Mayor Richard J. Berry
OPEN SPACE
newsletter
A Quarterly Newsletter
of the
Open Space Division
and the
Open Space Alliance
V
olume 18, Issue 4, October - December 2017
Want to go paperless
and full color?
E-mail Tricia at
In This Issue
RGVSP Trail Map
Update......................2
Upcoming
Volunteer Days......3
Welcome to
New Staff................4
Explorer Packs..........6
Summer Youth
Crews........................6
Red Ryder Rides Off
Into the Sunset......8
Duende Onion.........9
Upcoming Visitor
Center Events......10
www.cabq.gov/openspace
Follow the Open Space
Visitor Center online!
Noel at the Visitor Center’s 10th Anniversary
Photo by Bill Pentler
Happy Trails to You:
A Thank You to Noel Chilton
This September, Noel Chilton left her position as the Environmental Education
and Gallery Coordinator at the Open Space Visitor Center to pursue other
projects and to travel with her family in Spain. Noel’s talents, joyful spirit
Kent Swanson
and enthusiasm will be
greatly missed. Her countless
contributions include
organizing events such as the
Recycled Art Fair and Recycled
Art mentorship program, and
curating dozens of gallery
shows. She also worked many
hours visiting underserved
youth in local schools to
share her passion for the
environment, public lands,
and art, and then bringing
those students’ artwork to
display at the Visitor Center.
She also created and hosted
the popular summer Explorer’s
Camp at the Visitor Center for
three years, and worked to
build a strong environmental
community with a variety of
partner organizations such as
the Valle del Oro and Bosque
School. Additionally, Noel’s
incredible graphic design skills
graced every project she was
involved in, from designing Visitor Center event posters, to creating playful
and dynamic educational displays and exhibits at the OSVC. We will miss
her presence and wish her safe travels.
OPEN SPACE
NEWS
2
Look for our updated RGVSP map!
Our new Rio Grande Valley State Park Trail Map update includes information on our Open Space
Visitor Center, volunteering, and ADA-accessible facilities and trails.
3
OPEN SPACE
NEWS
Volunteer!
The Open Space Division and REI invite you to a day of service to help protect and nurture the
bosque and river, including trail work, revegetation, and trash clean-up. There will be activities
appropriate for all ages. Don’t forget about the prize drawing at the end of the event! Arrive promptly
by 8:30am to sign in and enjoy donated morning snacks. REI also provides free t-shirts to the rst
80 to register at https://www.rei.com/event/dia-del-rio-stewardship-project-with-rei-and-abq-open-
space/albuquerque/185274!
This year’s Dia del Rio will take place at the Shining River area of the bosque, which can be reached
via Rio Grande Blvd on the south side of Paseo del Norte. Parking is limited so please carpool!
Bring gloves, sun protection, a sack lunch, and plenty of water.
Or, if you have a favorite area of the bosque, you can organize your own clean-up. Call Jim Sattler at
(505)452-5213 to sign up and we’ll provide the trash bags and haul away the trash!
DÍA del RÍO
October 21st, 2017
Join the Open Space Division, the Nicodemus Wilderness
Project, and United Way on October 28th for a national
day of community service at the Piedra Lisa Open Space!
There will be a variety of projects for all ages, including trail
maintenance, trail building, cactus planting, trash clean-up,
and grafti removal. Volunteers should dress in layers, wear
sun protection and hiking boots, and bring work gloves.
Come at 8:30am to sign in and indulge in some donated
morning snacks!
Volunteers should register with the Center for Nonprot
Excellence at https://www.centerfornonprotexcellence.
o r g / m d d - p r o j e c t / c i t y - a l b u q u e r q u e - o p e n - s p a c e -
division/2017-9-26. For more information, contact Jim
Sattler at 452-5213 or [email protected].
October 28th, 2017
4
OPEN SPACE NEWS
Welcome Amanda Romero!
Welcome Catherine Montoya!
Amanda Romero is the Open Space Division’s
new Senior Administrative Assistant as of this
July; she is the supervisor of all administrative
staff, including payroll and accounts payable.
This November will mark Amanda’s tenth year
with the City. Prior to coming to Open Space she
worked in the Transit Department in customer
service and nance, where she managed payroll
for over 600 employees.
Amanda was born and raised in Albuquerque and
grew up on the West Side, but didn’t realize just
how much acreage and variety of lands that Open
Space manages. Our East Mountain properties
interest her the most, and she’s excited to visit
and get to know them; her favorite part of
working for Open Space is that employees get to
explore the outdoors.
