It takes time for a dog to learn what it is you want and expect of her. This training is to assist you in moving about the world with your dog. The training is necessary because in order to accompany you in the world, the dog needs to be well-behaved and listen to you. Otherwise, instead of being a calming element, your dog will be a source of anxiety, and even a nuisance and a bother.

Since obeying you does not come naturally to the dog, but must be achieved through consistency and patience over a period of weeks and months of concerted effort, do not expect much for the first handful of training sessions. It is enough that the pup hear and see the commands, and get used to the sound of your voice. Keep in mind that most dogs will want to please you and will learn these basic commands to earn your praise. But this takes time and effort for everyone involved: 1) the dog, through trust and kindness, needs to come to value your praise and 2) needs through time and repetition to come to understand the various behaviors that your commands are meant to elicit. ALL THIS TAKES WEEKS AND MONTHS!

After the training session is over (which might consist of only 5-10 iterations of “DOWN”, with a brief interval of walking between iterations–so the dog is not just getting up and getting down in the same place) it is important to reward (and relax the dog) with a nice play session. Over time, your dog will associate the training session with the play and start to handle the training with greater forbearance and patience, knowing that its patience and effort will be rewarded. Again, this reward does not have to be treats, but a few throws of a stick or ball.

The “STAY” command is very important, and is often trained in conjunction with (and directly following) the “DOWN” command: The hand signal that accompanies this command can be an open palm facing the dog. Initially your dog will not obey this command. When she gets up and moves, lead her to the same spot she was in, and give her a quick corrective tug on the lead. Over a period of weeks and months, the amount of time that the dog can be left in this position will increase. But increase the amount of time slowly and over time. Ten to fifteen seconds in the first month can grow to twenty seconds in the second month and so on. Eventually you will be able to leave your dog in the DOWN and STAY position for an hour or longer. But work up to this slowly and methodically!

(It is important that a correction be delivered close in time to the infraction. It does your dog no good to correct her if you gave her a STAY command and then just left her, and then a half hour later realized that at some point she left the spot where you had ordered her to stay and wandered off to some other place. For this reason, during a training session, you may wish to spy on your dog from a window or through a door jamb so that if and when she gets up and starts to wander off, you can make the appropriate correction IMMEDIATELY.)

REMEMBER: 5 MINUTES OF TRAINING PER DAY FOR THE FIRST 6 MONTHS IS PLENTY!

Every dog is different, just like people. Do not assume that just because one dog learns something in a day, that this will be true for all dogs. If you wonder if you are demanding too much of your pup: STOP! Take a break. Walk away. Every dog is capable of learning, just is every person, but you must be willing to meet the dog on her own terms, work around her own personality and disposition, and RESPECT HER!

Westhusing’s Bluff

What Listening Horse taught me is if you want something to just do your bidding any old time, get an ATV. If you want to know a horse, you have to come to the horse on the horse’s terms. If you want to know a dog, likewise.

In the end, I think I was fortunate that the training program that was available to me had a two year wait. It forced me to become proactive and take some initiative. I pieced material off the internet and from books and came up with my own training program. The reality is, I didn’t have two years to wait around for an opening.

Not covered in this article is crate training, which I highly recommend for house training your pup. Additionally, the crate (with a cloth or blanket draped over it) can serve as a safe and comfortable refuge for your dog. To this day, AB takes her meals in her crate, and I know it is mealtime when she goes in there and lies down.

If at all possible, put in a doggie door wherever you live. A dog cherishes the ability to come and go as she pleases.

Be aware that your dog is really a pup for the first two years of life. Do not have overly high expectations for her. Adjust to her. Make allowances for her. Give her some room for error. She is there not to absorb your damage, but to help you cast it off as best you can. Let her be her wild spirit. Take her to the mountains and let her run free.

Let her be free as often as you can. Don’t put a jingly jangly collar on her. Don’t put any sort of collar on her outside of training. Let yourself run free with her. Beside her. Not leading or controlling, but beside her, like any other wild thing. Care for her and be good to her, watch out for her paws just like you would your own feet, carry a tweezers for thorns and splinters if you are out and about, carry water for her and offer her water often, let her pant and rest in the shade if you are on a trail in the hot sun, take joy in watching her joy, take joy in greeting her in the morning, take joy in sharing with her small scraps of your own food (letting her lick your dish clean for instance, placed in her crate though–don’t feed her from the table as this encourages begging). Share with her the good of her life, and she will assuage the bad of yours. She will calm you when you are upset, comfort you when you are bereaved and lost. Whatever hills and valleys yet lie before you, she will go through them at your side, loyal and steadfast.

