Valles Caldera Open for Recreation and Comments. “I want to address certain comments made by Dave Menicucci in his Op-Ed ‘Access Issue at Valles Caldera.’ I have been a member (currently chairman) of the Valles Caldera Board of Trustees since 2007 and find some of his assumptions differ from mine.” Albuquerque Journal, July 26, 2009.
Pueblo Youth Study Valles Watershed. “Some 65 students from Northern New Mexico Pueblos came out to get some hands-on experience and wrap their minds around the teeming environment of Valles Caldera National Preserve.” Los Alamos Monitor, July 17, 2009.
Access Issue at Valles Caldera. “Controversy has dogged the Valles Caldera National Preserve since its inception. But a resolution may finally be at hand.” Albuquerque Journal, July 18, 2009.
Senators Open Options for Valles Caldera. “New Mexico’s two U.S. Senators are exploring new options for administering the Valles Caldera National Preserve.” Los Alamos Monitor, June 30, 2009.
N.M. Senators Bingaman and Udall ask National Park Service to Study Feasibility of Assuming Management of Valles Caldera. VallesCaldera.com, June 26, 2009.
Senators Seek Possible National Park Designation for Valles Caldera. “New Mexico’s U.S. senators have asked the National Park Service if the Valles Caldera National Preserve could be included in the National Park System.” Albuquerque Journal, June 26, 2009.
Senators: Study Bringing Valles Caldera Under National Parks. “New Mexico’s U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall today asked the National Park Service to study the potential for including the 89,000 acre Valles Caldera National Preserve near Los Alamos in the National Park System.” Santa Fe New Mexican, June 25, 2009.
New Mexico’s U.S. Senators Ask Park Service to Consider Taking Valles Caldera Under its Wing. An interview with N.M. U.S. Senator Tom Udall. KUNM-FM, June 25, 2009.
No Simple Solution for Preserve. “The Valles Caldera National Preserve continues to swirl in the vortex of controversy.” Albuquerque Journal, June 21, 2009.
At the Center of Controversy. “This now-dormant volcano’s flanks of forested canyons and mesas are mostly in the Santa Fe National Forest, but the center of the volcano—the caldera—is the Valles Caldera National Preserve, an 89,000-acre federal land management experiment that is in serious trouble.” Forest Magazine, Summer 2009.
Valles Caldera Trust Returns to Public Access. “The Valles Caldera Trust took a few more jabs from its critics at a standing-room only public meeting Thursday night at the Hilltop House, while announcing plans for several improvements.” Los Alamos Monitor, June 12, 2009.
Come to the Aid of the Caldera. “The Board of Trustees of the Valles Caldera National Preserve will meet Thursday at 6 p.m. in Los Alamos (at the Hilltop House), and we encourage the public to come and ask plenty of questions.” Los Alamos Monitor, June 9, 2009.
Caldera: Correction on Rim Ownership and Access. “In his June 7 story, Roger Snodgrass described very well the mood of the panel at the Albuquerque forum concerning public access to the Valles Caldera National Preserve.” Los Alamos Monitor, June 10, 2009.
Plant Society Forum Finds Fault with Caldera Trust. “The New Mexico Native Plant Society might sound like an unlikely place for a rebellion. But two of the four speakers at a meeting of the Albuquerque chapter this week called for an overthrow and a third said it was time for people to stand up and say they were not going to take it any more.” Los Alamos Monitor, June 6, 2009.
Auditors Reveal Deficiencies at the Valles Caldera Trust: No Audits Since 2000, “Reportable Noncompliance with Laws and Regulations,” “Possible Misuse of Appropriated Funds”. VallesCaldera.com, June 1, 2009.
Valles Caldera Plays Catch-Up on Audits. “No one has been auditing the books at the Valles Caldera National Preserve since its inception in 2000, officials revealed Wednesday.” Albuquerque Journal, May 28, 2009.
Caldera Audits Square Old Accounts. “When Congress established the Valles Caldera National Preserve in 2000 as an independent government agency, it probably didn’t mean that their creation would be financially unaccountable during its first nine years.” Los Alamos Monitor, June 1, 2009.
Recreational Uses Are Best. “In the case of the Valles Caldera National Preserve, standard business procedures apply, apparently, except when they don’t.” Albuquerque Journal, May 31, 2009.
Fly-Fishermen Now Permitted to Drive to San Antonio River on Weekdays. VallesCaldera.com, May 19, 2009.
NMSU-led Grazing Partnership Picked for the Preserve. “The Valles Caldera Trust has chosen a diversified breeding stock program this year for its summer grazing season on the national preserve.” Los Alamos Monitor, May 14, 2009.
Grazing Contract Goes to NM Researchers, Pueblo. “The Valles Caldera National Preserve has awarded this year’s grazing contract to a team of researchers from New Mexico State University, Jemez Pueblo and the New Mexico Beef Cattle Performance Association.” Associated Press (High Plains/Midwest Ag Journal), May 15, 2009.
