Rep. Vasquez visits Bosque del Apache

U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez visited Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge this week to meet with staff and members of Friends of Bosque del Apache.

Standing at what he called “one of the premier National Wildlife Refuges in the Southwest,” Vasquez said he wanted to hear directly from refuge employees and members of the Friends of the Bosque about the strain caused by a decade of staff reductions and budget cuts.

According to Vasquez, staffing levels have dropped by nearly 50 percent over the last 10 years, leaving the refuge dependent on borrowed personnel and equipment from other refuges in New Mexico, Texas and Arizona. He said those shortages impact the visitor experience.

“When you have roads that are ungraded, when you have fields that are unmowed and unirrigated, that experience isn’t the same,” Vasquez said. “We want to make sure we have the operators, the maintenance technicians, the park rangers—everybody needed to make this a good experience. Right now, they’re operating on very thin margins.”

The staffing and maintenance delays were compounded by this year’s federal shutdown, which pushed back seasonal mowing and flooding schedules crucial to attracting migrating birds, among other maintenance needs. Those challenges ultimately led to the cancellation of the Festival of the Cranes, one of the region’s largest ecotourism events.

Vasquez said the festival contributes an estimated $1.5 million in economic impact for Socorro County each year—a major loss for rural businesses in San Antonio, Socorro and surrounding communities.

“ Think in the long term, we have to think about adequate staffing levels at the Department of Interior that manages national wildlife refuges to ensure the longevity and the maintenance of places like this,” said Vasquez. “We have to take these things seriously.”

For Vasquez, the issue is not only economic but ecological. Bosque del Apache is a critical stopover for migratory birds traveling from Canada to Mexico, a role he says New Mexicans should take pride in.

“This is a historic place for wildlife,” he said. “We’re part of that journey, and we can certainly make a buck or two from folks who want to come take pictures of these beautiful birds.”

Vasquez, who has visited the refuge nearly every year for a decade, said he considers the Bosque an essential stop for winter travelers and a cherished landscape for locals who bike, run and birdwatch there year-round.

After his meetings with staff, Vasquez said he plans to push for restored funding levels. The refuge currently operates on about $1.4 million, down significantly from more than $2 million a decade ago—before inflation. He said it should be receiving at least $3 million today, along with restored staffing.

“There’s no reason we shouldn’t have the same staffing levels we did in 2012,” he said.

Vasquez added that strong investment in public lands is key to the district’s economic health, from the Gila National Forest to Carlsbad Caverns and Bosque del Apache.

“These are the economic engines for rural communities,” he said. “It’s really important that we take care of these places, that we manage them well and staff them well.”

The congressman said he hopes this year’s challenges will serve as a wake-up call—and that the Festival of the Cranes will return stronger next year.