“Our Wildlife Corridors” by Laura Robbins (to appear in January issue of the Northside Signpost)
Members and supporters of our local group Pathways-Wildlife Corridors of New Mexico and all who have been involved in the “Protect Our Wildlife Corridors” mural project on the Recycling Center wall feel supported by recent events in our government. A Memorandum of Understanding signed by Governor Richardson and Governor Ritter of Colorado formalizes the intent to cooperate along the shared state borders regarding wildlife corridors. This MOU states that the respective wildlife management agencies (New Mexico Department of Game and Fish and Colorado Division of Wildlife) will recognize the two states as part of the Western Governors Association initiative to identify and protect key habitat connectivity, travel and migration corridors across the Western United States, irrespective of political boundaries. Scientific data will be collected and evaluated, Native American tribes will be consulted, geospatial mapping systems and consistent protocols will be developed, existing and potential land use changes that may limit or eliminate the viability of key wildlife corridors will be identified. Shared strategies will be developed.
“Wildlife Corridors” and “connectivity” are terms that are beginning to enter our common consciousness and speech. Secretary of the Interior, Salazar, when recently speaking in Copenhagen on climate change stated,”Entire wildlife corridors are changing” and “Through the use of landscape and seascape-level conservation initiatives, we will strengthen the connectivity and resiliency of our parks and protected areas and the wildlife and ecosystem services they support. These efforts will prove critical.”
There are many groups in New Mexico and neighboring states working to these ends. Some are beginning to share information through a new umbrella, New Mexico Wildways. Core members of NMW include: Wildlands Network, Earth Works Institute, Wildlife Habitat of NM, Rewilding Institute, NM Wildlife Priority Linkages, Pathways: Wildlife Corridors of NM and New Mexico Wilderness Alliance.
Many individuals and groups work towards meaningful changes: from backyard habitats – to passageways for animals through interstates  – to reintroduction/protection of species due to lack of balance of our public lands monitored by the BLM. We are growing more aware and knowledgeable regarding our own carbon footprints and are paying attention to the local and global uses/protection of water. We humans have jurisdiction over our own behaviors and each small change towards respecting and honoring all who share the gifts of this planet shifts the weight on the fulcrum.
Our thanks to Governor Richardson for sending a positive message that wildlife corridors exist, are important and are worth protecting. We look forward to future advancements from the Western Governor’s Association.

Jan. 1:
We now have our transects numbered and their GPS coordinates recorded, so with our trained staff of volunteers we can now begin collecting official data.  Those of you who have are still building up hours in the field, and who need to attend additional training(s) are of course still welcome to come with us when we go out to monitor.  That said, I’ll need to ask you all for the times this month (January) that you are willing and able to go out monitoring.  I know the weather may be a factor, but we’ll try to set a couple of dates for January and see if the weather is decent enough on those days to go out for a couple of hours.
The main purpose of the monitoring is to be able to tell a credible story, to our community, to the scientific community, and the public agencies, about the wildlife in our area.  Track and sign identification is one way to be able to tell this story.  We are also using motion triggered cameras as well to help tell this story of the animals who live here with us.  As we increase our abilities to observe and record what we see, hear, feel and think, we can then tell a more complete story, one that grows in complexity but also in clarity.
Here is a great new video from the “Freedom to Roam” campaign:
Freedom to Roam – Rick Ridgeway on Wildlife Corridors from Patagonia’s Tin Shed

