From PNM:
The PNM Resources Foundation announced grants to 32 organizations, 29 across New Mexico and three in Texas, conducting projects which promote environmental stewardship and/or community improvements of public spaces. Grants totaling $300,000 will be awarded in honor of the PNM Resources Foundation’s 30th anniversary. Community members will be able to enjoy the benefits of these projects by as early as start of 2014. Here are the exciting projects selected through this grant initiative.
New Mexico
Belen Main Street Partnership to expand the El Corazón de Belen Garden Park & Community Garden. (Belen)
Commonweal Conservancy to build publicly-accessible trails for hiking, mountain bike riding, trail running, and equestrian use in Santa Fe County’s Galisteo Basin. (Santa Fe)
Cornerstones Community Partnerships for Santo Domingo Pueblo to reconstruct an athletic field. (Santo Domingo Pueblo)
East Central Ministries and the Growing Awareness Urban Farm to create urban gathering gardens in neighborhoods in Albuquerque’s International District. (Albuquerque)
El Museo Cultural De Santa Fe to build a garden and streetscape near the entry on the Santa Fe Railyard. (Santa Fe)
Eastern New Mexico University with the Ruidoso Foundation to create a rainwater capture system for ENMU campus building. (Ruidoso)
Erda Gardens and Learning Center to increase plant diversity within the Garden’s urban food forest in Albuquerque’s South Valley. (Albuquerque)
Friends of Smokey-Capitan for new park development including native plant landscaping and rain water catchment system in Ruidoso Downs. (Ruidoso Downs)
Grant County 4-H to plant trees, improve landscaping and plant a butterfly garden in Penny Park. (Silver City
Golden Spread Rural Frontier Coalition with Union County Network to construct a community greenhouse to counter harsh effects of drought. (Clayton)
Indian Pueblo Cultural Center with UNM Native American Studies program to develop a community garden collaboration focused on the significance of gardening for indigenous people and teaching sustainable gardening practices. (Albuquerque)
Las Vegas Citizens Committee for Historic Preservation to clean up, maintain and beautify county roads in Las Vegas and San Miguel County. (Las Vegas)
Native Plant Society of New Mexico, Albuquerque Chapter for pollinator reserve, walking trails and habitat restoration for Bear Canyon Arroyo’s Oso Grande Natural Space. (Albuquerque)
New Mexico Bio Park Society for the Ecosystem Exploration Space, an outdoor education space within the Cottonwood Gallery focused on the ecology of the New Mexican cottonwood forest, bosque and the Rio Grande ecosystem. (Albuquerque)
New Mexico Land Conservancy for trail construction and land restoration at the Petchesky Conservation Center near the Community College District of Santa Fe. (Santa Fe)
New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science Foundation to create A Walk Through New Mexico, a living exhibit to educate visitors about diversity of geology and vegetation of modern New Mexico. (Albuquerque)
New Mexico State University-Alamogordo STEM Outreach to build a Native Plant Demonstration Garden as well as landscaping improvements and a water conservation project for the Alamogordo Public Library. (Alamogordo)
Open Space Alliance for the Food Forest/Pollinator Project to expand and diversify the habitats of fields near the Albuquerque Open Space Visitor Center. (Albuquerque)
Rio Grande Return to develop and implement a portion of the Rio Grande Corridor at Buckman restoration project including ecology restoration, bird and bat nesting, and cattle management with local students. (Santa Fe)
River Reach Foundation to extend trails along the Animas River. (Farmington)
Santa Fe Farmers Market Institute to install a water filtration system at the Farmers Market Hall. (Santa Fe)
Sawmill Community Land Trust to convert a former industrial site in the Sawmill neighborhood into a sustainable community garden. (Albuquerque)
Seed2Need for greenhouse construction, planting, maintenance and harvesting of fresh produce for food pantries in Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Corrales, Bernalillo and Placitas. (Corrales)
Sherman Family Charitable Foundation for Healthy Kids of Luna County for local park enhancements and to publish an Activity and Park Guide for Deming/Luna county. (Deming)
The National Center for Frontier Communities with the County Extension Service to install water lines and a drip irrigation system, to build outside meeting area space and general enhancements for fairground community gardens. (Lordsburg)
The Nature Conservancy for habitat restoration and stream crossing improvements at the Santa Fe Nature Canyon Preserve. (Santa Fe)
The Volunteer Center of Grant County to install an irrigation system at the Commons Center for Food Security and Sustainability. (Silver City)
Upper Gila Watershed Alliance for the Campgrounds Restoration Project to improve riparian habitat on the Gila River and improve campgrounds. (Silver City)
Valencia Community Gardens for construction of a greenhouse to increase garden production. (Los Lunas)
Texas
Alvin Community College Foundation to provide lighting to a 5-acre public park near Alvin Community College and to help with park enhancements. (Alvin, TX)
Development Corporation of Strawn to improve lighting and reduce light pollution near the Palo Pinto Mountains State Park. (Strawn, TX)
West Columbia Economic Development Corporation to establish the TNMP Discovery Garden, a foot garden and arboretum in West Columbia. (West Columbia, TX)