socorro nature area blm trail guide · the shrub to the left is a new mexico olive (forestiera...
TRANSCRIPT
RULES:
• Becauseoffragilesoils,itiseasytodisturbthebalanceofnature-please stay on designated trails.
• Smokeonlyinyourvehicle.Smolderingtobaccoproductscanstartfires.
• Collectingisnotallowed.Pleaseleaveflowers,rocks,andothermaterialsundisturbedforotherstoenjoy.
• Petsareallowedonlyonaleash.Pleasecleanupafteryourpet.
“Learn from
yesterday,
live for
today,
hope for
tomorrow.” Albert Einstein
Socorro Nature Area Trail Guide
BLM
Welcome to Your BosqueExplore & Enjoy!
To conserve costs and resources please return this guide to the box
Thank you.
WelcometoauniqueecosystemintheUnitedStates,thecottonwood-willowbosque(“bosque”isSpan-
ishfor“riverforest”).InNewMexico,thebosqueconsistsofanarrowribbonofgreen,nearlycontinuousforover150milesalongtheRioGrande,fromCochitiReservoirnearSantaFetoElephantButteReservoirnearTruthorConsequences.
Historically,theRioGrandebosquewasacommonsforthepeopleofthevalley.Itprovidedresidentswithwater,food,andwoodforcooking,heating,andconstruction.Intheearly1930s,theentirestretchofriparianhabitatwasdeededintrusttotheMiddleRioGrandeConser-vancyDistrict.
Intheearly1900s,thebosquewasnaturallyinastateofconstantchange.Astheriverchangedcourse,wetareasdriedoutanddryareasbecamewaterlogged.Mostofthiswaterloggingwasaresultofpermanenthumansettlementactivities,suchasprovidingshelterandraisingfood,alongtheriver.Smalldamsanddiversionsslowedtheriver,resultingindepositsofsedimentalongtheriverbed.
IntheMiddleRioGrandebasin,astheriverbeddepos-itedsilt,itschannelwasraisedhigherabovethevalleyfloor.Groundwaterlevelsrosealongwiththeriver,andpercolationfromirrigationditchesraisedthewaterlevelsevenmore.By1920,theaveragedepthtothewatertableinthisareawas2.5feet.Orchardsandalfalfafieldswereabandoned.Itwasn’tuntilthe1930s,whentheConservancydrainedthemarshlandalongtheriver,thatthebosquebecameestablishedasacontinuousecosys-tem.
TheBureauofLandManagementhasworkedcoopera-tivelywithavarietyofFederal,state,county,andprivateagenciestoachievelong-termprotectionofthisareaandenhanceitsuniquevalues.
Todownloadthisguide,visitusat:www.blm.gov/nm/socorro_field_office
HISTORYOFTHE“SAVEOURBOSQUE”TASKFORCE
ThisTaskForceisanonprofitcorporation,formedin1994bycitizensofSocorroCounty,concernedaboutdegradationoftheRioGrandebosque.Threatstothebosqueincludeillegaldumping,off-roadvehicleuse,illegalfuelwoodcutting,andwildfires.ThegoaloftheTaskForceistoenhancetheriparianhabitatandincreaseenvironmentalawareness,whilecontinuingtosupportrecreationalusesoftheriverandwoodlands.HereattheSocorroNatureArea,theTaskForcehaspledgedtoprotectandrestoreasmallpieceofthebosqueecosystem.ThisprojectisacooperativeeffortamongtheTaskForce,U.S.BureauofLandManagement,U.S.BureauofReclamation,U.S.Fish&WildlifeService,NMStateForestry,MiddleRioGrandeConservancyDistrict,CountyofSocorro,CityofSocorro,SocorroSoil&WaterConservationDistrict,andSocorroChamberofCommerce.
How Can You be Involved?The Save Our Bosque Task Force (SOBTF) sponsors periodic clean-ups along the bosque in Socorro County. If you would like to be notified of clean-up times and places, call the New Mexico State Forestry at 575-835-9359. Further informa-tion about the SOBTF, its members, and its activi-ties can be found on the website, www.sobtf.org.
TRAIL SIGNSA=Trail AB=Trail B
Both trails are rated as “easy”
TRAIL: TheSocorroNatureAreaallowsyoutoenjoytheever-changingenvironmentofthebosque.Bytheendofyourjourney,youwilldiscoverwhythisareaplayssuchanimportantroleinourecosystem.
Alongthetrail,takeamomenttostop,listenandsmell.Doyousmellthesweetfragranceofalfalfagrowingintheadjacentfieldorthewarmscentofthemesquitebushthatgrowsalongthisbosque?Maybeyouhearthesoundsoflizardsrustlingunderneaththedryleaves.Howmanydifferentbirdmelodiesdoyouhear?Inthebosquearea,bird-watchingcanbeveryproductivedependingontheseason.Paycloseatten-tiontoyoursurroundingsandyoumaybesurprisedatwhatyousee!