Preserve Would be “Short-Sighted” to Dismiss WildEarth Guardians’ Grazing Bid. “Since 2000 the Valles Caldera National Preserve has been required by Congress to maintain a “working ranch.” It’s also required to be financially self-sufficient by 2015. That’s a tough — some might say impossible — balancing act. So the decision of the Valles Caldera Trust to dismiss out of hand any grazing proposal with fewer than 500 animal units — cows plus calves — seems short-sighted.” Albuquerque Journal, May 5, 2009.
Group Says Caldera Protection Its Goal. “At first blush, WildEarth Guardian’s latest initiative may seem startling. Long critical of cattle grazing on public lands, the group has submitted a $50,000 bid to operate the livestock operation on the Valles Caldera National Preserve. But the Santa Fe-based group has no intention of saddling up. Its proposal calls for a herd of just “three to five” cows on the 89,000-acre Jemez Mountain property.” Albuquerque Journal, May 1, 2009.
WildEarth Guardians Bid for Valles Caldera Grazing. “An environmental group has placed a $50,000 bid for the right to graze three to five cows on the 89,000-acre Valles Caldera National Preserve this summer.” Santa Fe New Mexican (Associated Press), May 4, 2009.
Public Reaction to the Unveiling of Preserve’s Business Model. “Earlier this month, the Valles Caldera National Preserve unveiled a new business model that aims to bring the Preserve to profitability by 2015. Below is a roundup of some reaction in the media to the Preserve’s ideas.” VallesCaldera.com, April 30, 2009
VCNP Vistas Have Been Taken: “My most disappointing trip to the Valles Caldera occurred last summer.” Los Alamos Monitor, April 13, 2009.
Valles Caldera Needs Better Supervision. “It seems like ever since the Valles Caldera National Trust pulled their offices out of Los Alamos and moved to Jemez Springs, they have been a little lost.” Los Alamos Monitor, April 11, 2009.
Advocacy Groups Condemn Valles Caldera Plans. “Two advocacy groups are charging that managers of the Valles Caldera are trying to “commercialize” the national preserve.” Albuquerque Journal, April 10, 2009.
Valles Caldera Makes Forage Decision. “The trust that oversees the Valles Caldera National Preserve has decided to reserve four-fifths of the area’s forage to benefit the ecosystem and wildlife, with the rest being made available for livestock grazing and other uses.” Associated Press, April 8, 2009.
Caldera Discloses Business Options. “In a cautious presentation last week, the Valles Caldera Trust offered a preliminary look at a self-sufficiency plan for the 89,000-acre national preserve under its charge.” Los Alamos Monitor, April 7, 2009.
Valles Caldera Trust Wrangles with Business of Land Management. “Luxury hunting lodge, tent camps, green burials considered as ways to generate revenue.” Santa Fe New Mexican, April 5, 2009.
Valles Caldera Proposals at a Glance. “Estimated costs and revenues for the Valles Caldera National Preserve under two alternatives analyzed by contractor Entrix.” Santa Fe New Mexican, April 5, 2009.
HB 11: Valles Caldera Elk Bill Stopped by Senate Committee. “Strong opposition from sportsmen and others helped thwart the misguided effort to prop up a failing management system at Valles Caldera National Preserve through the sale of public elk tags at prices most people could not afford.” New Mexico Wildlife Federation, March 15, 2009.
Valles Caldera: A Turning Point. “Halfway through its congressional timeline, some think the Valles Caldera experiment has failed, while others see progress.” Santa Fe New Mexican, March 8, 2009.
Valles Caldera National Preserve Activities and Revenue. Santa Fe New Mexican, March 8, 2009.
The Making of a Preserve. [Timeline from 1.25 million years ago to the present] Santa Fe New Mexican, March 7, 2009.
Frustrations with Valles Caldera Erupt Into Public Debate (Part One). “Dorothy Hoard, a long-time resident of Los Alamos, has charted the fate of the Valles Caldera National Preserve. In 2000 she saw trouble. ‘As soon as I read the founding legislation, I knew it would fail,’ she said recently. ‘And now it is happening. They will never be financially self-sufficient – a critical requirement – because you can’t profit from publicly-owned natural-resource assets.’” Los Alamos Monitor, February 17, 2009.
Frustrations with Valles Caldera Erupt Into Public Debate (Part Two). “There are few places that can engender public passions as does the Valles Caldera National Preserve. Tom Ribe, head of the watchdog group, Caldera Action, sees it almost as a personal issue. ‘A group of us fought for years to bring the Baca Ranch into the public fold and now that we have it, we are not going to let it fail,’ he said.” Los Alamos Monitor, February 19, 2009.
Preserve Needs Some Help. “The Valles Caldera National Preserve is at a crossroads. Everyone involved with this 89,000 acre piece of public land now realizes that the legislation that set the Preserve up in 2000 is not working and will not work.” Los Alamos Monitor, Feb. 17, 2009.
Give Valles Caldera [a chance]. “There has been much press about the Valles Caldera National Preserve lately. I would like to offer a different opinion of the grand experiment. I believe the concept of a self-supporting National Preserve is being developed and refined at the Valles Caldera.” Albuquerque Journal, Feb. 12, 2009.
Caldera Reboots Under New Management. “A new team is taking the field at the Valles Caldera National Preserve.” Los Alamos Monitor, Jan. 31, 2009.
