Ecological Projects
Although hunting and fishing are significant programs here on the Vermejo Park Ranch, our main focus is the restoration and enhancement of the ranch's many diverse ecosystems, ranging from the short grass prairie on the east side to the alpine tundra on the west side reaching almost 13,000 feet of elevation.
We are restoring prairie dogs
to parts of the ranch's prairie that haven't seen them in over 50
years. We also have a black footed ferret breeding facility which
raises wild ferrets for reintroduction across the nation. We hope to
eventually release wild ferrets here on Vermejo Park once our prairie
dog populations increase enough to sustain them.
Bison, the premier prairie ungulate, now range in significant numbers
on the ranch for the first time in over 100 years. Sustainable
populations of black bear, mountain lions, coyotes, and other predators
exist on the ranch. We also plan to restore wild wolves to the ranch in
the next few years.
Vermejo Park is also the home for some of the last populations of pure
Rio Grande Cutthroat trout that exist in New Mexico. We are currently
expanding the stream habitat necessary for the protection of the Rio
Grande Cutthroat within the ranch, and providing their spawn to the New
Mexico Game and Fish Department for reintroduction elsewhere.
Over 60% of Vermejo
Park is comprised of classic southwestern Ponderosa
Pine forest, thus making its restoration back to a healthy, sustainable
landscape one of our most important priorities. To that end, the ranch
is currently thinning the abnormally thick stands by cutting small
diameter trees to make posts and poles as well as some sawlog trees of
poor health and quality. In addition, we are burning, through
prescribed fire and some natural fires, up to 20,000 acres per year on
the ranch. These efforts mean that we are reaching to our goal of a
forest ecosystem that is healthier, more fire resistant, provides
better habitat for all wildlife, and sustains a better watershed, than
has existed here since the first Europeans arrived. We look forward to
answering your questions about our ongoing restoration projects when
you visit Vermejo Park as a guest, hopefully sometime in the near
future.
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