Between 2001 and 2005, a collaborative, science-based restoration treatment project – called Rincon Ortiz CFRP – was successfully implemented on three hundred acres of ponderosa/pinon-juniper woodland on Rowe Mesa, near Santa Fe, New Mexico. Equally important was the success of the social goal of the project: to involve local residents in economic and educational activities related to a forest health restoration effort so that the link between cultural continuity and the restoration of natural ecological processes can be strengthened. Combined, the goals yielded two major lessons learned: 1) how to do the work properly, and; 2) an indication that ecological restoration might not necessarily come with significant social cost and conflict.
Quivira’s annual publication started out as a printed newsletter and has served as a source for on-the-ground rangeland science, a place for stories and reflections from our community, and a resource on implementation of regenerative agriculture on working lands since the start of the organization. It has since morphed into a high-quality, professionally-designed and printed literary magazine that showcases poetry, written reflections, photography, artwork, and science writing that comes from those who are working or stewarding the land; very few of the contributors are professional writers, highlighting the lived experiences that they bring. If you’re interested in contributing to a future issue, please email communications@quiviracoalition.org.