Lawmakers Consider Elk Hunting Bill. “Elk hunting licenses in the Valles Caldera National Preserve could soon be on EBay.” KRQE News, Jan. 24, 2009.
Valles Caldera Reports Progress and Missed Goals. “‘Don’t panic. The grace period for the Valles Caldera National Preserve is not half over, it’s half begun.’ This in paraphrase is what the preserve’s new executive director had to say about the organization’s report to Congress on its progress last year.” Los Alamos Monitor, Jan. 23, 2009.
Valles Caldera Trustees Warn Congress Preserve May Need Cash. “Trustees who oversee the Valles Caldera National Preserve are acknowledging that becoming financially self-sufficient is a challenge to every aspect of managing the former Northern New Mexico cattle ranch.” Associated Press, Jan. 20, 2009.
Valles Caldera Will Fail Without a Different Approach. “The Valles Caldera National Preserve is one of the crown jewels of New Mexico’s Jemez mountains. Its scenic vistas are stunning and its array of wildlife is abundant and captivating. But like an August thunderstorm, trouble is brewing over the Preserve as its managing board of trustees struggles to produce sufficient earned revenue to pay for its operations, a critical stipulation in the 2000 founding legislation.” Albuquerque Journal, Jan. 11, 2009.
Bratcher Named Preserve Director. “Valles Caldera Trust Chair William Kelleher of Albuquerque announced that Gary Bratcher had been hired to fill the vacant post of executive director. Bratcher, an Artesia native, served as economic development secretary under former Gov. Gary Johnson from 1995-1998 and then was appointed to a vacancy on the New Mexico Lottery Authority.” Los Alamos Monitor, December 12, 2008.
Learn About Coyotes in the Valles Caldera Preserve. “Wildlife biologist Suzanne Gifford has been studying coyotes on the Preserve since 2005 and will discuss the research she has been conducting on the ecology of the coyote population.” Los Alamos Monitor, Nov. 11, 2008.
A Different Kettle of Fish: Valles Caldera Offers Pristine Beauty, Wildlife and a Chance to Wet a Line. “The Valles Caldera National Preserve has opened the East Fork of the Jemez River to fishing by reservation and for a fee.” Santa Fe New Mexican, July 30, 2008.
Students Head Outdoors to Learn About Environmental Sustainability. “Getting out of the office is a good thing. And soaking up knowledge while enjoying the great outdoors is even better, as 26 Laboratory students who participated in an all-day field trip to the Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP) discovered.” Los Alamos National Laboratory News, July 29, 2008.
National Preserve Management Draws Fire. “The slanting rays of the late afternoon sun turn the thick carpet of grass to gold and steepen the shadows on the surrounding mountains.” Associated Press (Casper Star-Tribune), November 27, 2006.
‘Til the Cows Come Home: Recent Decisions on the Valles Caldera Have Left Ranchers and Environmentalists Feeling Not so at Home on the Range. “Within the pages of Rudolfo Anaya’s latest Sonny Baca mystery novel, Jemez Spring, the nefarious antagonist sneaks a nuclear bomb on to the Valles Caldera. Writes Anaya: ‘There, about half a mile from Highway 4, which cut along the edge of the volcanic maw, sat the phallic spaceship, its nose stuck into the wet earth and winter-sere grass of the crater, its coat of shining metal reflecting the morning sunlight.’ In reality, those tasked with running the Caldera don’t have a ticking nuclear bomb to diffuse. At least not literally. But metaphorically speaking, the private ranch-turned-public-lands experiment has become increasingly explosive.” Santa Fe Reporter, Jan. 11, 2006
Trouble on the Valles Caldera. “The Valles Caldera National Preserve is a sweeping landscape of grassy meadows and meandering streams that lies above its namesake — a collapsed volcanic crater — in the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico. Though the volcano has been at rest for a million or so years, recent rumblings may portend a new type of upheaval, one that could jeopardize the West’s most recent experiment in public-lands management.” High Country News, Nov. 28, 2005.
Valles Caldera Mulls Lottery vs. Auction on Hunt Permits. New Mexico Business Weekly, June 3, 2005
Valles Caldera National Preserve – A New Paradigm for Federal Lands? (PDF) Property and Environment Research Center, Dec. 2004.
Preserving a Grand Landscape. New York Times, Jan. 25, 2004.
Fly Fishing the Valles Caldera. Rocky Mountain Game and Fish. [Date Unknown]
In New Mexico, a Land Management ‘Experiment’. National Public Radio, Sept. 23, 2002.
Questions of Access in a Land of Ancient Volcanoes. New York Times, November 21, 2000.
New Mexico Ranch Transformed into National Preserve. Environment News Service, July 27, 2000.
New Mexico’s Baca Ranch Soon to be Public Land. CNN, July 17, 2000.
External Archives of News Coverage of the Valles Caldera:
An extensive archive of articles relating to the Valles Caldera on the web site of the advocacy group Caldera Action
Archive of Valles Caldera news articles and opinion written by Dave Menicucci, freelance writer and nature guide
YOUTUBE VIDEOS Featuring the Valles Caldera
