REPORT TO CONGRESS 

FOR 

FISCAL YEAR 2006 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Valles Caldera Preservation Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-248) authorized acquisition of the 

Baca Ranch in the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico. The Act designated the area as the Valles 

Caldera National Preserve and created the Valles Caldera Trust, a wholly owned government 

corporation, to manage the 88,900-acre tract. 

In 2006, the Trust staff had 10 full-time permanent positions, down from 15 in 2005. Significant 

personnel changes included hiring of an Executive Director and an Administrative Officer. 

The Trust received $5,074,231 in appropriations, expended $4,443,737 and ended 2006 with a 

balance of $630,499. The Preserve had 9,938 visitors generating over $500,000 in revenues. 

Total revenues, including commercial rentals and grants, were $794,844. Visitation and 

revenues increased in each of the last three years. 

Members of the Board of Trustees formed Los Amigos de Valles Caldera, a non-profit 501(c)(3). 

Los Amigos established a board of directors and began a fund raising campaign. 

The value of structures on the Preserve, including the historic ranch buildings, was estimated at 

$5,489,251 and deferred maintenance was estimated at $1,189,512. Most of the structures 

need to be upgraded to meet current health and safety standards. 

There were no human-caused fires on the Preserve in 2006; all lightning-caused fires were 

contained by initial attack. The Trust thinned 30 acres of high-risk forest in the southwest 

corner with Walatowa Woodlands Initiative, an economic development program of the Pueblo of 

Jemez. The Trust conducted its first prescribed fire covering 1,750 acres in Valle Toledo. 

Elk hunting generated the most revenue ($317,365) of any Preserve recreation programs. 

Hunters had a high level of success – 59 mature bulls were taken out of 73 permits issued by 

New Mexico and 107 anterless elk were taken out of 204 permits issued. 

The Trust held the first open house on the Preserve in August. Heavy rains before the event 

forced the Trust to close some roads. A total of 1,444 vehicles and 3,746 visitors entered the 

Preserve. More than 500 vehicles were turned away when the main gate was closed early. 

The Trust suspended commercial grazing in the spring due to a combination of persistent 

drought, lack of winter snow and heavy grazing by about 3,000 elk. The winter of 2005-2006 

was the second driest in 112 years, while the summer of 2006 was the wettest in 112 years. 

The condition of nearly all watersheds has improved since 2001. Water quality of Preserve 

streams is still impaired, but temperatures have declined since 2001. Most of the watersheds on 

the Preserve are in moderate ecological condition based on biotic and abiotic variables. 

Staff has inventoried 455 miles of Preserve roads, including 80 miles in 2006, and upgraded 

14.5 miles of public access roads, including three miles in 2006. The potable water system was 

installed in 2006. The cost of upgrading and maintaining roads, trails, facilities and structures 

on the Preserve will probably be the greatest expense the Trust faces in the next decade. 

Natural resource assessments indicate that extractive use of forage and timber will contribute 

modestly to long-term financial self-sufficiency. Small trees dominate Preserve forests, which 

are at risk for devastating crown fires under typical summer conditions. 

The Trust has surveyed about 9% of the Preserve for prehistoric cultural resources and 

identified 345 sites, mostly obsidian artifact scatters that represent 10,000 years of continuous 

use. Rockshelters, field houses and agricultural terraces on the Preserve are at the highest 

elevation ranges known in North America. 

i 
TABLE OF CONTENTS

page

 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY i 

 TABLE OF CONTENTS ii 

 DISTRIBUTION LIST iii 

 INTRODUCTION 1 

 TRUST OPERATIONS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS 1 

 Administrative Operations 1 

 Financial Management 2 

 Preserve Administration 4 

 Public Programs 6 

 Special Use Programs 7 

 Inventory, Monitoring and Research 8 

 Public Outreach and Education 9 

 Benefits to Local Communities 10 

 INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT 10 

 Public Roads 10 

 Main Entrance 11 

 Communications System 11 

 Water System 11 

 STATUS OF THE PRESERVE 12 

 Natural Resources 12 

 Cultural Resources 13 

ii 
DISTRIBUTION LIST

The Honorable Mike Johanns The Honorable Robert C. Byrd 

Secretary of Agriculture Chairman 

1400 Independence Avenue, S.W. Committee on Appropriations 

Washington, D.C. 20250 US Senate 

The Capitol, S-131 

The Honorable Jeff Bingaman Washington, D.C. 20510 

Chairman 

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources The Honorable Thad Cochran 

US Senate Ranking Member 

304 Dirksen Senate Building US Senate 

Washington, D.C. 20510 Committee on Appropriations 

The Capitol, S-131 

The Honorable Pete V. Domenici Washington, D.C. 20510 

Ranking Member 

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources The Honorable David R. Obey 

US Senate Chairman 

304 Dirksen Senate Building Committee on Appropriations 

Washington, D.C. 20510 US House of Representatives 

H-218 US Capitol 

The Honorable Nick J. Rahall, II Washington, D.C. 20515 

Chairman 

Committee on Natural Resources The Honorable Jerry Lewis 

US House of Representatives Ranking Member 

1329 Longworth House Office Building Committee on Appropriations 

Washington, D.C. 20515 US House of Representatives 

H-218 US Capitol 

The Honorable Don Young Washington, D.C. 20515 

Ranking Member 

Committee on Natural Resources The Honorable Steve Pearce 

US House of Representatives US House of Representatives 

1329 Longworth House Office Building 1607 Longworth House Office Building 

Washington, D.C. 20515 Washington, D.C. 20515 

 

The Honorable Tom Udall The Honorable Heather Wilson 

US House of Representatives US House of Representatives 

1410 Longworth House Office Building 442 Cannon House Office Building 

Washington, D.C. 20515 Washington, D.C. 20515 

iii 
INTRODUCTION 

The Valles Caldera Preservation Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-248) authorized the acquisition of 

the Baca Ranch in the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico. The Act designated the acquired lands 

as the Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP) and created the Valles Caldera Trust (VCT), a 

wholly owned government corporation, to manage the 88,900-acre tract. 

