"Sevilleta NWR" by Joel Deluxe , public domain
SevilletaBrochure |
Brochure for Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in New Mexico. Published by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS).
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U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Sevilleta
National Wildlife Refuge
“…there was so much sky,
more than at sea, more
than anywhere else in the
world. The plain was there,
under one’s feet, but what
one saw when one looked
about was that brilliant
blue world of stinging air
and moving cloud.”
Willa Cather
Background, Los Piños Mountains and grasslands.
Fishhook cactus.
Welcome:
Timeless
Landscapes
Thunderstorms roll across the mesas
of Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge
(NWR). A rainbow sweeps across the
vast blue sky to touch down on the
banks of the Rio Grande. Bighorn
sheep balance on sandstone cliffs
above San Lorenzo Canyon, while the
voices of hikers below echo through
arches, caves, and wind-sculpted
towers.
This refuge has a special purpose
that sets it apart from other national
wildlife refuges across the country:
To preserve and enhance the
integrity and natural character of the
ecosystems of the refuge.
Sevilleta NWR, 50 miles south of
Albuquerque, offers a rare chance to
step back in time. Here, in a refuge
that spans 360 square miles, it’s
easy to imagine Piro Indians etching
petroglyphs into rock hundreds of
years ago. The geologic story exposed
in the rocks gives clues to a volcanic
past some 27 to 32 million years ago.
Background, Piñon–Juniper biome.
Visitors are welcome to explore
several unique areas of Sevilleta
NWR. Walk below sandstone arches
in San Lorenzo Canyon. Listen and
look for waterfowl in the wetlands.
Marvel at the magnificent panorama
from the Mesa View Trail.
Please stop in the visitor center for the
latest news on refuge trails, special
tours and seasonal opportunities.
Converging
Ecosystems
Like intersecting highways, four
major biomes unite at Sevilleta NWR.
Piñon–Juniper Woodlands intersect
with the Colorado Plateau ShrubSteppe lands. The Chihuahuan Desert
meets the Great Plains Grasslands. In
select places, all four converge.
To add to the stunning diversity, the
largest river in New Mexico, the
Rio Grande, bisects the immense
landscape of Sevilleta NWR, a lifeline
for migrating birds and corridor for
wildlife.
What’s a Biome?
A biome is a large area with characteristically similar
climate, plants, and animals.
Research on the
Refuge
Nature’s junctions often buzz with
activity, as in high traffic areas,
the wildlife and plants interact in
fascinating ways. Sevilleta NWR is
a mecca for scientific study of these
significant meeting points.
Sevilleta NWR is host to the
University of New Mexico’s Long
Term Ecological Research (LTER)
program, initiated in 1988 and one
of only 26 sites across the country.
The Refuge hosts a diverse array
of research projects conducted by
researchers from around the globe.
History
Origins of
Sevilleta
The name Sevilleta (pronounced
Sev-ee-eta) illustrates the strong
Spanish influence in this region.
When explorer Juan de Oñate swept
northward from Mexico in 1598, he
encountered a civilized Rio Grande,
with large pueblos by the river. Here,
the Piro Indians farmed, hunted, and
lived in complex societies.
Oñate called the Piro Pueblo nearest
what is now the refuge, “Pueblo
Nueva Sevilla,” in honor of the
Spanish city of Seville. Over the span
of 200 years of Spanish rule, the Piros
eventually fled south.
At the end of the Spanish Occupation,
in 1819, the area became the Sevilleta
de La Joya Land Grant. In 1821, it fell
under Mexico's authority, then in 1848,
it came under the control of the United
States. After New Mexico gained
statehood, Socorro County bought the
land in a public sale in 1928.
Background, Los Piños Mountains.
Campbell Ranch
Legacy
General Thomas Campbell bought the
land in 1936 and for the next 30 years,
cattle and sheep grazed across the
desert, steppe land and forest. Shortly
before his death, the general formed
the Campbell Family Foundation in
1966 to assure the land’s stewardship.
Within a few years, the foundation
took a bold step. Why not protect the
land permanently as a place where
natural ecosystems thrive?
The Nature Conservancy acquired
the land from the foundation in 1973,
marking the first New Mexico project
for the nonprofit land conservation
organization. After conveying the
ranch to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, the conservancy remains a
partner today.
Restoring Nature
At first glance, the Sevilleta NWR
landscape appears as pristine as it
was centuries ago. However, cattle
ranching combined with drought and
invasive species took their toll on
native plants and animals.
Staff and volunteers today work
hard to return native plants, natural
processes, and wildlife to the refuge.
They remove salt cedar and other
invasive plants that threaten the
survival of native vegetation. They
replant native shrubs and grasses,
guide water into managed wetlands,
and carefully prescribe burns to bring
back fire as a natural force.