Open Space welcomes our newest Senior Ofce
Assistant, Catherine Montoya, who also started
with us in July. Catherine has worked for the
City of Albuquerque for twenty-two years in a
number of departments, including Aviation,
Animal Control, Family and Community Services,
and Senior Affairs; she also worked for the City
of Rio Rancho and Albuqueruqe Public Schools.
Her primary duties with the Open Space Division
are timekeeping, counting and depositing park
fees, and ordering supplies.
Catherine grew up in the North Valley. Like
Amanda, she is also excited to visit East Mountain
properties, including Golden (clearly a staff
favorite) and Carolino Canyon. She was drawn to
work for Open Space because she loves nature
and the Open Space Visitor Center.
Amanda at Montessa Park
Catherine at Montessa Park
5
OPEN SPACE
NEWS
Welcome George Darling!
Congratulations to Artimus Mowrer!
George Darling is the newest addition the Open
Space Shooting Range on the West Mesa. George
became permanent in July but had worked as
a temporary employee at the Shooting Range
for nearly two years. Prior to that, he worked
in IT for about twenty-ve years, and was a
security guard for ve. He also served in the
military in both Turkey and Germany. Aside
from Rangemaster duties, George helps with IT
issues at the Shooting Range.
George is a people person and likes working at
the Shooting Range because he gets to interact
with a variety of people from all walks of life.
Many people don’t realize Open Space manages
a Shooting Range; we welcome you to learn
more about it and upcoming events on the web
at https://www.cabq.gov/parksandrecreation/
open-space/facilities/shooting-range-park, and
stop by to welcome George.
George at the Shooting Range
Open Space congratulates Artimus Mowrer for his
promotion to an Equipment Operator II position in
September! He has held an Equipment Operator I
position for the City Open Space Division for about
two years. In his new position, he will care for and
maintain more natural areas, including identifying
and removing non-native invasive species. Prior
to working for Open Space, Artimus worked for
Bernalillo County Parks and Recreation doing lawn
and park maintenance for about six years.
Artimus grew up in the Los Lunas area. His favorite
Open Space properties are the bosque and Golden.
He was drawn to work for City Open Space because of
the Division’s mission to preserve the area’s natural
resources, and he is passionate about working with
and restoring what is natural and native.
Artimus at the Montessa Park administrative ofce
6
OPEN SPACE NEWS
Mayor Berry’s Bosque Youth Summer Corps’
Third Consecutive Summer
Seventeen crew members and three crew leaders worked for ten weeks out of their summer as part
of Mayor Berry’s Bosque Youth Summer Corps. The Bosque Corps helped to beautify the bosque by
removing hundreds of feet of obsolete barbed-wire fencing, planting hundreds of native bosque shrubs,
Explorer Packs at the Visitor Center
Matthew Peterson
Children and children at heart are encouraged to stop by the Open Space Visitor Center to check out
an Open Space Explorer Pack and experience all the natural wonders we have to offer. The Open Space
Division and REI are sponsoring the Explorer Pack project, which is intended to get families outside
Kent Swanson
and in nature to learn about the plants, animals, and
cultural resources found within the lands the City of
Albuquerque Open Space Division serves to protect.
Visitors will be able to check out a backpack from the
front desk, and use the materials within to have a
unique adventure. Each backpack is lled with exciting
self-guided activities with themes including ora,
fauna, and cultural resources and archeology. A valid
picture I.D. is required to check out the packs, which
must be returned to the front desk before 4:30pm.
Visitors using the packs can enjoy wildlife viewing
areas, wetland and bosque habitats, indoor and
outdoor art displays, wildlife elds, archelogy exhibits,
interpretive gardens, bosque trails, and more!
Call 897-8831 to reserve a backpack for a particular
time and day.
Explorer Pack activities at the Visitor Center
and installing informational signage for visitors to
view, amongst completing many other restoration
related projects. This year the bulk of the work was
performed in the area from Campbell Road north
to Montaño Boulevard along the newly constructed
ADA accessible, Rio del Norte Trail. The Bosque
Corps also participated in a career mentorship
component this year, in which professionals from
local, state, federal, and non-governmental entities
spoke about their respective career elds. Topics
ranged from the history of ood control measures in
the Rio Grande Valley, to native versus non-native
invasive plants in the bosque, to participating in an
urban park tree inventory case study with New Mexico State Forestry. Mayor Berry stated, “We are
cultivating the next generation of stewards to protect and preserve the land for many years to come.”