The Preserve was established to protect and preserve the scientific, scenic, geologic, 

watershed, fish, wildlife, historic, heritage, and recreational values of the Preserve, and to 

provide for multiple use and sustained yield of renewable resources within the Preserve. In 

addition, the Act required the tract to continue to be managed as a working ranch. 

During 2006, the Trust worked diligently to meet the following legislative mandates: 

• protecting and preserving for future generations the scientific, scenic, historic, and 

natural values of the Baca ranch, including rivers and ecosystems and archaeological, 

geological, and cultural resources; 

• providing opportunities for public recreation; 

• establishing a demonstration area for an experimental management regime adapted to 

this unique property which incorporates elements of public and private administration in 

order to promote long term financial sustainability consistent with the other purposes 

enumerated in the Act; and 

• providing for sustained yield management of Baca ranch for timber production and 

domesticated livestock grazing insofar as is consistent with the other stated purposes. 

TRUST OPERATIONS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Administrative Operations

The administration of the Trust is a key component to creating a successful land management 

model. Administration at the Trust is focused on the following goals: 

1. maintaining a small and competent staff; 

2. integrated management and resource planning; 

3. developing a financial model that supports management and planning; and 

4. fostering a culture that balances public land management, recreation, science, resource 

utilization and resource protection with the goal of financial self sufficiency. 

Staffing 

In 2006, VCT staff comprised 10 full-time permanent positions, down from 15 full-time 

permanent positions in 2005. Significant personnel changes in 2006 include hiring Jeffrey Cross 

as the Executive Director and Debbie Boggess as the Administrative Officer. A part-time 

accounting technician was also hired to improve the accounting function. 

Permanent personnel who left the Trust in 2006, and who have not been replaced, include: the 

Communications Manager, Recreation Coordinator, Events Coordinator, Cultural Resources 

Coordinator and GIS Coordinator. A term employee now performs the duties of the Cultural 

Resources Coordinator. Most of the duties of the Recreation Coordinator have been shifted to 

the Information Technology Coordinator, who now divides his time between Recreation and IT. 

The Trust employs seasonal hires when the Preserve is open to the public uses contractors to 

augment operations and implement short-term management decisions where appropriate. The 

1 
Trust is keeping the permanent staff small to control costs and to maintain flexibility to respond 

to management decisions resulting from the adaptive management approach. 

Board of Trustees 

There was minimal turnover among the Board of Trustees (BOT) 2006. William Keleher was 

appointed to fill the vacant History and Culture position. In January 2007, the terms of three of 

the nine board members will expire. New board members have not been announced. Gilbert 

Zepeda, Santa Fe National Forest Supervisor, recently moved from his position on the Forest. 

The new Santa Fe National Forest Supervisor and ex-officio board member is Dan Jiron. 

In 2006, the BOT comprised: 

John Caid

Board Position: Wildlife and Fish Management 

Term Expires: January 2007 

James Gosz

Board Position: Forest Management 

Term Expires: January 2009 

Tracy Hephner

Board Position: Chairman, Livestock Management 

Term Expires: January 2009 

Larry Icerman

Board Position: Financial Management 

Term Expires: January 2007 

Barbara H. Johnson

Board Position: Nonprofit Conservation Organization 

Term Expires: January 2007 

William Keleher

Board Position: Vice Chairman, Cultural and Natural History 

Term Expires: January 2009 

Darlene Koontz

Board Position: Superintendent, Bandelier National Monument 

Term Expires: ex officio

Raymond Loretto

Board Position: Secretary, State and Local Government 

Term Expires: January 2009 

Gilbert Zepeda

Board Position: Forest Supervisor, Santa Fe National Forest 

Term Expires: ex officio

Financial Management

The finances of the Trust comprise federal appropriations, fees from recreational and resource 

use and private donations. The Trust was under interim management of the Forest Service from 

inception through August 2, 2002, when management control was transferred to the Trust’s 

Board of Trustees. The Forest Service administered the finances of the Trust through fiscal year 

2003. The Trust assumed full financial control of their accounts at the beginning of fiscal year 

2004. 

2 
Status of Trust financial resources 

The majority of Trust funds in 2006 were congressional appropriations; additional funds were 

collected from public recreation programs. The following table presents the financial position of 

the Trust for fiscal year (FY) 2006. 

FY 2005 

Carryover 

FY 2006 

Appropriations 

FY 2006 

Expenditures 

FY 2006 

Ending Balance 

$5 $5,074,231 $4,443,737 $630,499 

The following table presents the recent history of congressional appropriations to the Trust. 

FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2006 

President's Budget Request (submitted 

by the Forest Service) $984,000 $992,000 $992,000

Appropriations (National Forest Systems) 3,150,000 3,650,000 3,650,000

Special Appropriations 1,500,000

Rescissions 38,814 50,708 75,769

Total $3,111,186 $3,599,292 $5,074,231

Public visitation to Valles Caldera National Preserve increased in each of the past three years. 

The following table presents the recent history of visitation to the Preserve. 

 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2006 

Public Visitation 7,500 9,220 9,938 

Revenues collected by the Trust have increased in each of the past three years. The following 

table presents the recent history of revenues collected by the Trust. 

FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2006 

Elk Hunting $210,850 $285,625 $317,365 

Fishing 62,793 71,645 60,415 

All Other Events 129,562 109,449 76,656 

Concessions 13,256 9,558 48,496 

Subtotal $416,461 $476,277 $502,932 

Commercial Rental 8,000 5,000 45,095 

Grazing 42,110 39,654 0 

Miscellaneous* 50,890 131,288 246,817

Total $517,461 $652,219 $794,844 

*Miscellaneous revenues include donations, sales of livestock and grants received by the Trust 

for inventory, monitoring, research and restoration projects. 

The public can make reservations for activities, enter lotteries for hunting and fishing, and book 

events through a web site maintained by the Trust (www.vallescaldera.gov). Of the total 

revenues collected, 86% came through the web site in 2005 and 90% came through the web 

site in 2006. 

Los Amigos de Valles Caldera 

In 2006, members of the board of trustees formed a non-profit 501(c)(3) group, Los Amigos de 

Valles Caldera (Los Amigos). Los Amigos supports the Preserve for present and future 

generations through outreach, education, restoration and collaboration. Los Amigos established 

a board of directors comprised of ex-trustees and members of local non-government 

3 
organizations. They have begun fund raising and are seeking to lease office space from the 

Trust. Los Amigos, supported by the New Mexico Environment Department, acquired a grant for 

$143,000 for wetland inventory and restoration on the Preserve. 

Preserve Administration

Facilities 

In 2006, the Trust hired a contractor to assess the value, condition and deferred maintenance 

of 38 structures on the Preserve. The structures are valued at over five million dollars and 

deferred maintenance is estimated at over one million dollars. Most of the structures need to be 

upgraded to meet current standards, including health and safety requirements (see the 

following table). The project cost $62,500; the funds came from 2006 special appropriations. 

ESTIMATED 

VALUE 

DEFERRED 

MAINTENANCE 

COSTS

ANNUAL 

MAINTENANCE 

COSTS 

PROBLEMS IDENTIFIED 

ADMINISTRATIVE

Union Building $677,760 $50,855 $5,080 asbestos removal, cosmetics 

Bond Cabin 439,320 91,416 9,140 rodents, foundation, roof 

Office Cabin 127,465 75,967 8,200 rodents, foundation, cosmetics 

Hilton Cabin 28,800 11,272 1,100 rodents, foundation, cosmetics 

Main Entrance Morgan 17,000 $5,469 550 new structure 

VISITOR INFORMATION

Gift Shop Morgan 24,480 6,089 600 new structure 

“The Missing” Cabin 142,300 15,768 1,570 rodents, cosmetics, utilities 

Banco Bonito Morgan 28,560 3,459 350 new structure 

HOUSING

Cowboy Cabin 218,400 83,602 8,360 rodents, structural, cosmetic 

Otero Cabin 169,680 70,849 7,085 rodents, foundation, bracing 

Foreman’s Cabin 336,840 95,039 9,500 rodents, foundation, posts 

Lower A-Frame 203,500 31,236 3,120 cosmetic, porch bracing 

Upper A-Frame 203,500 33,305 3,330 cosmetic, porch bracing 

Movie Set #3 120,990 44,360 4,430 rodents, structural, foundation 

San Antonio Cabin 94,350 33,153 3,310 rodents, cosmetic 

PUBLIC RENTAL

Bunkhouse Cabin 410,400 41,154 4,120 roof, post fasteners 

Casa de Baca Lodge 1,148,160 25,821 2,580 roof 

Garita & Abrigo Yurts 25,120 0 5,240 new structure 

STORAGE BUILDINGS AND BARNS

Commissary 43,800 52,396 5,240 foundation, roof, porch bracing 

Paddock (Horse Barn) 577,656 34,045 3,410 roof, foundation, structural 

6 Sheds and Shops 172,100 114,388 11,440 foundations, structural 

5 Barns 178,920 169,286 17,000 structural, foundations, roofs 

UTILITY BUILDINGS

Water System Building 22,050 100 100 new structure 

UNUSED FACILITIES

5 Out Buildings 78,100 100,483 10,500 foundations, structural 

TOTAL $5,489,251 $1,189,512 $120,115

4 
Earthen Tanks 

The Trust obtained a structural assessment of the four large earthen tanks on the Preserve by a 

professional state engineer. The assessment included condition of the dam and the hydrological 

basin. The assessment included immediate risks, recommended repairs and maintenance and 

necessary permits. The Trust will use this information in planning for watershed restoration, fire 

and range management and recreation management. 

