All about the birds and the bees

The upcoming Desert Willow and Pollinator Festival on Saturday, Oct. 4, at Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area is an opportunity to learn everything there is to know about the birds and the bees — nature’s pollinators.

Folks can discover how these pollinators are vital to agriculture — whether it be on a farm or in one’s backyard garden. From10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the district’s big tent will be up at Whitfield, packed with informational booths, vendors and fun activities for children and adults alike. Local food trucks will provide food and refreshments on what should be a pleasant autumn day.

Go on a guided botany walk along Whitfield’s 1.1-mile perimeter trail before entering the Visitor and Education Center to learn about the birds and the bees! The first speaker will be Rachel Chandler, a licensed irrigation contractor with New Mexico by Design, on the topic of installing drip irrigation and creating backyard habitat, from 10:30-11:45 a.m.

Laurel Ludwig will be up next, from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., teaching folks how to grow a backyard refuge for oneself and wildlife. After breaking for lunch, return at 1:30 p.m. to hear botanist Ted Hodoba’s lesson on Hummingbird Gardens.

Having listened to the birds talk, it’s on to “All about the Bees,” with Jade McLellan, research scientist with the University of New Mexico. Finally, from 3:15 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Chuck Hayes with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will present on monarch butterflies.

The public is invited to support programming at Valencia Soil and Water Conservation District by purchasing native plants or seeds at the festival. Native wildflower seeds were collected from Whitfield conservation lands by members of the Youth Conservation Corps, who are detailed to the district for six months. At the festival, folks must be present to win a free face-painting session, unique flower boxes/planters, or a five-gallon desert willow tree.

After the Desert Willow and Pollinator Festival, children will be returning to Whitfield to experience the district’ hands-on outdoor science learning this autumn. The district’s environmental education programs are geared primarily to fourth and fifth graders, with most visits scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Tuesdays through Thursdays.

Five district schools will be rolling in with elementary school students over the coming weeks. If school teachers (or home-schooled classes) in other grades wish to experience Whitfield, the district’s revised curriculum can accommodate them. Bus transportation fees to and from Whitfield can be paid by the district, thanks to funding from the Friends of Whitfield.

Other educational opportunities include soil heath testing as a foundation to building healthy soil. Initially, a district soil health technician will visit a landowner to collect soil samples, which are analyzed for chemical, microbiological and physical components. The soil health tests are complimentary.

Owing to popular demand, the district plans to hold additional soil health workshops at Whitfield, where landowners can learn to apply the five healthy soil principles on their farms and gardens, once their soil sample test results are returned. A key initial step in building healthy soil is knowing how your soils are improving from year to year. The district provides free recommendations on soil health improvements, so that landowners can start building healthy soils immediately.

The Youth Conservation Corp members are just over halfway through their term of 26 weeks at Whitfield, where they are integral part of the preservation of Whitfield conservation lands. Their detail to Valencia SWCD also includes formal education in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the Middle Rio Grande ecosystem, wildfire mitigation, botany, healthy soil and soil sampling, garden maintenance, composting, creating and using biochar, wildlife rehabilitation, rangeland restoration, wildlife ecology, well monitoring, and life skills, including writing.

Valencia SWCD also continues to manage two community gardens at the Meadow Lake and El Cerro Mission community centers. There, healthy soils in action can be demonstrated to the public, using a variety of soil-building, composting, and water conservation techniques. Members of the public are encouraged to call the district to schedule a tour, learn how to create a school garden or to volunteer at the gardens.

The district can always benefit from volunteer assistance with student field trips at Whitfield and with other projects at Whitfield conservation lands. Call Environmental Education Manager Jeff Sanders at 505-864-8914 for more information.

The autumn is a perfect time for outdoor learning and recreation at Whitfield. District board leadership has stepped up to provide extended hours on the weekends and holidays to enjoy Whitfield. Come learn about the birds and the bees and all the district has to offer. Watch this space for announcements concerning upcoming events, such as night sky viewing.

(Jeff Sanders and Michelle Dent, managers of the district’s Environmental Education Program and Conservation Program (respectively), were featured in the Valencia County News-Bulletin column, “Whitfield under the Stars,” on Nov. 27, 2024.)