This is the third consecutive summer the Bosque Youth Summer Program occurred, creating paying
jobs for young men and women willing to take a role of leadership for the summer.
Bosque Youth Summer Corps workers planting trees
Have an Open Space photo you’d like to share with the community? E-mail Tricia at [email protected].
7
OPEN SPACE
NEWS
Summer Work at the John A. Milne-Gutierrez Canyon
Open Space
Spotlight on Golden
This year the Open Space Division was fortunate
to have two Rocky Mountain Youth Corps (RMYC)
crews working at the John A. Milne-Gutierrez
Canyon Open Space (Milne-Gutierrez OS),
one of which was made up of youth from the
Albuquerque Sign Language Academy (ASLA).
This initiative provided a new opportunity for
mission of the RMYC is to “inspire young adults
to make a positive difference in themselves
and their communities. Through training and
service, Corps members discover their potential
for healthy, productive lives.” RMYC offers
trainings focused on skill building, teamwork
and responsibility, leading a healthy lifestyle,
Jim Sattler
members of the deaf and
hard-of-hearing community
to work outdoors in nature.
Crew members found the
work to be rewarding and
worked side by side with
members from the non-
ASLA crew. Together the
crews completed a trail
reroute approximately .9
mile long. The new trail
was built to Open Space
standards and was designed
to minimize erosion and
maintenance needs. This
new section of trail bypasses
a user-made trail, a portion
of which was in the bottom
of an arroyo and subject to
ash oods. Other portions
were heavily eroded and
incised up to four feet
deep. After completion of
the new trail, the old trail
was blocked and prepped
for rehabilitation. In
addition to the trail reroute,
crews also performed maintenance on .75 mile
of existing trail.
The RMYC is based out of Taos, New Mexico, with
a local Albuquerque program that works out of
the Valle del Oro National Wildlife Refuge. The
and civic engagement and
service ethics. Working with
local partners like the City
of Albuquerque Open Space
Division, high school- and
college-age youth have the
opportunity for experiential
learning while providing the
community with a valuable
service.
This summer marked the third
year of collaboration between
the City of Albuquerque and
the RMYC. Over the course
of the last three summers of
work at the Milne-Gutierrez
OS the RMYC crews have built
approximately 2.85 miles of
new trail, maintained .75 mile
of existing trail, and closed and
rehabilitated approximately
one mile of eroded,
unsustainable trail. Additional
trail work by the RMYC has
also been done at the Elena
Gallegos Picnic Area, Piedra
Rocky Mountain Youth Corps crew building
the new trail at Milne Open Space
Photo by Jim Sattler
Lisa Canyon in the Sandia Foothills, and Boca
Negra Canyon in the Petroglyph National
Monument. This has been a benecial
program for all involved and we celebrate the
accomplishments that these hard working
youth crews have achieved.
8
OPEN SPACE NEWS
Red Ryder Cowboy Rides Off Into Sunset
Jim Sattler
You may not have heard the name Dave
Saunders before, but Dave, who passed away on
September 6, 2017, at the age of 84, had a unique
connection to the Open Space Division. Those
of you who are fans of the Rt. 66 Open Space
may know that this was the site of the western
theme park Little Beaver Town, which was one of
many Rt. 66 tourist attractions in the area. Little
Beaver Town was the creation of cartoonist Fred
Harman and was based on his comic strip Red
Ryder and its main characters, Red Ryder and
his sidekick Little Beaver. The park was only in
business for about three years in the early 1960s,
but Albuquerque’s connection to Red Ryder runs
deep. Dave Saunders was a genuine Albuquerque
cowboy who played Red Ryder at Little Beaver
Town; Saunders grew up driving cattle, riding
bulls, and breaking broncos, and was a natural t
as Red Ryder. Saunders continued to portray Red
Ryder in dozens of Daisy BB gun commercials,
on TV, and at rodeos and fairs throughout the
west. He continued to bring Red Ryder to life
and entertain crowds at the New Mexico State
Fair through the 1990s.