Forest Management 

As a result of many years of aggressive fire suppression and intensive logging, forests on the 

Preserve need extensive treatment to reduce fire hazards and restore them to more natural 

conditions. The southwest corner of the Preserve is a high-risk area for catastrophic canopy fire 

because of the high density of young trees (“dog hair thickets”) and prevailing southwesterly 

winds. A forest fire originating in this area (either on or off the Preserve) would burn toward the 

center of the Preserve and destroy much of the forests in the Redondo Peak region. 

In 2006, the Trust continued forest thinning activities in the southwest corner of the Preserve 

through a cooperative grant with the Walatowa Woodlands Initiative (WWI), an economic 

development program of the Pueblo of Jemez. WWI crews thinned nearly 30 acres along the 

Highway 4 corridor. Biomass from the thinning was either removed and used by WWI, or 

masticated and piled on site. The masticated material will be used for erosion control after 

constructing the new entrance the Preserve in 2007. Transportation and placement of the 

material is funded by a collaborative grant with New Mexico Recycling Coalition, which 

promotes onsite use of biomass for forest restoration activities. 

In 2005 the Trust completed the final delineation of plant communities and forest structure of 

the Preserve. These data were used in 2006 to stratify the forest for field sampling and a 

contract for field sampling was developed. Field sampling will take place when funds are 

available. Field sampling is the final step required to develop Preserve-wide plans (NEPA 

compliant) for forest and fire management programs. 

Rangeland Management 

The Trust completed a Preserve-wide watershed condition assessment through a contract with 

a Forest Service Enterprise Team. Data for plant communities and forest structure were 

combined with field data for range, soils and stream condition. The synthesized dataset was 

used to determine the suitability and capacity of Preserve grasslands for supporting sustainable 

grazing by livestock and elk, and the condition of Preserve watersheds. Results of this 

assessment (see Status of the Preserve) will be the basis for long-term plans for sustainable use 

of forage resources. 

Fire Management 

Wildland Fire is an inevitable occurrence, a natural process and an important management tool 

on the Preserve. The safe, beneficial and cost effective management of wildland fire requires a 

risk management plan based on the best available science. The Valles Caldera Fire Management 

Plan is integrated with the Santa Fe Zone Fire Action Plan. The Santa Fe Zone is an interagency 

fire operation center with responsibility for wildland fire response on federal, state and private 

land within its geographic area. The Trust is a member of the Zone Board. 

There were no human caused fires on the Preserve in 2006. Crews dispatched from the Santa 

Fe Zone contained all lightning-caused fires on the Preserve during initial attack. 

The Trust conducted its first prescribed fire in the Valle Toledo in November 2005. This fire 

covered approximately 1,600 acres of grassland and 150 acres of Ponderosa pine forest. 

5 
Preserve staff with support from the US Forest Service’s Rocky Mountain Research Station in 

Albuquerque studied the impacts of the fire. Results of these studies have shown that: 

1) mortality of grasses and trees was minimal, 

2) grass re-growth was rapid after the fire, 

3) nutritional value of re-growing grasses was higher than unburned grasses, thereby 

enhancing forage for wildlife and livestock, 

4) elk use of the burned areas increased following the fire, and 

5) water quality was not affected, except for a slight increase in ash in streambed 

sediments during the spring snowmelt. 

Public Programs

Recreation Activities 

Recreation programs brought in 9,938 visitors and generated over $453,000 in 2006. The year 

began with a full series of elk hunts (bow, muzzle loader, rifle, youth and mobility impaired 

hunts), but dropped off during the winter because of the lack of snow. Summer recreation 

programs began on May 11 with fishing and included van tours, hiking, fishing, mountain bike 

riding, adult and youth fly fishing clinics, and hunting and outdoor skills workshop. 

New programs in 2006 included a marathon, a landscape photography workshop, youth 

tracking workshops, an overnight equestrian event, a guided hike of Alamo Bog, unguided hike 

to Garita and a public open house (‘Drive and Discover’). Guided hikes with interpretation were 

offered on Cerro del Abrigo and Cerro Seco trails. Two trails were offered free without 

reservations to visitors: Valle Grande and Coyote Call. 

Trust staff added decks to the Abrigo and Garita yurts to for winter use in 2007 and rearranged 

several temporary buildings to improve operations and support visitors. 

The following table compares visitation and revenues for activities on the Preserve in fiscal 

years 2005 and 2006. The Trust did not offer winter recreation programs in 2006 because the 

Preserve did not receive sufficient snowfall. 

FY 2005 FY 2006 

Visitors (#) Revenue ($) Visitors (#) Revenue ($) 

Special Events 3,401 67,646 5,196 38,719

Tours 379 6,120 573 15,206

Wagon and Sleigh Rides 891 19,153 702 14,975

Skiing and Snowshoeing 705 7,050 0 935*

Hunting 1,162 285,625 1,332 317,365

Hiking 565 5,520 446 4,741

Fishing 1,919 71,645 1,585 60,415

Equestrian 198 3,960 104 2,080

TOTAL 9,220 $466,719 9,938 $453,501

*Revenue was generated from a non-refundable access lottery; the lodging fees collected by 

the Trust were returned to lottery winners because events were canceled. 

Elk Hunting 

Hunters on the Preserve had a high level of success; 59 mature bulls were taken out of 73 

permits issued by New Mexico Department of Game and Fish and 107 anterless elk were taken 

6 
out of 204 permits issued. Overall, there were 249 authorized hunters on the Preserve during 

11 hunt weekends. All hunters had an opportunity to take an elk. 