Invasive Species
Also called tamarisk, the non-native
salt cedar monopolizes the water that
native plants need in a dry land. It
crowds out other shrubs, increases
salinity in soil and deprives birds
and animals of habitat they need
to survive. Removing salt cedar at
Sevilleta NWR and replanting native
willow and cottonwood is an ongoing
habitat restoration activity.
Salt cedar removal.
Getting a Second
Chance
The Gunnison’s prairie dog is a
keystone grassland species that
historically inhabited the refuge. Due
to habitat loss, past extermination
attempts, and disease, their numbers
have declined by over 90%. Reestablishing a population is another
step towards restoring the native
biological diversity of refuge
grasslands.
Los Piños Mountains.
Mexican Gray
Wolf Recovery
The endangered Mexican gray wolf,
no larger than a German shepherd,
once ranged across the deserts of the
southwest until eradicated from the
wild in the 1950's. Today, Sevilleta
NWR is home to a remote breeding
facility designed to foster wild
characteristics and behaviors. Please
check in with the visitor center staff to
learn more about the Mexican wolf ’s
life history and the latest news on
recovery.
Left, Gunnison's prairie dog. © Raymond Watt
Things to Do at
the Refuge
Visitor Center
Exhibits, Trails
and San Lorenzo
Canyon
CE
To experience the timeless beauty of
Sevilleta NWR, make the visitor center
your first stop. The staff can offer
advice on the best ways to explore the
open areas of the refuge; San Lorenzo
Canyon, as well as the wetlands.
Exhibits in the center feature the
cultural history, biological diversity,
varied geology, and latest news on
scientific studies and findings at the
refuge.
Outside the visitor center, stretch
your legs on the Mesa View, Nature
Loop, and Wildflower Loop trails,
where you can observe native plants
and wildlife.
San Lorenzo
Canyon
Geologic Journey
E
Background, San
Lorenzo Canyon.
Biologists, geologists and other
refuge experts lead guided tours
throughout the year. Education
programs can be scheduled for groups
in advance. Please contact the visitor
center for more information.
Millions of years of earth’s history
unfold in San Lorenzo Canyon.
Whimsical sculpted sandstones
and mudstones give clues to past
upheavals. A popular destination for
hikers, the canyon offers outstanding
photography opportunities.
San Lorenzo brims with Chihuahuan
Desert plant and animal life. Lizards
and snakes bask in the sunshine on
rocks. Cliff swallows nest in the high
canyon walls, while roadrunners
scramble among four-wing saltbush,
sagebrush and cacti. Watch for tracks
of mule deer, coyote, bighorn sheep
and even bobcat or mountain lion.
Life Giving
Waters:
Sevilleta
Wetlands
Visit Sevilleta’s wetlands for a
firsthand look at a success story for
wildlife. Seasonally flooding these
lands near the Rio Grande re-creates
wetlands that were once extensive in
the river valley.
Look for beaver tracks in the mud.
Listen for ducks, geese, herons
and sandhill cranes, especially
from November to February. In
summer, turtles bask on logs in
water, roadrunners dart out from tall
grasses, and hawks soar overhead.
Hunting
H
The refuge offers limited hunting of
dove and waterfowl in the wetlands.
Only nontoxic shot is permitted.
Please check with the refuge staff for
rules and regulations.
Note that hunting is allowed various
times of the year. Contact the refuge
visitor center to plan a visit that fits
your needs.
Enjoy Your Visit
Visitor Center
and Refuge
Hours
Call or check website for refuge
hours.
W
Climate
Extremes
Come prepared for unpredictable
weather with hat, sunglasses, water,
and layers of clothing.
Summer temperatures can soar
to 100 degrees and then cool down
considerably at night; you can expect
early afternoon monsoon rains from
early July into September.
Winter temperatures can be cold
and skies are frequently clear; at
night, the temperatures can approach
the freeze mark. You can expect an
occasional skiff of snow.
Help Us Protect
the Refuge
You can do your part to preserve
Sevilleta for wildlife and people by
obeying the following rules:
Drive only on designated roads.
Remain on refuge trails.
Do not disturb or remove wildlife,
vegetation, or historic objects.
Keep pets under control at all times.
Where is it?
The refuge visitor center is located
about 50 miles south of Albuquerque,
New Mexico, off I-25, exit 169.
When was it
established?
December 28, 1973.
How big is it?
~ 230,000 acres: 31 miles east to west
and 14 miles north to south.
Why is it here?
To preserve and restore native
wildlife and plants, and the systems
that support them. To allow natural
processes to operate and to encourage
and facilitate research. To provide
educational opportunities for the public
to explore and learn about the refuge.
