Rio Grande Water Fund Activities in 2018.
New Mexico’s Rio Grande and its tributaries supply water for wildlife and 1 million people. The health of these waterways is key to the health of Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Native American Pueblos and other communities—half of New Mexico's population—and an essential ingredient for our state’s economic growth.
Established in 2014, The Nature Conservancy’s Rio Grande Water Fund is a groundbreaking project that protects and restores vital forests upstream in order to ensure a continuous supply of clean water downstream.
The Rio Grande Water Fund protects forests and water for 1 million people in northern New Mexico and boosts local economies by creating jobs and wood for products. The project is also generating a sustainable source of funding for a 20-year program to restore 600,000 acres of forest north of Albuquerque.
BENEFITS OF THE RIO GRANDE WATER FUND
Clean and secure water
Outdoor recreation and tourism
Jobs in rural communities
New Mexico-grown wood products
Healthy fish and wildlife
Reduced wildfire risks