A MEMORIAL

RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CORRALES BOSQUE PRESERVE AND THE WILD BIRDS AND OTHER NATIVE WILDLIFE IN ITS ENVIRONS AND OPPOSING THE USE OF THE PRESERVE FOR A PROPOSED REGIONAL BICYCLE TRAIL.

     WHEREAS, the village of Corrales was incorporated in 1971; and

     WHEREAS, the village governing body has long recognized the importance of the riverside forest known as the Corrales bosque and has continuously demonstrated its commitment to stewardship of the bosque as evidenced by such acts as:

          A. commissioning a study of bosque wildlife in 1974;

          B. annexing the Corrales bosque area to the village in 1975;

          C. establishing a Corrales bosque task force in 1978;

          D. declaring the Corrales bosque a protected area in 1978;

          E. banning unauthorized vehicular use of the bosque in 1979;

          F. establishing the Corrales bosque advisory commission in 1980;

          G. designating the Corrales bosque as a wildlife preserve in 1980;

H. entering into a bosque ecosystem preservation

contract with the nature conservancy in 1984;

          I. dedicating the Corrales bosque preserve in 1986;

          J. calling for careful regulation of the preserve in the Corrales comprehensive plan in 1988;

          K. fencing and gating the preserve in several steps, ending in 1990;

          L. enacting the Corrales bosque preserve ordinance to regulate public use of the preserve and define its boundaries in 1990;

          M. adopting Resolution 90-38 declaring policy for the preserve and requesting restriction of the use of motorized watercraft on the Rio Grande in 1990;

          N. adopting Resolution 91-17 declaring policy for the preserve and opposing highway corridors cutting through the preserve and the village of Corrales in 1991; and

          O. calling for careful regulation of the preserve in the Corrales comprehensive plan in 1996; and

     WHEREAS, in recognition of this record of stewardship, the Corrales bosque advisory commission received the environmental protection agency's 1993 environmental excellence award for wetlands and riparian protection; and

     WHEREAS, the nature conservancy of New Mexico, in recognition of the natural value of the Corrales bosque preserve, established the Corrales bosque endowment, funded by monetary gifts from Corralenos and supporters of the preserve from elsewhere, to provide annual stipends to the village in support of the preserve; and

     WHEREAS, since the incorporation of the village of Corrales, hundreds of citizen volunteers have contributed time and money toward maintaining the Corrales bosque through such work as trash removal, fire patrolling, firefighting, gate and fence installation and repair, sign preparation and installation, service on village commissions and by other beneficial contributions too numerous to mention; and

     WHEREAS, the Corrales bosque preserve contains an extensive Rio Grande valley cottonwood forest, consisting of stands of trees of a variety of ages, some having been established during floods as early as the first decade of the twentieth century, and the Corrales bosque preserve is one of the best examples of this ecosystem in the middle Rio Grande valley; and

     WHEREAS, the Corrales bosque preserve is unique in supporting an unusual wealth of native shrubs and other plants, making the preserve the richest riparian plant community in the middle Rio Grande valley; and

     WHEREAS, the above-described richness has led to the development of a corresponding richness and abundance of wildlife species, such that recent surveys have revealed that the Corrales bosque preserve supports significantly greater numbers of nesting birds than adjacent bosques, such as the Albuquerque bosque, that have received high human impact, and some species, such as the Cooper's hawk, nest in the preserve in higher densities than at any other site in the United States; and

     WHEREAS, the high biological value of the Corrales bosque preserve has been made possible, in part, by the wise actions and policies of Corralenos over the last thirty-five years, including their policy of limiting and controlling human access and behavior; and

     WHEREAS, the recently announced plan to implement a regional bicycle trail from Belen to Bernalillo may include the proposal to establish a paved trail through the Corrales bosque preserve; and

     WHEREAS, the construction of such a trail within the preserve would almost certainly destroy the fragile balance that now exists between the bosque ecosystem and its human guests, leading to the elimination of those features of biological richness and diversity that have earned the preserve regional acclaim;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the governing body of the village of Corrales be supported in its firm opposition to the construction of the proposed regional bicycle trail within the Corrales bosque preserve; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the governing body of the village of Corrales be supported in its efforts to seek an alternate route for the proposed regional bicycle trail in the Corrales sector of the middle Rio Grande valley; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the mayor of the village of Corrales be urged to represent the village government in this matter and to take such steps as may be necessary to prevent the use of the Corrales bosque preserve for the proposed regional bicycle trail; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the mayor and the governing body of the

village of Corrales.