Sevilleta NWR
Fast Facts
8th largest NWR in lower 48
states: ~230,000 acres
Only refuge to host a Long Term
Ecological Research program
High diversity of species
•
1,200 plants
Left, pronghorn.
Above, black bear.
•
251 birds
•
89 mammals
•
58 reptiles
•
15 amphibians
Volunteer
Sevilleta NWR could use your help!
Consider assisting the refuge with
maintenance, biological studies,
education programs, or office
assistance. Contact the refuge
volunteer coordinator for details.
Greater roadrunner. Bill Howe / USFWS
Amigos de la
Sevilleta
Amigos
de
a
la S
evillet
Join the Friends group to support
conservation and education programs
on the refuge. Members receive a
quarterly newsletter, discounts in the
refuge gift shop, and members-only
special events and tours.
Please contact:
Amigos de la Sevilleta
P.O. Box 1248
Socorro, NM 87801
Refuge signs and
what they mean
NATIONAL
WILDLIFE
REFUGE
UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY
PROHIBITED
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
AREA
CLOSED
To pursuing,
hunting,
capturing,
taking or
killing of migratory birds.
By order of the
SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Title 50, Code of Federal Regulations.
Section 32.4
NO
HUNTING
ZONE
PUBLIC
HUNTING
AREA
Limited public
hunting under
Federal and
State laws.
Consult Manager for current
regulations.
Mountain lion.
The signs below apply to the areas
behind the signs. They protect
sensitive habitat or areas set aside
for management activities. Please
respect all refuge signs as you travel
throughout Sevilleta NWR.
National Wildlife Refuge. This sign
marks the boundary of the refuge.
Consult refuge management for
authorized activities.
Area Closed. For management
purposes, certain areas of the
refuge are closed to all visitation.
Unauthorized entry beyond this sign
is prohibited.
No Hunting Zone. This sign marks
the boundary of no hunting areas.
All hunting is prohibited beyond this
sign.
Public Hunting Area. This sign
marks the boundaries of the refuge
hunting areas.
Geologic Bread Loaf
At San Lorenzo’s entry, you’ll find a mesa shaped like a
tilted, sliced loaf of bread with a cap on top. Geologists
call this a textbook example of an angular unconformity.
The layers date 7-10 million years ago, long before the
mighty Rio Grande cut south through the valley. Tectonic
plate activity deep below the surface tilted the layers on
the plain to form today’s loaf.
Claret Cup Cactus.
Mule Deer.
Wildlife Watching Tips
Dawn and dusk are the best
times to see wildlife.
In warmer climates, little
is moving on hot summer
afternoons or on windy days.
Observe from the sidelines.
Leave “abandoned” young
animals alone. A parent is
probably close by waiting for
you to leave. Don’t offer snacks;
your lunch could disrupt wild
digestive systems.
Cars make good observation
blinds. Drive slowly and stop
to scan places wildlife might
hide. Use binoculars or a long
lens for a closer look.
Try sitting quietly in one good
location. Let wildlife get used to
your presence. Many hidden
animals will reappear once they
think you are gone. Walk quietly
in designated areas. Be aware
of sounds and smells. Often you
will hear more than you will see.
Teach children quiet
observation. Other wildlife
watchers will appreciate your
consideration.
Look for animal signs. Tracks,
scat, feathers, and nests left
behind often tell interesting
stories.
Artwork © by
Jan Gunlock
R io
Gr
an
de
N
Santa Fe
25
Las Vegas
NWR
25
40
285
Albuquerque
40
Santa Rosa
Los Lunas
Rio Gran
de
54
Sevilleta
National Wildlife Refuge
60
60
Magdalena
San Antonio
60
Mountainair
54
Socorro
380
Bosque del Apache
NWR
Bitter Lake
NWR
54
25
Truth Or
Consequences
Caballo Res.
San Andres
NWR
Hatch
25
Rio
70
nde
Gra
10
10
How to get to
Sevilleta NWR
The refuge is located off Interstate 25,
between Los Lunas and Socorro.
From Albuquerque (50 miles): Drive
south on I- 25 to exit 169 and head
west approximately ½ mile to the
Refuge visitor center.
From Las Cruces (184 miles): Drive
north on I-25 to exit 169 and head
west approximately ½ mile to the
Refuge visitor center.
Pronghorn roam across Sevilleta NWR.
Ladrone Peak.
Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge
P.O. Box 1248
Socorro, New Mexico 87801
505/864-4021
505/864-7761 FAX
www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/newmex/sevilleta
Visit us on our social media websites
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
www.fws.gov/southwest/
For Refuge Information
1 800/344-9453 (WILD)
For relay service, please dial 711
Gunnison's prairie dog. © Sharyn Davidson
All photographs USFWS, unless noted.
September 2011