All hunters received a welcome letter, orientation packet and access agreement. Each hunter 

was required to attend an orientation session to learn about the hunting rules and safety 

requirements. Volunteers from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and National Wild Turkey 

Federation donated 768 hours to help hunters on the youth, mobility impaired and anterless 

hunts. 

Hunters reported that the hunt was high quality and would like to return to hunt again. The 

Trust received letters of appreciation for the attention hunters received from staff, which added 

to their perception of the value of hunting on the Preserve. Elk hunts generated $317,365 in 

revenues and cost approximately $64,500 to market and conduct. 

Fishing 

Fishing was offered on San Antonio Creek along 10 established beats of about one mile each. 

For the season, 1,686 visitors filled the 2,220 available fishing slots (76%) and generated 

$60,415 in revenues. The Trust also offered youth and adult fly-fishing clinics. Youth fly-fishing 

clinics generated $490 in revenue with 49 of 60 slots filled (82%) and adult fly-fishing clinics 

generated $6,390 in revenue with 45 of 80 slots filled (56%). Together, the fishing programs 

generated $67,295 in revenues and cost approximately $34,400 to market and conduct. 

Drive and Discover 

The Trust held the first ever open house on the Preserve on August 26, 2006. The public had 

an opportunity to drive their vehicles on the Preserve with no entry fee. Due to heavy rains 

before the event, parts of some roads were in poor condition and the Trust changed its original 

plan for two one-way routes to one two-way route. The two-way route caused bottlenecks and 

impeded traffic flow. Due to the large volume of traffic, vehicles became gridlocked around midday. The main gate at Highway 4 was closed about 1:00 PM instead of the scheduled 4:00 PM. 

A total of 1,444 vehicles carrying 3,746 passengers entered the Preserve; more than 500 

vehicles were turned away. The large numbers of vehicles caused some damage to roads, but 

overall, road damage and resource impacts were minimal. Almost 98% of the visitors were from 

New Mexico, with 80% from five northern New Mexico cities. Of the visitors asked to rate their 

experience, 68% had an exceptional or interesting experience and 19% had a poor experience, 

undoubtedly due to the traffic congestion and crowding. 

Special Use Programs

Grazing 

The 2006 grazing program was suspended in the spring due to a combination of persistent 

drought, lack of winter snow on the Preserve and heavy grazing by nearly 3,000 elk. A range 

readiness analysis conducted in April by a team of range specialists, botanists, volunteers, and 

Trust staff measured forage production and estimated the level of grazing the range could 

support. This assessment revealed that there was enough forage for only about 700 head of 

cattle, about half what the Trust estimated it needed to run to break even financially. As a 

result, the Trust suspended commercial grazing in 2006. 

The Trust conducted a grazing experiment with 200 yearlings with New Mexico State University 

(NMSU) to assess the value of prescribed fire in grasslands for enhancing livestock production 

and improving wildlife habitat. Initial findings indicate that burning improved the forage quality 

of re-growing grass and that weight gain was about 9% greater among cattle feeding within 

7 
the pasture treated by prescribed fire (Valle Toledo) compared to cattle feeding on unburned 

grasslands (Valle Grande). The final report from NMSU is due in 2007. 

Filming and Photography 

The Preserve was used for several commercial filming and photography activities, including still 

pictures for magazine and catalog advertisements and one major motion picture. These 

activities generated $45,095 in revenues. 

Inventory, Monitoring and Research Programs

The success of adaptive management depends on the availability of high quality data to address 

management questions. The Trust obtains data about Preserve resources through its inventory, 

monitoring and research program. Inventories are basic assessments (presence and 

distribution) of natural and cultural resources. Monitoring studies measure temporal changes 

and impacts to these resources as a result of Trust operations (e.g., recreation, hunting, fishing, 

fire management, forest thinning). Research projects are undertaken by outside scientists with 

external funding. The total extramural funding committed to the Trust for inventory, monitoring 

and research in 2006 was greater than $1.2 million. These projects are highlighted below. 

Inventory 

• The forest stand assessments using aerial photographs were completed and groundtruth fieldwork began. The forest stand map will be completed in 2007 if funds are 

available to complete the data analyses. Once the stand data are collected and 

analyzed, the Preserve can begin to develop a forest/fire management plan. 

• Fieldwork on the new Preserve geology map was completed and map production and 

text editing began. The geology map will be completed in 2007 if funds are available. 

• Final fieldwork for a Preserve soils map was begun and data analyses and map 

production began. The soils map will be completed in 2007 if funds are available. 

Monitoring 

• The condition of nearly all Preserve watersheds has improved since 2001. 

Improvements included recovery of riparian vegetation, improved sediment condition 

and more natural channel morphology. 

• Stream water quality is still impaired (based on New Mexico Environment Department 

standards), but water temperatures have declined since 2001. 

• The winter of 2005-2006 was the second driest in 112 years of record keeping; the 

summer of 2006 was the wettest in 112 years. Summer monsoon rains that began in 

late June and continued through August resulted in record forage production. 

• Fish populations in San Antonio Creek and the East Ford of the Jemez River remain 

stable with the current fishing program on the Preserve. 

• Elk population estimates are comparable to previous years. The cow:calf ratio (measure 

of reproductive success) increased during 2006 over relatively low levels in 2005. 

