Agriculture and Environment Bridge Project - Session 3

This is the notes from the third session of the Agriculture-Environmental Bridge Project which was held on January 15, 2003 at the NMSU Alcalde Experimental Farm in Velarde, NM.

Table of Contents (Click on a heading to jump to that section.)

Projects and efforts that exemplify bridge-building between agricultural and environmental networks.

The meeting started by picking up the discussion begun in Session 2 about examples of bridge-building between the agricultural and environmental interests.

General comments during this discussion

• Environmentalists and ag people should meet jointly with Richardson
• Medium for sharing information/communicating is needed
• NNM Sierra Club will support Moises’ project for traditional Spanish stewardship
• Estavan’s project - also opportunity for funding
• Focus on stewardship/environmental policy
• Sierra Club more interested in being involved in local agricultural and environmental activities

Heritage Orchard

• AP has picked up story and now receiving interest across country and Mexico (with support from Sierra Club and Audubon)
• Estavan will set up meeting with Gov. Richardson

Acequia management

• Excellent habitat-preserving “natural” ditch benefit to both Ag (water recharge) and Environ (habitat).
• Promote hands-on experience i.e. Sierra Club members assist with acequia maintenance
• Political activity/event to offer symbolic commitment to collaboration

Rio Grande Alliance used as means to spread the word (2-13 groups) Taos-Embudo

• Restoration program/education program for Rio Grande project-not sure if EPA funding will come through, nonetheless effort was a success as it created support mechanism for a project that includes local communities, pueblos, etc.
• May receive funding from state water trust board

Mexicano Land Conservation Trust:

• Amigos Bravos “Think Tank” to resolve land grants (includes ag and env members) i.e. future land grant communities; sound policy
• National Forestry Foundation money for training for conservation, mapping, etc. – “Train the Trainer” – opportunity to collaborate with Rich/s watershed project and Sierra Club/environmentalists

Clean Waters Partners Project:

• School/watershed groups collaboration – teaches surveys, restoration projects, monitoring clean water
• Acequia systems could be integrated into this project; also ranching, etc.
• Expected to evolve over the next year. Would benefit from having “Paula” (Acequia Assoc?) involved

E-Plaza Project:

• Web-based agricultural network ties all folks related to agriculture
• Involves 18 youth working to engage stakeholders and profile organizations
• Opportunity to collaborate with “Clean Waters Partners Project”
• E-Plaza may be able to follow-up with Ag/Env Bridge Project

Traditional Agriculture Community Expo @ NNMCC

• Focus on local connection/coordinate with E-Plaza project
• E-Plaza students could assist in organizing expo and capturing, publishing expo results and information on the Web
• E-Plaza students could support”ARGH” project also

“Rinconada” BLM Land

• BLM lease land – range land needs restoration/protection
• Need to engage BLM and ranchers to treat these 8 sections in an environmentally sound manner. Conventional grazing will destroy this land
• First step engage community; second meet with ranchers – BLM not responding/cooperating
• State director of BLM could be/should be engaged at upcoming open house – may be possible opportunity
• Goal: show how local people can steward the land even better than BLM. Use Quivira case study
• Engage BLM in monitoring and evaluating the land
• Managing BLM land a challenge because of resentment from local community
• Need information/ideas about process for promoting stewardship of the land
• Socio/cultural and historical challenges to managing land in a more environmentally sound manner
• Community’s are concerned about losing grazing rights and thus “their” land to recreation and outsiders
• Crucial to engage “all” community members in any process and decision making – doesn’t matter what the issue – but the process and engagement of all key players
• Arroyo clean-up project
• Signage – is it effective? (Spanish)
• Ag/Env Bridge needs to happen at the local community level
• Racial issues a real challenge. Stewardship vs. justice

Recommendations and Principles for Building Bridges

• Initiate projects and let these projects address these principles (principles as discussed)
• Engage and invite all players up front/establish a relationship that extends past the projects
• Need to establish trust through honest consensus building and collaboration
• Leadership qualities of organization members are important as well as willingness to change or move on without fear of ‘selling out’
• Ability of organizations to negotiate with confidence
• Means for communication to identify collaboration among organization. This must start with building a relationship through face-to-face collaboration
• Once relationship is established, then develop means of staying in touch and communicating and sharing information
• Effective collaboration results from establishing a relationship, building trust, and then moving apart but remaining in touch. Finally important to come back together again to foster the relationship. Good food at all meetings is always key. Being human is the basis.

Final conclusions of participants regarding these sessions

• This process is worth continuing.
• Several immediate benefits came out of it. (E.g funding from Sierra Club for Heritage Orchard).
• An executive summary should be prepared and circulated for review and then distributed to interested parties.