Jan. 4th:
This past year could be called, “the year of the bobcat” in the Placitas area, we had numerous sightings all over the area, from the freeway all the way up to the National Forest and everywhere in between. We also had great anecdotal evidence of bears, mountain lions, and deer, again in a wide range of territory. These are definitely the animals we want to be monitoring, as their health is directly related to the health of our mountains. The health of the animals and plants is tied together very closely.
The anecdotal evidence (news of animal sightings by ourselves and neighbors) is very important to the Pathways citizen scientist project. This information helps direct and coordinate our scientific monitoring effort, which is limited in size and scope, to be more efficient and cost effective. So keep those stories coming in! Record (by using an anecdotal data sheet) and photograph or video these stories as well, you know what they say about a picture (a thousand words), or a camera (doesn’t lie).
Our focus at Pathways is on the wildlife “corridors” or pathways, between the mountains of New Mexico. Our focal species are the Black Bear, Mule Deer, Mountain Lion, Bobcat, Elk and Pronghorn (Antelope). These mammals need to be able to move periodically between the mountains to survive and maintain their genetic viability. In our monitoring efforts, we want to record our local Sandia mountain populations of these animals, as well as monitor their movements to and from the Jemez and Sange de Cristo mountains to the north. Radio collars require a costly NM Game and Fish study, which they can’t afford at this time. What they (we) really can’t afford is to lose these animal populations. We are using track and sign monitoring as well as camera traps (motion sensitive cameras) to record these populations and their movements.
Each bit of data that we record is valuable because: 1. There is very little to no data currently available for most of these animals 2. Data gathered now can be used again and again by various agencies, scientists, and conservation groups. 3. The older the data becomes, does not decrease its value, but in some cases, increases it. 4. Most of these animals are “invisible” to the general public, this data makes them “visible”, like CO2 was invisible, but now since its been measured so much by so many scientists, the data has prompted action on a wide scale.
As tempting as it is to just “let animals be a secret”, the fact is that we humans usually don’t change our behavior until it is measured, shown to us, and the alternate behavior is shown to be a benefit to us. Even all of this measuring and showing doesn’t guarantee a positive change in behavior (even when we know something is bad for us we sometimes do it anyway), but it does have some success, and this is one of the methods we are using to effect positive change for the animals, and ourselves.

On our mural front - Bosque School seventh grade classes will complete whimsical cacti and these will be installed directly on the PNM substation walls, adjacent to the Placitas Recycling Center. A 4′x8′ panel of Wild Horses will be placed to the right of the “Protect Our Wildlife Corridors”  and join the other ecosystem/ animal panels. Stamped clay tiles of EVERYONE who has helped in some way will be placed on the Recycling Center Wall to the left of the driveway opening.
The 4th 9 foot by 6 foot mosaic panel - focusing on the riparian ecosystem, “the bosque” – will be started in January by the 8th grade Advanced Art class at Bernalillo Middle School who will design and make the big animals. We are lucky to have guest speaker Timothy Smith, Biology Technician at Sandia Pueblo, join the class for a first Monday field trip to the bosque at Kuaua (Coronado Monument), and come into the classroom the next day to share about the Pueblo’s efforts to re-introduce wild Turkeys to their lands. Algodones Elementary students will participate making plant tiles for the 4th panel, as Placitas Elementary students did last year for the Grasslands panel. 
      

Volunteers grout the Grasslands panel

Pathways volunteers have been racking up the hours in the field tracking animals, identifying their footprints, and recording what they find into a database.

Cottontail rabbit

Since the workshop on March 28-29, we have had a good showing of volunteers each weekend to go out and practice tracking and monitoring skills. About 15 hours of learning have been accumulated so far, with people gaining confidence in track and sign identification, and becoming familiar with the data collection protocol. Once a clear animal track or scat has been identified and has group consensus as to its specie, we then photograph and GPS the animal’s sign, and measure the track’s width and length. Our data sheets are filled out, and all of this is then entered into our database at the end of the day.

Badger tracks. The hind track registered directly into the front track

After two intense days of power point lectures, engaging stories and field trips to practice track and sign identification and data collection protocol, we came home to practice in our “teams” on our home turf.

Casey in action

PATHWAYS
Wildlife Corridors of New Mexico

http://pathwayswc.wordpress.com/

Who we are:
Since 2006, we are the grass roots collective who has the vision to see that all animals who need to move between New Mexico’s mountains may do so freely and without harm. This in turn will, through our mission to recognize and protect our state’s vital wildlife corridors, maintain and improve the health of our New Mexico Mountains.