Research 

• The University of Arizona and Los Alamos National Laboratory installed three instrument 

towers (~$150,000) in grasslands and Ponderosa pine and spruce forests to measure 

water budgets (inputs from rain and snow; losses from evaporation, sublimation, plant 

transpiration, runoff and soil infiltration). Groundwater that comprises the base flows of 

streams and springs are only 2-3 years old, so short-term summer droughts and lack of 

8 
snowpack affect streamflows. Dense forests on the Preserve accelerate water loss via 

snow sublimation. The results suggest that thinning treatments could be developed to 

maximize snow-water retention and spring runoff production in the Jemez River basin. 

• Studies on the Preserve of wildlife infectious diseases confirmed hypotheses that high 

elevation forests are “refugia” for Hantavirus and plague. Optimal habitats in the 

mountains are refugia for pathogens and rodents, which can survive under a wide range 

of environmental conditions (e.g., droughts). Under favorable conditions (e.g., wet El 

Niño periods), rodent populations and pathogens increase and expand to lower 

elevations, eventually spreading into areas occupied by humans, which leads to 

increased risk of disease transmission. In December 2005, scientists predicted higher 

risk for human Hantavirus disease in 2006in northern New Mexico and southern 

Colorado. Human cases in 2006 were double the annual average. This work funded by 

the National Science Foundation will lead to more accurate disease forecasting models. 

• A team from USGS, University of Arizona, and Preserve staff received a grant for 

$225,000 from the Joint Fire Sciences Program (an interagency federal group dealing 

with wildfire issues) to develop a fire history in the grasslands of the Preserve. 

Preliminary reconnaissance was completed in 2006 and fieldwork will occur in 2007. 

Public Outreach and Education

• The Parajito Environmental Education Center conducted a 5-day program in the Valle 

Grande that was attended by 28 students, which was up from the six students that 

attended “Nature Odyssey” in 2005. Educational activities included plant, invertebrate 

and animal observations; exploration of riparian microenvironments; and water quality 

measurements. 

• The Trust co-organized the First Annual Field Conference of the New Mexico 

Archaeological Council. 

• Trust staff presented invited lectures and field trips on the cultural resources of the 

Preserve for the Albuquerque Archaeological Society, School of Advanced Research, 

Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico Site Watch, University of New Mexico and 

University of California-Berkeley archaeology field schools and University of New Mexico. 

• Trust staff presented a poster symposium at the annual meeting of the Society for 

American Archaeology on topics ranging from obsidian fire-effects, GIS projects, intracaldera geoarchaeology and obsidian geochemistry and quarries. 

• A PBS television show about New Mexico volcanoes released in 2006 featured the Valles 

Caldera National Preserve. The film, entitled “Sacred Fires, Sleeping Monsters,” 

discussed the geologic history of the Valles Caldera, the role of the 1.25 million year old 

volcano in shaping the landscape of northern New Mexico, and the importance of 

obsidian deposits for prehistoric manufacture of human tools and weapons. 

• The Valles Caldera National Preserve hosted the PBS Program “The Desert Speaks” for a 

segment on the history of climate changes and forest fires in the American Southwest. 

The TV program featured scientific research conducted on the Preserve on drought 

impacts on forests, including fires, insect outbreaks and influences on the regional water 

cycle. The program originally aired in May, 2006, and was rebroadcast several times. 

9 
Benefits To Local Communities

• Trust employs approximately 15 local residents on a seasonal basis to staff and run 

public recreation programs. 

• The August Open House was a free event attended by almost 3,500 people. Nearly 80% 

of the visitors were from the northern New Mexico cities of Los Alamos (31%), 

Albuquerque (30%), Sante Fe (9%), Jemez Springs (5%) and Española (5%). 

• The Trust provided a free survival demonstration and nature walk for 20 kids at a Santa 

Fe grade school. 

• New Mexico State University obtained 200 yearlings for the grazing experiment from a 

ranch in Springer, New Mexico. The four-month experiment provided an opportunity for 

two range management students to live and work on the Preserve. 

• Several commercial filming and photography companies used the Preserve for film and 

advertising shoots; the casts and crews stayed in hotels in Los Alamos and Santa Fe. 

• Trust sponsored an elk shed pickup program for local youth groups; antlers were pooled 

and sold to local dealers. The Trust gave each non-profit youth organization $150.00. 

The program helps discourage poaching by removing the antlers from the Preserve. 

• The Trust collaborated with the Walatowa Woodlands Initiative on a forest thinning 

project on the Preserve. Because of the collaboration, Jemez Pueblo was able to keep 

their lumber mill in operation. Forest materials taken from the Preserve were sold for 

firewood, rough-cut lumber and vigas. 

• A Collaborative Forest Restoration Program grant provided jobs, training, and equipment 

to the Walatowa Woodlands Initiative, an economic development program in the Pueblo 

of Jemez. In total, $358,000 was awarded to the Pueblo to complete the thinning, 

purchase equipment, hire and train thinning crews, and develop a marketing strategy. 

• A Collaborative Forest Restoration Program grant supported interagency workshops and 

hired a local inventory crew to create a demonstration site for The Nature Conservancy’s 

Fire Learning Network. Thinning will be implemented with local crews in 2007. 

• The Trust granted free access to a group of elders from the Pueblo of Jemez to tour the 

Preserve and obtain historical information. 