Some people may only remember Red Ryder
from the movie A Christmas Story, in which
young Ralphie wants a “Red Ryder, carbine
action, two-hundred shot, range model air rie,
with a compass in the stock and this thing that
tells time” for Christmas. To which everyone
replies that he’ll shoot his eye out with it. But
a few long-time Albuquerque residents may
remember that Red Ryder was drawn by Fred
Harman, who owned a house in Albuquerque,
spent his winters here, and drew his comic
strip here from 1938 to 1963. Dave Saunders,
Red Ryder, Fred Harman and Little Beaver may
have ridden off into the sunset, but America’s
fascination with the nostalgia of Rt. 66, the
West, Native Americans, and cowboys lives on,
and visitors can nd a little of that history still
remains at the Rt. 66 Open Space.
Photo credit: ABQ Museum Photoarchives
Dave Saunders and Troy Vicenti as Red Ryder and Little
Beaver, 1961, PA1998.10.10
Red Ryder Comics #19
Dell Comics/Western Publishing; May 1944
Pencils by Fred Harman
9
OPEN SPACE
NEWS
Back to the Drawing Board
Mad scientist Ethan Van Tooten was cited by
Open Space Law Enforcement for crimes
against nature when his latest experiment went
horribly awry. Van Tooten claimed he was trying
to produce a new cactus hybrid for trail closures
and restoration in the Foothills by creating a
cactus hybrid chimera which involved the use
of pig embryos. Unfortunately the cactus hybrid
refused to stay planted and was last seen
rooting around near the base of U Mound and
heading north on Trail 401. “I don’t understand
what could possibly have went wrong,” said a
sullen Van Tooten.
Troll Spotted Under Bridge!
Conspiracy theorist, Nancy Nuttel, contacted
311 to report a troll under the Central Avenue
Bridge. “He wouldn’t let me pass until I
answered his three questions,” reported Ms.
Nuttel. Upon investigation the troll turned out
to be Acting Education Specialist, Rocky Hill,
who was stationed along the Paseo del Bosque
Trail doing a short visitor use survey. Hill is
apparently a graduate of the Daniel Day Lewis
School of Interpretation and Method Acting.
“I take my job very seriously and spent three
months preparing for this survey by living
under the Central Avenue Bridge and learning
the ways of a troll,” said Hill. “Next month
I’ll be dressed as a late 17th-century female
Spanish colonist in order to give presentations
in antiquated Spanish about Elena Gallegos to
unsuspecting visitors,” added Hill.
Local guest contributor to your most reliable
source of fake Open Space news
Map Contourversy!
Open Space maps have recently come under
scrutiny by a group called the Albuquerque
Mappers Peer Education Domain (AMPED). The
last meeting of AMPED descended into chaos
over whether or not to demand that the Open
Space Division have all contours on their maps
listed in meters instead of feet. “The Metric
system is the way of the future!” declared
AMPED member Dave Mercator. “This is
America, we don’t need any foreign intervention
in our maps!” replied AMPED member Aldous
Hachure. “You might say this topic is very
contourversial,” commented Education Intern
Bob Goosmeyer, who attended the meeting as
an agency representative.
10
OPEN SPACE NEWS
Featured Events at the Visitor Center
Cosmic Carnival
Saturday, October 21, 1:00 pm- 5:00 pm
The Albuquerque Astronomical Society (TAAS) is
sponsoring the fall Cosmic Carnival in collaboration with
the City of Albuquerque Open Space Visitor Center.
Interactive exhibits with Explora! Science Center, the New
Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science, the National
Museum of Nuclear Science & History, Sandia National
Laboratories, New Mexico Gem and Mineral Club, CNM, the
Rio Rancho Astronomical Society (RRAS), the Albuquerque
Astronomical Society (TAAS), and the Albuquerque Rocket
Society. Other activities include safe viewing of our nearest
Taas Star Party
Saturday, October 21, 6:00pm-9:00pm
The Albuquerque Astronomical Society and the Open Space Visitor Center offer this astronomically
fun event for kids of all ages. On the patio: Star and planet observations with telescopes from the
Albuquerque Astronomical Society AND constellation tours of the heavens. 7:00pm and at 8:00pm in
the Kiva Room: an educational lecture on astronomy will enlighten you about our night sky objects,
including stars, constellation and asterisms.
Opening Reception: The Art of
Caryl McHarney
Saturday, October 28, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Caryl McHarney creates watercolors,
etchings, and serigraphs of cranes to share
her observations and interpretations of this
majestic creature. The exhibit celebrates
cranes and increases awareness of their
presence in the Rio Grande Valley. Caryl has
shown her work at the Bosque del Apache
Festival of Cranes, Wings Over Willcox (AZ),
and the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary (NB).
The exhibit runs through December 31st.