Our philosophy is: We take care of the wildlife, the wildlife takes care of the land, and from this we all benefit.

What we do:
Through community outreach and collaboration with other conservation organizations, we fulfill our misson of recognizing and protecting the health of wildlife corridors. We provide maps, information, and on the ground research by working with State, local and Federal agencies, private land owners and others.

We belong:
To a community of individuals and organizations including: New Mexico Wildways: New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, Earth Works Institute, New Mexico Priority Wildlife Linkages,, Wildlands Network, Wildlife Habitat of NM, Trust for Public Land, Albuquerque Wildlife Federation,The Nature Conservancy, Las Placitas Association, Wild Horse Observers Association (WHOA), Wildlife Tracking Southwest, and others.

Long term Goals and Commitments:
We are committed to protecting the last unobstructed wildlife corridor on Sandia mountain by supporting the USFS decision to close the NE corner of the Sandia Ranger District to motorized use. This goal has been achieved! ( Spring of ‘09)
We are embarking on a two year wildlife mural project along Hwy. 165 through Placitas which will involve community members, businesses, school children, and seniors to create a lasting, visible reminder of the wildlife connections we value.
The mosaic sign, “Protect Our Wildlife Corridors”, and 2, nine foot wide by six and a half foot tall animal panels have been completed (’08). Two more panels of the same size are to be completed this year, with the first one to be installed May 30-31 ‘09.
This was achieved on time! There are now 3 panels installed, plus the sign, with another panel scheduled to be installed by May of 2010.

We are commited to starting up a Citizen Scientist wildlife track and sign monitoring program which will provide scientifically valid data to local, state and federal governments. We have begun this effort and currently have 14 volunteers gaining field time and training to become qualified monitors in the Placitas area. A goal is to have 2 team leaders qualified at level 3 track and sign by this fall ‘09. This has been achieved! We now have 2 teams of qualified volunteers who are ready to gather official data starting in Jan. of 2010.

To work with NMDOT and other agencies to construct a bridge over Las Huertas Cr. at I-25 to replace the existing culverts. This will allow safer passage of wildlife under the interstate along a vital wildlife corridor. This goal will of course be tied to the reconstruction of this section of I-25.

Achievements include:
Producing maps and information describing the wildlife corridors between Sandia, Jemez and Sangre de Christo Mts. This raises public awareness and interest in protecting these vital connections.
Completion of three (of 7) mosaic mural panels, “Protect Our Wildlife Corridors”.
Two qualified team leaders who are training volunteers in wildlife track and sign monitoring in the Placitas area. Data collection and documentation of wildlife corridor locations and uses. Organizing the Citizen Scientist wildlife monitoring program in this area.
Providing a meeting place and schedule of regular monthly meetings. The 4th Tuesday of every month, 6:30 pm, at the Placitas Senior Center. Location: #41 Camino de las Huertas, Placitas, NM 87043.
Input to the U.S.F.S., B.L.M. and Sandoval County informing various land use decision making processes. A goal is to meet with Sandoval County and NMSGF by June of ‘10 to discuss a wildlife corridor study in the Placitas area. The Placitas Area Plan was just passed by the Sandoval County Commission in April ‘09 and includes the desire of the County for such a study.
Outreach to other communities to encourage an interest in forming additional wildlife corridor protection groups. (Pathways-Jemez and Wildlife Habitat of NM). We have met with interested parties in the Jemez and Galisteo area many times over the past two years, and a goal of Pathways is to support and encourage the formation of wildlife corridor identification and protection groups statewide. The workshop on June 10th with the Wildlands Network helped to further that goal by forming a coalition: New Mexico Wildways. See members above in “We Belong”

Casey McFarland, Professional Wildlife Tracker

A group from Pathways with Casey McFarland, professional wildlife tracker.  (Casey is in the back at left)

Packrat Tracks

Casey examining fine detail of packrat tracks.

Bobcat vs Coyote Tracks

Here is a form you can use to record your own wildlife sightings:a-data-sheet-21