• The Trust worked cooperatively with the Santa Clara Pueblo to provide access through 

the Preserve to their planning area. Trust staff provided technical advice on a fireplanning project and permitted access to Santa Clara staff for an elk-monitoring project. 

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

The condition of infrastructure (roads, trails, facilities and structures) varies across the 

Preserve. Repair, maintenance, construction or reconstruction of infrastructure requires 

considerable investment to bring it up to current standards and make it useable for staff and 

the public. Investment in infrastructure will probably be the greatest expenditure by the Trust 

over the next decade. 

Public Roads

The condition and location of roads and trails on the Preserve contributes to the experience of 

visitor activities and affects the cost and efficiency of all management activities. The staff has 

inventoried 455 miles of Preserve roads that are classified as passable – 261 miles in 2004, 114 

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miles in 2005 and 80 miles in 2006. About 100 miles remain to be inventoried. There are about 

12 linear miles of road per square mile of land on the Preserve compared to the Forest Service 

objective of 2.5 linear miles per square mile of land. Most of the network of roads on the 

Preserve was constructed to facilitate logging. 

The Trust will use the road inventory to develop a transportation plan that identifies roads that 

will be used for public access and administrative use, sections of roads that are causing 

resource damage (e.g., erosion that contributes sediments to streams), and roads that should 

be obliterated and reclaimed. 

Since 2002, the Trust has used Federal Highway Administration funds to upgrade segments of 

Preserve roads (VC01 and VC02) that are used for public programs. The Trust has upgraded 

14.5 miles of ranch roads from the main entrance at State Highway 4 to the backcountry of the 

San Antonio Creek to an all-weather road that complies with the Highway Safety Act. Three 

miles of the VC02 road were upgraded in 2006. 

The improved roads on the Preserve are engineer-designed, single lane with turnouts. The road 

prism is reconstructed to a minimum 14 foot running surface. The roads are designed for the 

best surface drainage with installation of culverts and the best wetland mitigation by 

constructing permeable fills, where applicable. This allows springs and seeps to establish 

historic flow patterns and begin the restoration of hundreds of acres of wetland each year. 

Main Entrance

State Highway 4 bisects the southern part of the Preserve along the tree line on the south side 

of Valle Grande. Highway 4 is the primary route used to access the Preserve; the main entrance 

is located at mile marker 39.2. The current traffic volume along Highway 4 is about 1,200 

vehicles per day. When it was a private ranch, less than 200 vehicles per year used the main 

entrance; currently, about 10,000 people visit the Preserve each year. Road conditions at the 

entrance do not meet Mexico Department of Transportation standards. Using Federal Highways 

Administration funds, the Trust entered into a $1.26 million contract to design and construct a 

safe and ascetically pleasing entrance to the Preserve. Working with the US Forest Service, New 

Mexico Department of Transportation and a private contractor, the design was completed in 

2006; construction will occur in 2007. 

Communications System

The Trust is implementing a comprehensive communication system on the Preserve that 

includes radio and telephone antennae, receivers, transmitters and repeaters. The wireless 

network will provide voice communication via cellular telephone and/or radio from all areas 

thereby increasing the safety of staff and visitors. It will also enable real-time broadband 

communication between automated data collection systems and their remote sensor arrays 

(e.g., weather stations, animal radio transmitters). The new equipment will help the Trust 

comply with federal regulations for digital radios, improve communications to remote areas and 

connect headquarters with field operations. The network was designed and the equipment was 

purchased in 2006; the equipment will be installed in 2007. Funds for the project ($220,000) 

came from the 2006 special appropriation. 

Water System

The Headquarters Water System, which provides potable water to buildings used by visitors and 

staff, was turned on in 2006 and will be operational in 2007. The Trust constructed a collection 

and infiltration system and a treatment facility that for surface water, and installed 5,400 feet of 

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distribution lines to all the buildings in the Headquarters area at a cost of $470,000. We are 

currently training a staff member to become a certified water system operator. 

STATUS OF THE PRESERVE

Natural Resources

The natural resources of the Preserve include large tracts of second growth forests, expansive 

valleys of grasslands and wetland meadows, and nearly 30 miles of clear mountain streams. 

Wildlife, particularly large mammals (elk, bears, coyotes, etc.) are abundant on the Preserve. 

The magnificent scenery and ecological diversity are outstanding attractions for outdoor 

enthusiasts. Extensive grasslands provide excellent forage for livestock and wildlife that 

contribute significantly to the region’s communities and economy. 

Forest Health and Productivity. Nearly 60,000 acres of the Preserve’s 89,000 acres are forested. 

The forests have been characterized by tree size, species, age and stand structure. Large trees 

(greater than 16 inches diameter) dominate less than 300 acres. Small trees (9-16 inches 

diameter) dominate almost 50,000 acres. Field sampling will be done in 2007 to estimate the 

volume and value of available timber. Small trees can be used for small-wood products; 

however, the cost of removing the trees might exceed the value of the products produced. 

Preserve forests are dominated by small trees and are at risk for devastating crown fires under 

typical summer conditions. Over 52,000 acres of forests have a canopy cover greater than 50%. 

The Trust needs to restore forest structure (density, size and species) to reduce the risk of loss 

from wildfire, pests and disease. This high density of young trees is due to suppression of fires 

over the past century and the extensive logging that occurred from the 1930s to the 1970s. A 

large percentage of Preserve forests is at high risk of uncontrollable fire due to the extended 

drought in New Mexico. 

