Valles Caldera National Preserve Update

[Editor's note: See also below, Director Kennedy's report on Valles Caldera at www.npsretirees.org/cnpsr/2009/analysis-valles-caldera-former-nps-director-roger-kennedy]

The 89,000 acre Valles Caldera National Preserve, that neighbors Bandelier National Monument, Santa Fe National Forest & Santa Clara Pueblo, has been receiving increased interest regarding its future. Purchased from private ranchlands and created by Congress in 2000, it has been managed by the Valles Caldera Trust. The enabling legislation calls for efforts to make the Preserve financially self-sustaining by 2015. Access and recreational opportunities were slow in coming, and the public started being more engaged, looking at alternatives: http://www.abqjournal.com/opinion/guest_columns/1193215opinion01-11-09.htm. Letters to the editor started to appear, calling the VCNP a “failed experiment.”

On June 25th “U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall today asked the National Park Service to assess the potential for including the Valles Caldera National Preserve in the National Park System.” Several environmental organizations, like Caldera Action (http://www.caldera-action.org/), became involved with efforts to allow the assessment of NPS management of the Preserve a level-playing-field. The draft of the NPS assessment has been shared with the Trust, and will be presented to Congress soon.

“Meanwhile, back at the ranch” the Trust held two public meetings regarding their vision for VCNP. It included $50-100 million in development. The editors of Santa Fe New Mexican stated it was too soon for a Jemez Mountains National Park http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Opinion/A-Jemez-national-park-Maybe-later disregarding that Congress was interested in management of the VCNP, not a new National Park. Several readers pointed out the editorial’s errors, and some very knowledgeable members of the public and CNPSR (like Don Dayton and Jerry Rogers) have been part of the education process:http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Opinion/My-View-Public-resource-management-needed-for-Caldera

http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Opinion/My-View-Valle-Calderas--identity-is-on-the-line

For recent posting check at: http://vallescaldera.com/ or the link for Caldera Action. A petition drive re: management of the VCNP was started by the New Mexico Wildlife Federation and will be available for signing at this year’s Ranger Rendezvous in Gettysburg. However, CNPSR members can help now by either circulating the petition among family and friends, or by e-mailing/writing your Congressional Representatives to let them know how you feel about this very special place becoming part of OUR national park system.