NEXT RESTORATION PROJECTS:
March 7, 2026
Valle de Oro Wildlife Refuge LOCATION: Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge in the South Valley of Albuquerque THE PROJECT: Join AWF for our first volunteer project of 2026! Valle de Oro is one of the nation’s first urban wildlife refuges. Volunteers have assisted with its transformation from a former dairy farm to a refuge for an amazing array of birds and wildlife, an innovative site for wetlands restoration using stormwater run-off, and a resource for the local community. In partnership with Rio Grande Return and others, AWF volunteers will be planting native vegetation in the playa section of the refuge, and potentially building nesting boxes for kestrels and barn owls. SCHEDULE: 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 7 GEAR: For this project, you will need gloves, hat, long sleeves, long pants, sturdy boots, and sunscreen. Wear layers as the day may start off cool and warm up later. FOOD: Please bring snacks, your own lunch, and plenty of water. TO SIGN UP: Contact Cameron at [email protected] Directions and further details will be sent to you once you sign up. ********************************************************* March 21, 2026 Rio Puerco LOCATION: Rio Puerco near Cuba, NM THE PROJECT: Join AWF for a day of planting cottonwood and willow poles on State Trust Land along the Rio Puerco south of Cuba, NM! We are partnering with Rio Grande Return and the State Land Office for this project. Our work will contribute to an ongoing effort by Rio Grande Return to restore around 90 acres of riparian ecosystem. The goals are to reconnect the river wth its floodplain, reduce sediment runoff into the Rio Grande, and improve habitat for species like beavers. SCHEDULE: 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 21 GEAR: For this project, you will need work gloves, hat, long sleeves, long pants, sturdy boots, and sunscreen. Wear layers as the day may start off cool and warm up later. Please be prepared for wet and/or muddy conditions; you may want to bring a change of shoes. FOOD: Please bring snacks, your own lunch, and plenty of water. TO SIGN UP: Contact Abe at [email protected] Directions and further details will be sent to you once you sign up. Support AWF's work!
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2026 AWF Project ScheduleMARCH 7 - Valle de Oro Wildlife Refuge
MARCH 21 - Rio Puerco APRIL 10-12 - Wolf Creek, Fort Union Ranch MAY 29-31 - Shush’Kin Fen, Zuni Mountains JUNE 19-21 - Rito Cafe, Jemez Mountains JULY 10-12 - Polvadera Creek, Jemez Mountains AUGUST 14-16 - Manuelitas Creek, near Las Vegas, NM SEPTEMBER 4-6 - Limestone Canyon, near Magdalena, NM OCTOBER 2-4 - Cebolla Canyon in El Malpais OCTOBER 23-25 - Rio Embudo near Dixon NOVEMBER 7 - Cedro Creek near Tijeras awf projects
One of AWF's primary missions is to improve and preserve wildlife habitat for present and future uses. To further this goal, AWF hosts several volunteer restoration projects each year in locations around New Mexico. Project tasks include building rock structures in streambeds using the techniques developed by Bill Zeedyk, planting trees, installing fence exclosures to protect riparian areas, and removing old wire fencing that is hazardous to wildlife.
Some of the projects are one-day events at local venues in and around Albuquerque. Most are weekend camping trips in beautiful public lands in the state. Typically, participants arrive on Friday afternoon or evening, camp Friday and Saturday nights, and depart by Sunday noon. However, volunteers are welcome to join us just for the Saturday work day, or camp for just one of the two nights. The camping events feature Saturday morning breakfast burritos and coffee, and a Saturday evening potluck dinner with grilled bison burgers and veggie options provided by AWF. Participants bring a dish to share to create a bountiful meal. We welcome participants of all ages; individuals under 18 years of age require parental permission or supervision. Safety TalkKeeping our volunteers safe is AWF’s top priority on our restoration projects! One way we keep you safe is to make sure that you are aware of the potential risks involved in camping and working outside, as well as the actions that AWF takes to reduce those risks. We go over these hazards during our safety talk at the start of each project, but we also wanted to provide it here for you to review in advance of coming out on a project. Before starting work, we will ask you to sign a liability waiver indicating that you understand the potential risks of participating in a restoration project and that you accept responsibility for your safety on the project.
Click here to download AWF's Safety Talk as a pdf document. AWF's Project Liability Waiver is available here. |