Good luck.

REPRINTED FROM NM COMPASS

Photo Credit: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources via Compfight cc

By Alex Escué Limkin

— We had just finished hiking and were taking a picture of our baby Escué lying in a snowdrift on the east side of the Sandias when the hunter came out of the woods carrying a crossbow.

His white luxury SUV had been at the trailhead when we arrived, partially blocking the entrance. After opening the rear hatch with his key fob, the hunter slid the crossbow into the cargo area, took off his camouflage clothes, and sat down. I could see that even his underwear was some form of camouflage. He started his engine but did not leave his parking space.

“I’m going to go throw a stick for AB,” I told my wife. I moseyed over to the SUV with my canine companion in tow.

The hunter was studying his phone. I squeezed past his car and looked around for a stick. There was one near his front tires. It looked like it had broken and fallen from the weight of the snow. I made a show of throwing the stick for AB a couple times.

I had just been on the trail with my wife, dog and infant son, and I didn’t like the idea of someone hunting so close to us, lurking around, stalking. What was he hunting up there in the Sandias with a crossbow, anyway? What was up there that needed killing?

After a couple throws, I gestured to him and he lowered his window. This is how I remember our conversation:

“Can I ask what you’re hunting up here?”

“Mountain lions,” he said. I nearly dropped the stick.

“Mountain lions? Really? I didn’t know there were any still up here. Thought we killed them all.”

“Oh, they’re up here.”

“The reason I’m asking,” I continued, ”is because there’s a lot of families hiking up in these woods. Like me. With their dogs. It would be a tragedy if you made a mistake out there with that crossbow.”

“Anyone who would make a mistake like that has no business hunting.”

“True,” I said, “but it happens. Like when Cheney shot Rumsfeld in the face with a shotgun.”

The hunter didn’t blink. “I don’t know anything about that. Didn’t kill him, in any event.”

I fished around for a way to continue the conversation. There were so many things that needed saying. “You sure there are mountain lions up here?”

“Oh, they’re up here. There’s a 30-bag annual limit in the Sandias. But they don’t permit firearms. That’s why I’ve got the bow.”

I wondered who regulated and tracked mountain lion kills.

“What do you do to hunt them?” I asked.

“I got a call. I make a call just like a mountain lion makes, and any mountain lions in the area will come around and check it out. They’re territorial and don’t appreciate intruders.”

“Any luck with that?”

He shook his head. “Just a matter of time, though. With hunting, you have to be patient. Sometimes you wait your whole life for just one shot.”

I didn’t want to be there all day talking hunting, but I wanted him to know he wasn’t welcome with his crossbow so close to the city, with families and children around. I didn’t care if it was legal or not. But it had to be done delicately.

“Maybe there are some better places you could go than the Sandias,” I offered.

“There are, but I live in Albuquerque, and this is the closest place to hunt what I’m after.”

The truth is, it wasn’t only the safety of my family I was concerned with. I was thinking about the mountain lions, too. I was thinking about the bison and the carrier pigeon. I was thinking about how willing we are to kill wild things for entertainment, for sport, for pleasure or for economic growth. It has always been this way with us. I felt sick to remember the bison, the millions left to rot on the plains. And here we were, still at it. Still finding pleasure in killing. Still denying the sanctity of life.

I was going to launch into the story of Aldo Leopold, the conservationist who founded the Gila Wilderness. He hunted wolves until one day he reached a wolf in time to see the “fierce green fire dying in her eyes.” He never hunted again.

I wanted to tell him that many animals shot and wounded by hunters, particularly with bows, are never found, and are left to die a slow, agonizing death in the woods.

I wanted to tell him that once a bullet or arrow severs your spine and paralyzes you, you’re never the same hunter again.

I wanted to tell him that once you’ve been wounded in the way we wound animals, you’re never the same human being again.

But there is never enough time to tell people the things they need to know. And often, they don’t care.

Anyway, it was what I wanted to do and not what I wanted to say that was important. What I wanted to do, as soon as I saw what he was up to—desecrating life for sport—was break his crossbow over his head.

Instead, I used words.

“If you manage to find a mountain lion out here, or anyplace else, I hope you see a green fire in its eyes that changes your life forever.”

Then, there wasn’t anything more to say.

*****
Author Alex Escué Limkin is forming an action and advocacy team, DVR-6, specializing in the recovery and aid of homicidal and suicidal veterans in the backcountry. He blogs about his experience as an Iraq veteran at warriorswithwesthusing.org.