The table below summarizes forest size class structure (distribution of tree size by dominant 

cover) and crown fire hazard conditions (based on size, species and structure) on the Preserve. 

FOREST SIZE CLASS ACRES 

 5-9 inches diameter 9,656 

 9-16 inches diameter 49,687 

 16+ inches diameter 284 

CROWN FIRE HAZARD ACRES 

 Very High 29,732 

 High 16,312 

 Moderate 3,932 

 Low 4,744 

 No Risk 28,266 

By managing forest structure, the Trust estimates that water yields to the Jemez River can be 

increased by at least 10-15%. The Preserve currently produces about 20,000 acre-feet of water 

annually, which is about $220 million at current market value. A 15% increase would yield 

water valued at $33 million annually. 

Rangeland Health and Productivity. The Trust synthesized five years of soil, plant and stream 

inventory and monitoring data to assess ecological condition and estimate the capacity for 

supporting grazing by livestock and wildlife. The ecological resources of the Preserve are in a 

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moderate state of health and productivity. The elk herd on the Preserve, approximately 3,000 

animals, uses a significant portion of the forage available for livestock. 

Much of the grasslands on the Preserve is still dominated by native plant species, but areas 

have been invaded by non-native species (e.g., Kentucky blue grass, yarrow and dandelions). 

Some Preserve watersheds and streams are in excellent condition, while livestock and elk have 

heavily impacted others. 

Erosion from forest clear-cutting activities (road construction and soil disturbance) in the 1970s 

is a major source of stream sediments. In 2006, New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) 

determined that water quality was impaired for temperature in Jaramillo Creek and the East 

Fork of the Jemez River, and for turbidity in Jaramillo Creek. In 2003, NMED determined that 

water quality was impaired for turbidity in the East Fork of the Jemez River, for temperature 

and turbidity in Redondo and San Antonio creeks, and for conductivity and pH in Sulphur Creek. 

Damage to stream banks caused by long-term grazing of cattle, sheep and elk contributes to 

temperature and turbidity impairments. Stream bank conditions have improved since they were 

first assessed in 2001. The reduction in livestock stocking rates from 5,000-7,000 in the 1990s 

to 500-800 during 2002-2006 has had a beneficial effect on watershed condition (recovery of 

riparian vegetation, improved sediment condition and more natural channel morphology). 

The table below summarizes ecological condition of the Preserve based on upland and riparian 

biotic and abiotic ratings. The ratings were derived by comparing measured field conditions 

against the standards for various ecological sites. 

ECOLOGICAL CONDITION ACRES 

 High 7,861 

 Medium 80,932 

 Low 0 

Resource assessments conducted by the Trust indicate that extractive use of forage and timber 

will contribute modestly to financial self-sufficiency. Proper management of these resources will 

yield significant economic value in increased water yield and provide premier outdoor recreation 

opportunities. In coming years, we will investigate innovative and non-traditional uses of 

Preserve resources to identify those that can contribute to financial self-sufficiency (e.g., 

harvest of native seed). 

Cultural Resources

The cultural resources program identifies, evaluates and interprets prehistoric and historic 

archaeological sites, historic places and events, architectural values and traditional cultural 

properties on the Preserve. This work is accomplished in consultation with the New Mexico 

State Historic Preservation Office as well as Native American Pueblos and Tribes. 

Little was known about cultural resources of the Preserve when the federal government 

purchased the Baca Ranch. Only 3% of Preserve lands had been surveyed and little of this 

inventory was conducted to modern standards. Since acquisition in 2000, the Trust has 

surveyed 5,500 acres (about 9% of the Preserve) and documented 345 cultural resources sites 

(mostly obsidian artifact scatters). These “lithic scatters” represent 10,000 years of continuous 

use of obsidian tool-making material that is uniquely abundant in the caldera. Several enormous 

prehistoric obsidian quarries (greater than 25 acres) have been documented at Cerro del Medio 

in the center of the caldera. 

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The Preserve’s prehistory also includes rockshelters with ancient preserved cultural soil 

deposits, small masonry remains know as field houses, and agricultural terraces found here at 

the highest elevation ranges known in North America. More recent cultural resources on the 

Preserve include multiple historic structures from the last century of Baca ranching history, 

historic mill sites and early 20th century logging camps. 

Staff archaeologists conducted inventory surveys, site evaluations and archaeological testing in 

2006. Thirty-four new sites were documented in 1,300 survey acres, the largest area 

inventoried in one field season. These projects included surveys along 24 miles of Preserve 

roads and a sample survey in the Valle Toledo in association with a large prescribed burn. 

Site evaluation projects included testing at archaeological sites at the Highway 4 (main) 

entrance and at the Valle Grande Staging Area to support the construction and infrastructure 

upgrades needed to accommodate increased and enhanced public access. 

The Preserve awarded a contract for an historic architectural evaluation of 19 standing 

structures on the Preserve, several in the historic ranch headquarters area. Documentation and 

historic preservation plans will be completed in 2007. Combined with the 2006 facilities 

assessment that identified structural and other problems (see table p. 4), these studies will 

enable the Trust to proceed with facilities management planning that allows greater use of the 

structures for administrative, ranching and public functions. 

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