The Open Space Visitor Center is free and open to the public Tuesday-Sunday, 9am-5pm.
star, the Sun, and a telescope discovery and display. There will also be indoor Portable Planetarium
shows on the hour! Visit www.taas.org for more information.
11
OPEN SPACE
NEWS
Name: Date:
aDDress:
City: state: Zip CoDe:
Home pHoNe: e-mail:
Make checks payable to: Open Space Alliance, P.O. Box 91265, Albuquerque, NM 87199
Gratias ago vos meus fidelis pulaski!
Get involved in the Open Space Alliance today and contribute
to the future of YOUR Open Space!
Your generous contribution to the Open Space Alliance supports OSA’s mission of enhancing our quality of life through:
heightening public awareness of Open Space lands; building and strengthening partnerships with groups who share Open
Space values; promoting conservation, acquisition, and stewardship of Open Space lands; strengthening volunteerism and
community outreach programs; and providing nancial support.
For information about our current activities, contact Steve Glass, OSA Board President, at:
To join, please ll out the information and return the form with your check or money order.
( ) NEW MEMBER
( ) RENEWAL
( ) TRAILS DAY
( ) $250 sustaiNiNg
( ) $500 BusiNess
( ) $1000 life memBer
( ) $15 stuDeNt (18 & uNDer)
( ) $15 seNior
( ) $20 iNDiviDual
( ) $30 family
( ) $50 frieND of osa
( ) $150 NeigHBorHooD
Art in the Gallery: Textile Journeys/Textures of
Earth Memory
Ongoing through October 22, 2017
In the Children’s Room: Churro Wool Exhibit
Ongoing through October 22, 2017
Bosque Wild: Guided Nature Walk and Artist Talk
Sunday, October 1, 9:00am –11:00am
Introduction to Composting with Worms
(Vermicomposting)
Saturday, October 7, 9:00am –10:30am
Artist Talk with Elizabeth Buckley
Saturday October 7, 11:00am-Noon
More Events at the Open Space Visitor Center
Visit www.cabq.gov/openspace for more information
At the Gallery: Work by Cornelia Gardella,
Emelie Wilander, and Elizabeth Buckley
Beatrice the Hip Hop Bee: Book Signing and Presentation
Saturday, October 14, 2:00pm-4:00pm.
Qigong and Yoga sessions
Sundays throughout the month
is a quarterly publication of the
City of Albuquerque, Parks & Recreation Department, open space Division
P.O. Box 1293, Albuquerque, NM 87103
Phone: (505) 452-5200 (voice/relay) l FAX: 873-6628
www.cabq.gov/openspace
and funded by the open space alliance
tHe opeN spaCe News is proDuCeD By DueNDe eNterprises, a suBsiDiary of pulaski proDuCtioNs
Open Space
News
STAFF & NEWSLETTER
CONTRIBUTORS
Mayor Richard J. Berry
Director, Parks & Recreation
Barbara Taylor
Acting Superintendent
Brandon Gibson
Assistant Superintendent
James Lewis
Assistant Superintendent
Jim F. Sattler
Operations & Maintenance Manager
Richard Rodriguez
Resource Management & Visitor
Services Supervisor
Bill Pentler
Open Space Forester
Matthew Peterson
Volunteer Coordinator
Dionne Epps
Parks Program Specialist
John Keliiaa
Associate Planner
Nathan Todd
Associate Planner
Tricia Keffer
OSVC Manager
Kent Swanson
Senior Ofce Assistant
Kim Selving
***
President
Open Space Alliance
Steve Glass
HOURS OF OPERATION
OPEN SPACE ADMINISTRATIVE
OFFICES
3615 Los Picaros Rd. SE
7:00 am to 5:00 pm
Monday through Friday
(505) 452-5200
ELENA GALLEGOS PICNIC AREA
Winter: 7:00 am to 7:00 pm
Summer: 7:00 am to 9:00 pm
all week
$1.00 weekdays / $2.00 weekends
per car
BOCA NEGRA CANYON
petroglyph national MonuMent
8:00 am to 5:00 pm, all week
$1.00 weekdays / $2.00 weekends
per car
OPEN SPACE VISITOR CENTER
6500 Coors Blvd. NW
(505)897-8831
9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Tuesday - Sunday
TO REPORT VIOLATIONS
242-COPS
Open Space Division
P.O. Box 1293
Albuquerque, NM 87103
OR CURRENT RESIDENT
