Mission: Improve the health and safety of the Gallinas and neighboring watersheds to mitigate the potential for catastrophic wildfire and to secure a more certain and sustainable water supply to the City of Las Vegas and the region through the development and implementation of a comprehensive and connected watershed plan and hazardous fuel reduction strategy.
Because of the group’s focused mission and its policy of welcoming input from all those who understand that mission and wish to participate, the Gallinas Partnership is guided by a Steering Committee comprised of the following individuals: Carmen Austen (NM State Forestry), Tim Dodge (City of Las Vegas), Andrew Egan (NM Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute), Les Montoya (San Miguel County), Steve Romero (US Forest Service), and Richard Trujillo (Office of the State Engineer).
The Gallinas Partnership is comprised of four working groups:
- Economic development
- Education/outreach
- On-the-ground practices
- Preparation/emergency response
Importantly, this effort is designed to dovetail/complement efforts by the City of Las Vegas to (Figure 1):
- Secure additional water rights
- Build/repair/maintain water-related infrastructure
Other benefits include, but are not limited to:
- Economic development in the forestry sector
- Improved city/regional economy
- Improved riparian ecosystem health
- Improved watershed/forest values, including:
- Recreation
- Aesthetics
- Soil
- Public education/collaboration