STATIONS:B-1.HereattheamphitheaterwearestandingonthehistoricfloodplainoftheRioGrande.Beforedamswerebuiltupstreamalongwiththeseriesofdrains,canals,anddiversionsthatparalleltheriver;theriverwouldfloodinthespring.Often,thisareawouldbeunderwaterforweeksatatime.Duringsuchtimes,nutrient-richsediment,cottonwood,andwillowseedsweredepositedonthefloodplain.Thefloodingriverwouldcarvenewchannels,althoughthesechannelsarenowlongabandonedandfilled.Inthisarea,cotton-woodandwillowgrovesbecameestablishedalongsidethechannels.Noticethestraightlineofcottonwoodsbeyondthesitemarker-thismarkstheedgeofsuchanoldchannel.
B-2.Thebushtoyourrightisfour-wingsaltbush(Atriplex canescens),ashrubbymemberofthegoosefootfamily(spinachandbeetsarecultivatedmembersofthesamefamily).Saltbushisanativedryplainsspeciesthatcommonlygrowsindisturbedareas.Attheendofthesummer,thetinyyellowflowersproducedistinctive,lightgreen,four-wingedseedcapsules.Deer,antelope,andrabbitsbrowseontheshrub,whilebirdsandothersmallanimalseattheseeds.
TheshrubtotheleftisaNewMexicoolive(Forestiera pubescens),alsoknownasNewMexicoforestieraordesertolive.InNewMexico,theoliveiscommonlyfoundalongstreamsandinrivervalleys,whereitcangrowupto10feethigh.Grayish-greenovalleavesap-pearafterthetinyyellowishflowersbloominAprilandMay.
BLM/NM/GI-11-05-8000
Bureau of Land ManagementSocorro Field Office901 S. Highway 85Socorro, NM 87801
575/835-0412www.blm.gov/nm
Leave No Trace: Plan ahead and prepare - Travel and camp on durable surfaces - Dispose of waste properly - Leave what you find - Minimize campfire impacts - Respect wildlife - Be considerate of other visitors.
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B-3.SaltcedarorTamarisk(Tamarix spp.)isnativetodesertsoftheMiddleEast.Itwasimportedtothisareainthe1940sasashadetree,mainlyforerosioncontrolbutalsoasanornamental.InNewMexico,saltcedarsuccessfullynaturalizedalongwatersources.Itformsimpenetrablethicketsthatconsumemorewaterthannativespecies.
Effortstoeradicatethisnon-nativespeciesareexpensivebutongoing.Treatmentincludescuttingeverylimbandapplyingherbicide.
Althoughsaltcedartypicallygrowsonly15-20feettall,underidealconditionstheycangrowtoover40feet.Inspringandsummer,saltcedarproduceslargeclustersofattractive,tiny,pinkish-purpleflowers.Birdsandsomesmallanimalshaveadaptedtothesaltcedar,whilehon-eybeeshavefoundtheflowerstobeasourceofnectar.
B-4.ThetreebehindyouisaRus-sianolive(Elaeagnus angustifolia),aspeciesnativetosouthernEuropeandwesternAsia.Similartothetamarisk,thisnon-nativespecieswasintroducedasanornamentalshadetreeandawindbreak.InNewMexico,theRus-
sianoliveisfoundinmoistgroundalongstreamsandroadsides.Abundantyellowflowerscreateaspicyaromainthespring.Thesilvery-coloredsmallfruitsremainonthetreewellafteralltheleaveshavedropped,providingbirdfoodthroughoutthewinterandearlyspring.
Continuing on the A Trail...
A-5.Thepalewolfberry(Lycium pal-lidum)isanativememberofthenight-shadefamily,whichincludestomatoes,potatoes,eggplants,peppers,andto-bacco.Thisspeciesisoneofthemostvaluableshrubsinthisarea.Althoughtheshrubcanreach6feetinheight,3feetismorecommon.Theleavesareshinyandtheflowersaretrumpet-shaped,yellowish-greentolavenderincolor.Someofthewolfberryplantshavethorns.Livestock,birds,andmanyotheranimalseatthesmalltomato-likefruits.Someani-malsalsousethefoliageforcoverandroosting.
A-6.Fromhere,youhaveaviewofoneoftheirrigatedfarmsthatsharethefloodplainwiththecottonwood-willowbosqueecosystem.AlthoughfarmlandhasbeencultivatedalongtheRioGrandeforcenturies,thesecommercialfarmswerenotpossibleuntilaftertheMiddleRioGrandeConservancyDistrictwasformedin1925.Atthattime,theConservancyundertookanengineeringplanforanenormousareafromCochitiLakenearSantaFetoElephantButteLakenearTruthorConsequences.Goalsweretodraintheswamplandsalongtheriver,providefloodcontrolintheRioGrandeValley,andprovideirrigationwatertofarmers.
