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Thirty volunteers rolled up their sleeves on Saturday morning to clean up trash and make updates to Otero Park, Sandbar Park and Bosque Park.
“The maintenance focused on improving the spaces for recreational visitors and also to mitigate fire risks in the Bosque. We removed old in-ground fire pits and installed safer pedestal barbeques for people to use, and made sure the grasses are well clear of the pedestals. We also removed a lot of fuel (slash and fallen limbs) in the vicinity of the parks,” Rob Selina, Socorro Trails coordinator, said, “I think we hauled out seven truckloads of cuttings and trash, and we also repaired a 0.8-mile segment of the non-motorized, hiking, biking, equestrian trail in the Bosque.”
Selina said the City of Socorro contributed by purchasing pedestal barbeques and waiving the landfill fees.
The clean-up was a joint project of the New Mexico Volunteers for the Outdoors (NMVFO) and the Save Our Bosque Taskforce (SOBTF).
Volunteers over 21 enjoyed the afterparty, a donation from Little Toad Creek Brewery and Distillery, who held it at the Capitol Bar.
The SOBTF was formed as a nonprofit in 1994 by citizens of Socorro County, concerned about the impacts of dumping, off-road vehicle use, and illegal activities on the ecosystem along the Rio Grande Bosque.
Their projects and programs support habitat protection and restoration, including encouraging native species and removing invasive species. They organize community outreach and education and create partnerships with other groups interested in conservation. In November 2022, they started holding trash clean-up days monthly.
The Save Our Bosque Task Force meets on the second Saturday of every month. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Christie at (708) 269-7147
