Edge Effects, a 2018 art installation at Bandelier National Monument with art from Kathleen Breannan and Shawn Skabelund, photo credit: Minesh Bacrania. For more information, video, and images see: https://www.brennanstudio.com/east-jemez-project-2018.html
The East Jemez Landscape Futures (EJLF) project is a collaborative, landscape-scale approach to help guide future planning and research efforts in the severely altered landscapes of the eastern Jemez Mountains. EJLF seeks to address uncertainty by building a network of land managers, scientists, artists, NGOs and interested community members to inform future management, identify research needs, and capture stories from individuals and communities who were affected by these changes.
Learn more at: www.eastjemez.org
Download the Needs Assessment, (2017)
Overview
We have divided the EJLF project into three interwoven paths:
Some areas in the eastern Jemez Mountains have started to recover from the fires, others need may need some help. The EJLF project seeks to identify and address the areas that may need a jumpstart. Credit: Megan Heeres
Credit: Collin Haffey
Art and story - In order to meet the challenges in front of us in the East Jemez we need to break through the barriers that prevent true interdisciplinary work. We are working with artists, local storytellers, landscape architects, and scientists to develop ideas and experiments for action in the East Jemez. We will use these collaborations to help guide the restoration and management efforts moving forward.
Research and science - Collectively, we have been learning from the Jemez Mountains for centuries. The recent changes provide nearly infinite questions. The answers will support land management decisions in the Jemez and throughout the West. As we move forward in the project we'll be setting up experiments and monitoring along the way. The experiments will help us identify patterns and ultimately the processes driving the successional trajectories.
Restoration and planning - During the needs assessment phase of this project it became clear that people were eager to get started with work. Groups are beginning to form around specific watersheds in the east Jemez to get down to action. These groups are interdisciplinary and are taking a holistic look at ecological restoration. We will work to make sure that communication channels between groups stay open. We will organize field trips, workshops, and coordinated planning to make sure we are working as a community in the eastern Jemez.
Next Steps & Timeline
In fall of 2018 the EJLF project was awarded a grant from the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) to establish a watershed restoration plan for the east Jemez. Sasha Stortz and Collin Haffey are coordinating the effort. The BOR funds are scheduled to arrive in spring of 2018 and will support the development of a watershed group and collaborative planning effort. Once completed, the members of the watershed group will be eligible for additional BOR funding for implementation. Ahead of the funding Sasha and Collin are working to develop a “steering committee” to determine how to engage with a broad set of partners in the eastern Jemez and identify potential goals and outcomes of the watershed group. If you are interested in participating in the watershed group or have questions about EJFL please contact Sasha or Collin, Sasha.Stortz@nau.edu or collin.haffey@tnc.org Once the funding becomes available (Spring 2019) we will being the process of developing a restoration plan and watershed group. Likely this will start with a kickoff meeting in early spring and it would be great to get updates from folks who have been working on post-fire restoration. From there we will continue working to meet the requirements of the BOR and gain access to the BOR's Phase 2 funding.