TNC Santa Fe Canyon Preserve
| Randall Davey
Audubon Center TNC Santa Fe Canyon Preserve |
|
| Status: | Recognized | Area: | 325 acres (132 hectares) |
| County: | Santa Fe | Elevation: | 7400 feet (2255 meters) |
| Town: | Santa Fe | Location: | 35°41.4’N, 105°53.3’W |
| Ownership | New Mexico Audubon, 1800 Upper Canyon Road, Santa Fe, NM 87501, 505-983-4609 The Nature Conservancy, Santa Fe, NM, (505) 988-3867 |
| Habitats | Forest (pine), Wetlands (ephemeral pools and river) |
| Land-use | Nature conservation, Education |
| Threats | Urbanization |
| Site Criteria | State conservation species (D1), State educational site |
| Site Description | The Randall Davey Audubon
Center and The Nature Conservancy Santa Fe Canyon
Preserve are located at the very end of Upper Canyon Road, 2.5 miles from The
Plaza. The elevation starts at 7500 feet. These properties contain several life
zones. The Upper Sonoran life zone is represented by the mixed
woodland of Piñon and Juniper trees. The Transition life zone is
represented by a forest of Ponderosa Pines and is found as you go up in
altitude. Douglas Firs, White Firs and spruces are more representative of the
Canadian life zone and can also be found in the colder, moister areas
on the nearby mountain slopes. A fourth community of trees, though not a
described Life Zone is the Riparian area along the Santa Fe River.
This community is composed of plants adapted to wetter conditions, such as
cottonwoods, willows, Boxelder maples and the introduced Siberian Elms. The Randall Davey Audubon Center has 135 acres of piñon/juniper, ponderosa pine and mixed spruce-fir. There are two major trails on the property. El Temporal is a half-mile loop trail through piñon/juniper habitat. After a short initial climb up to the acequia, it is relatively level throughout. Bear Canyon is a side canyon of the Santa Fe River Canyon. You are able to hike up this lovely canyon about a mile and a half before the walls become too steep to climb. This trail is accessible by following the El Temporal trail around to the wooden bench and then following the side trail off to the east. There is a birdlist for the Randall Davey property as well as plant and mammal lists for the Santa Fe River area. The Santa Fe Canyon Preserve is 190-acres of open space that offers a thriving bosque of cottonwood and willow trees, a pond, the ruins of an historic Victorian-era dam, hiking trails, more than 140 species of birds and the original route of the Santa Fe River. Owned by the Nature Conservancy, the preserve is nestled between the Santa Fe National Forest and Upper Canyon Road just 2.5 miles from Santa Fe's city center. The Conservancy has worked to restore the land to its natural state and has constructed a 1.5-mile interpretive loop trail detailing the colorful history and fragile ecology of the place. Interpretive panels along the preserve trail provide details of historical and ecological information. |
| Birds | The RDAC provides environmental education programs primarily for grade school students. A number of State conservation species use the area to breed or to winter. A checklist of birds has been compiled and is available at the RDAC or on the Audubon New Mexico web site. |
| Conservation Issues | The continued growth of Santa Fe is surrounding these areas with housing. |
| Conservation Plan | |
| Monitor(s) | None assigned |
| Nominator | Deanna Einspahr, 1800 Upper Canyon Road, Santa Fe, NM 87501, 505-983-4609 |
| Sources | Personal observations (PO) Bird Checklist of the Randall Davey Audubon Center (RDAC) |
| Links |
Randall Dave Audubon
Center The Nature Conservancy eBird New Mexico Hot Spot |
| Directions | From St. Francis Drive (US84/285), take Alameda east (towards the mountains). You will pass through several stoplights and 4-way stops, but keep going. Eventually you will come to a light at Paseo de Peralta. Go straight, the road turns more residential at this point, and the Santa Fe River is on your right. You will meet 4-way stops at Delgado St. and Palace Avenue, and then the road will curve sharply to the right, and go over the river. At the next 4-way stop, which is the intersection with Upper Canyon Road, turn left. Follow this road until it ends; it dead-ends in the RDAC parking lot. The last mile is a curvy dirt road. |
| Species | Year | Status | Population | Sources | Criteria |
| Black-throated Gray Warbler | Breeding | uncommon | RDAC | D1 | |
| Cordilleran Flycatcher | Breeding | uncommon | RDAC | D1 | |
| Plumbeous Vireo | Breeding | common | RDAC | D1 | |
| Pygmy Nuthatch | Resident | common | RDAC | D1 | |
| Townsend's Solitaire | Winter | common | RDAC | D1 | |
| Western Bluebird | Winter | uncommon | RDAC | D1 |
