Domesticated sheep arrived with the early Spanish conquistadors and explorers in the 1500's. Sheep herding was a lucrative venture for many people in the Taos area during the 19th century. Families kept large flocks that they would graze and then sell for meat or wool. When the National Park and public land system was created it meant families had to attain grazing permits. The Taos Plateau had numerous sheep grazing permits in the early part of the 20th century. To keep the sheep in the allotments they would install net wire or sheep fencing. This net wire fencing did a good job of keeping sheep in but it caused fragmentation of pronghorn and elk habitat. According to a Wyoming study, pronghorn and deer alter their movements nearly 40% of the time that they encounter a fence. The result is costly energy use and the possibility of keeping them from high quality habitat.
Now days, most of the Rio Grande Del Norte National Monument is grazed by cattle, but the sheep fencing still remains. Some of this fencing can be over 50 years old. Through a parternship with Pheasants Forever, local landowners, Bureau of Land Management and funding from Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and National Fish and Wildlife Federation, a 2 mile section of fencing was identified for removal.
On August 24, 2024, 17 BHA volunteers along side BLM staff, Pheasants Forever staff and Habitat Steward Coordinator Bard Edrington drove out the bumpy muddy road to the center of the plateau. This vistas are wide and long in this part of New Mexico. The plateau is surrounded by old volcanoes like San Antonio, Ute and Pot Mountain. On the east side of the plateau the Rio Grande cuts a deep channel before you reach the base of the Sangre De Cristo Mountain range.
The morning began with a history of the plateau, safety talk and why we are removing the fencing. It is always nice to watch how 20 people quickly figure out their role and make short work of the task at hand. Wooden fence stays need removing, t-post clips cut, the fencing pulled free from brush, t-posts removed, the wire rolled up on the skid steer wire winder and finally everything thrown into the dump trailer to be recycled. By the end of the day they had removed 2 miles of fencing and 1.5 miles of it was rolled up on the wire winder. The fully loaded dump trailer limited their ability to roll up all 2 miles, and the impending summer thunderstorm building on the plateau.
After the work was completed, a majority of the volunteers headed back to camp to enjoy cold beer donated by Santa Fe Brewing Company. BHA member Jim Palmer made 5 pounds of barbecue brisket for the potluck. In addition to the Bbq, there was elk pesto and carne adovada made with pronghorn. No-one went hungry.
On Sunday, Outreach Coordinator for the Friends of the Rio Grande National Monument Ben Mortensen lead 7 anglers into the Cruces Basin Wilderness to fly fish. It was a great way to round out the weekend.
About Bard Edrington
Bard Edrington is the New Mexico Habitat Stewardship Coordinator. He is a lifelong bowhunter, conservationist and songwriter. Bard lives with his wife and teenage son in Santa Fe.