By Sage Faulkner
On Friday, April 29, 2022, those interested in the happenings of the San Juan Chama Watershed are invited to gather at the Rio Arriba County Rural Event Center in Abiquiu for the 7th annual Rio Chama Congreso. The event will start at 9:00am with registration and refreshments provided by Rio Grande Restoration.
A hybrid event, folks will be able to gather in person or watch a link and participate online. Tables from agencies and various non-profits will be set up throughout the day. The planning committee is making arrangements to have a food truck available for lunch at the facility.
NM State Forester Laura McCarthy will start the official event with kickoff remarks. The day will be facilitated by Rosemary Romero. The first panel will be with producers in the watershed and their role in a changing system, with Toner Mitchell from Trout Unlimited moderating and local farmers and ranchers who are dealing with changes in their production because of the changes in snow. The next panel will be a comprehensive river management plan panel, with Rio Grande Restoration’s Steve Harris moderating.
After this panel, an open house will begin for table visits and networking with panelists. Afternoon panels include an in-depth snow science panel, Rosemary will close with a talking stick session, inviting group sharing and discussion.
On April 30, various field trips will occur, including a full two-day Women Owning Woodlands Chainsaw workshop. (For information on that event, please contact Mary Stuever at mary.stuever@state.nm.us)
Other tours are a Navajo headwaters snow science tour (all day), one to tour Abiquiu Dam and the Play Wave, or a forestry treatment tour on the Whittaker ranch. All tours must be registered for prior to the event.
For registration to the Rio Chama Congreso and the Tours, please go to the www.sanjuanchama.org website and click on the RSVP button.
Sage Faulkner writes for Chama Peak Land Alliance. Photo courtesy Mary Stuever, snow in the Rio Chama watershed.