Pollinator project blossoms at Bosque del Apache

A pollinator habitat is taking root at the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, where volunteers, researchers and conservation partners are working together to support butterflies, bats, hummingbirds and other vital pollinating species.

Recent volunteer planting days along the refuge’s Observation Blind Trail helped establish what are now being called the “pollinator trails,” a growing habitat area designed to provide food and shelter for a wide range of pollinators that move through the Rio Grande corridor.

“People were out in the field planting, working together and learning about the importance of pollinators,” said Deb Caldwell, executive director of the Friends of the Bosque del Apache.

For Caldwell, the project carried a deeply personal meaning.

“The planting was done in memory of my mom, Alice Duquet,” she said. “That made the day particularly special to me.”

The pollinator trails are located along the refuge’s North Loop drive and branch off the Observation Blind Trail. What was once a simple path leading to an old wildlife observation blind has been expanded into a more extensive trail system with two new “wings,” creating additional space for habitat restoration and educational opportunities.

“We widened the trail and created these wings where we’ve done a lot of the planting,” Caldwell said. “The idea was to provide more habitat for pollinators while also giving visitors a chance to walk through the trees and learn about the plants and animals that rely on them.”

Funding and support for the project has come from several partners, including the New Mexico Economic Development Department Outdoor Recreation Division, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Friends of the Bosque del Apache, along with private donors.

One of the most prominent features of the site is a large cottonwood tree that provides shade for visitors and will soon anchor an outdoor learning area. The tree was recently rehabilitated after crews removed heavy growths of mistletoe.

“It had quite a bit of mistletoe in it,” Caldwell said. “Cleaning it up will help the tree stay healthier and also make the area safer for visitors who might be picnicking underneath it.”

Plans are underway to transform the space around the former observation blind into a small outdoor classroom. Educational displays will allow visitors to interact with information about native plants and the animals that pollinate them.

“On the outside, there might be a picture of a plant you’ll see on the trail and a question like ‘Who pollinates this plant?’” Caldwell explained. “Then you open it up and it tells you about the pollinator and how that relationship works.”

The habitat restoration is also part of a larger statewide conservation effort known as the River for Monarchs project, coordinated by the Institute for Applied Ecology. The initiative is creating a chain of pollinator habitats along the Rio Grande to support migrating monarch butterflies.

“There are about 16 sites along the corridor,” Caldwell said. “Schools, institutions and different organizations are planting native species so that monarchs moving through New Mexico will have food and habitat along the way.”

Bosque del Apache represents the southernmost site in the network.

“Our goal is to provide the plants monarchs need, especially milkweed,” Caldwell said. “Even if we’re not one of their biggest stops, we can still give them resources as they move through the area.”

The project is also helping expand scientific research on the refuge. Students from New Mexico Tech have installed acoustic monitoring equipment to record bat activity — part of an effort to better understand the species that live and feed in the refuge.

“We’ll start learning more about bats that might be on the refuge,” Caldwell said. “They’re incredibly important pollinators, and people don’t always realize that.”

Future research may also focus on hummingbirds and other pollinating species that rely on the Rio Grande ecosystem.

For Caldwell, the pollinator trails represent a growing effort to connect visitors more closely with the natural systems that sustain wildlife.

“We’re really trying to support pollinators of all kinds,” she said. “And at the same time, we want people to be able to walk through the area and learn something — to see how these plants, animals and habitats all work together.”

The project is still evolving, with additional plantings, signage and educational features planned in the coming months. Volunteers are expected to continue playing a key role as the habitat develops.

“There’s more coming,” Caldwell said. “We’re continuing to do research, continuing to plant and continuing to build on the work that’s already started.”

Visit https://friendsofbosquedelapache.org/ to learn more about volunteering and future events.