Mostfarmscouldnotsurvivewithoutirrigationwaterfromtheriver.ThewateristransportedfromtherivertothefarmsbyasystemofcanalsandditchesinSpanish,“acequias.”By1936,theConservancyhaddug342milesofdrainagecanaland475milesofirrigationcanal.
Themajorcropsinthispartofthevalleyarealfalfaandotherkindsofhayaswellaschilepeppers.Permanentgrasspasturesarealsomaintainedforfeedinghorses,cattle,andsheep.In2007thetotalvalueofagriculturalproductiononConservancy-irrigatedacreagewasover$40million.
A-7.TRASH!Illegallydumpedtrashisanexampleofoneofthewaysinwhichhumanshavedamagedthebosque.Human-madematerialsbiodegradeveryslowlyinthisdryclimate.
A-8.Lookatthelineofsmallvalleycottonwoodtrees(Populus deltoides)infrontofyou.Partofthewillowfamily,thesetreesareconsideredtobe“newgrowth”becausetheyarerelativelyyoung.
Nownoticethedifferencebetweentheareaofyoungcottonwoodsandthescrubareatotherightthathasonlyafewscatteredcottonwoods.Thecottonwoodzoneislocatedongroundthatisacoupleoffeethigherthanthescrubbyzone.Thescrubbyzoneisarelativelyyoungpartoftheriverchannel,whereasthecottonwoodzoneisanolder,morestablearea.
A-9.Aheadisagroveofnativehoneymesquite(Proso-pis glandulosa),asmalltreethatisgreatlyappreciatedbymanydesertdwellers.Thelong,straight,non-splittingseedsareadesirablefoodforwildlifeandlivestock.Eventhoughtheylookshrubby,mesquitescangrow30feettall.Taprootsupto150feetdeepallowthemtothriveinmanyareasoftheDesertSouthwest.Becausethewatertableisveryshallowhere,thetreesdon’tgrowsuchlongtaproots.
Toyourleftontheothersideofthetrail,isanothernativetree.AtypeofblackwillowknownasGoodding’swillow(Salix gooddingii).ThisshadetreerangesovermostofthewesternUnitedStates,generallygrowinginmoistareas.Itsleavesarelongandtapertoapoint,andareeasilyvisibleinMayandearlyJune.Muledeerandcattlefavorthewil-lowtwigsandleaves.
A-10.Asyourelaxonthebenchmadeofrecycledplastic,lookatthecottonwoodsinthisarea.Whydoyouthinktheyhavegrownsobentandtwisted?
A-11.Thisfallencottonwoodtreeisnowthehomeofmanyorganisms,includingbacteria,fungi,andinsects.Theseorganismsdecomposethedeadfallandreleasenutrientsfromthelogintothesoil,nourishmicroscopicorganismsandinsects.
Thelargegrassclumpisgiantsacaton(Sporobolus wrightii),adrop-seedbunchgrassthatinhabitsaridandsemi-aridregions.
A-12.Youarenowinanoldgrowthstandofavarietyofthevalleycotton-woodoftenknownasthe“RioGrandecottonwood”(ssp.wislizenii).Thelargertreeshereareabout80yearsoldandhavenearlyreachedtheirmatureheightofabout50-60feet.Thesecottonwoodsproducemaleandfemaleflowersonseparatetrees.Maturefemaleseedsarecoveredwithwhitecottonthatgivesthetreestheirnameandpermitswidedispersalbythewind.
Thebrownobjectsstickingoutofthedeadtreearecalledbracketfungi,“conks,”orinSpanish,“hongos.”Thefungifeedondecayingmatter.Theseshelforbracketfungigrowveryslowly.Pleaseleavetheremaininghongosforalltoobserveandlearnabout.
A-13.Noticethedeadtreetrunkbeyondthegrassclump.Thisisanexcellentexampleofnutrientrecycling.Asbac-teria,fungi,andinsectscombinetoslowlybreakdowntheinteriorofthetrunk,thetree’snutrientsarerecycledbackintothesoil.
A-14.Screwbeanmesquite(Prosopis pubescens)reachesthenorthernlimitofitsNewMexicodistributioninthispartoftheRioGrandeValley.Thelong,skinnyflowerheadslooklikecaterpillarsandappearinlatespring.Thetightlywoundbeans(whichresemblescrews,“tornillos”inSpanish)matureinthefall.
A-15.Weareagainattheedgeoftheoldriverchannel.Ifyouarehereinthesummer,youwillsurelyexperienceanoticeabletemperaturechangeasyoufollowthetrail.Justahead,thetrailleavestheprotectivecanopyofthecotton-woodsandcrossesshrubland.
A-16.Duringthesummer,thetemperaturehereisnoti-cablywarmerthaninthecottonwoodgrove.Theanimalsandvegetationarealsodifferenthere,astheresultoftheabsenceofshade.
Innaturalecosystems,certainspeciesofplantsreplaceoneanotherovertime.Eventually,astablegroupofspecieswilloccupytheareauntilit’sdisturbedbyanactofnaturesuchaswildfire,flooding,ordrought.Thischangeinplantspe-ciesiscalleda“habitatsuccession.”
Canals,ditches,anddrainsintheriverfloodplainareimportanthabitatforbirds,turtles,muskrats,fish,gophers,beavers,andotheranimals.Themaintainedroadsalongtheditchesarealsoimportantrec-reationalpathwaysforlocalpeoplewho
choosetowalk,bicycle,orridehorses.
A-17.Theblacksubstanceinfrontofyouisknownasa“cryptobioticcrust.”Takecarenottosteponthisareaordamageitinanyway.Thecrustwasformedby“cyano-bacteria”(blue-greenalgae),whichswellwhenwetandbindsoilparticlestogether.
A-18.Noticethesandbarinfrontofyouthatisseveralfeethigherthanthetrail.Thissandbarillustratestheeffectthatvegetationhasonerosion.Rootsoftreeshavestabi-lizedthesoil,protectingitfromtheerosiveeffectsofwindandwater.
A-19.Lookatthevarietyoftreesinthisoneclump:cottonwood,Russianolive,NewMexicoolive,andsaltcedar.Thisclumptypifiesthediversityofnativeandnon-nativetreesintheNatureArea.
A-20.Thisisthelow-flowconveyancechannel,builtbytheMiddleRioGrandeConservancyDistrictinthe1930sand1940s.Thislargecanalhasseveralfunctions.Itcancarryaconsiderableamountoffloodwater,itswaterisdivertedforirrigation,anditconveyswatertotheElephantButteReservoirwhentheRioGrandeislow.Also,noticethehighleveeonthefarsideofthechannel.Itwasbuiltfromthesandandgraveltakenoutofthechannelandisdesignedtopreventfuturefloodsfromdamagingfarmlandstothewest.
A-21.Broomdalea(Psorothamnus scoparius),a.k.a.purplesage,isacommon,drought-resistantnativeshrubthatisoftenfoundonsandyhillsidesalongtheRioGrande.Thisplanthasrootsthatefficientlybindthesoil,whichmakesitgoodforerosioncontrol.
A-22.Thecactushereisthecommondesertplanttreecholla(Cylindropuntia imbricata).Itcangrowupto15feettallwithatrunkdiameterof10inches.Inearlysummer,thechollaproduceslargeredtopurpleflowers.Yellowfruitsthatdevelopfromtheflowersremainontheplantthroughthewinter.
A-23.TheNatureAreaishometoagreatnumberofbirds,includinglargebirdsofprey,suchashawksandeagles.Duringthewinter,youmayseecranesandgeese.Smallerbirdsincludesparrows,wrens,nuthatches,war-blers,andhummingbirds.
Re-Joining the B Trail...
B-24.Noticethelonesoaptreeyucca(Yucca elata)tothewest.Theyuccasaremembersofthelilyfamilyandarepollinatedonlybytheyuccamoth.Theyuccaandthemothneedoneanothertosurvive.Thisrelationshipiscalledinterdependence.
B-25.Thevalleycottonwoodshereareabout30yearsold.Allcottonwoodsarewelcomesightsforhumansandanimalsinthesouthwestbecausetheygrowwherethereiswater.Theyprovideshadefromthesummersunandalsoserveashabitatforbirdsandwildlife.
B-26.Pond.Thishuman-madefeaturecreatesabalancebetweenwater,plantsandanimalsfoundattheNatureArea.Originallyjustasandbar,withtheaidofwater,ithasbeentransformedintoaplacetostudynature’sbest.
B-27.FirehasalwaysplayedanimportantroleintheSocorroNatureAreaecosystem.Non-nativespeciessuchassaltcedarandRussianolivearebeingaggressivelytreatedandburnedtoreducetheirinfestationandtoallowthecottonwoodsandwillowstothrive.
B-28.Meadowsarealsoanimportantpartofthenaturalecosystem.Afterspringfloodsscouredtheriverbedandsometimescausedittochangeitscourse,grassesandforbswouldestablishinthemeadows.Slowly,overtime,theshrubs,cottonwoods,andwillowshavebecomeestablished,resultinginthematurebosquethatishometoadiversityofinsects,amphibians,reptiles,mammals,andbirds.
We hope you have enjoyed your day at the Socorro Nature Area!