1. TITLE Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program
How Young Citizen Scientists Contribute to the Rio Grande’s Ecological Health
Audrey Kruse ~ Education Coordinator

2. Science, education, and stewardship
What is BEMP?
(Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program)
Science, education, and stewardship
… of the Rio Grande and its watershed
… through long-term, hands-on student research
… of ecosystem response and function
… to inform public policy

3. “bosque” Spanish word for forest and…
specifically refers to the riparian ecosystem around the Rio Grande in central New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM

4. The bosque used to be a flood-dominated ecosystem – where yearly spring snowmelt made cottonwood forest regrowth possible.
Now, with dams, levees, and other human interventions – water in Rio and water table is dramatically decreased
Instead of domination of native species (yerba mansa) we see a domination of exotic and invasive species like tumble weed.
Fires are a new anthropogenic disturbance on the bosque landscape as a result of dry forests and proximity to civilization
BEMP studies the bosque’s functionality …
… and resilience for the future. 4

5. Science at BEMP

6. Every Month BEMP monitors…
Depth to groundwater
Litterfall
Precipitation
Core of what BEMP is founded upon – Monthly Monitoring: simplistic and yet informative data set. 6

7. Basic BEMP site layout N S W 200 meters 100 meters A C B 4 3 2 1 E G D
North
200 meters
100 meters A C B E G N W S D F I H J
open
canopy
Vegetation plot
1, 2, etc.
Pitfall traps
Litterfall tub
Rain gauge
Groundwater well
N, E, C, S, W

8. Science throughout the year:
Surface active arthropods
Woody debris/fuel load
River, ditch, groundwater chemistry
Vegetation cover
Tamarisk leaf beetle
Cottonwood sex & DBH

9. Started with our first site: 1997
Now have almost 20 years of continuous monitoring – 3 Pueblo sites in North, 16 sites around ABQ, 9 South of ABQ, and 1 in Las Cruces

10. Citizen Science Data Credibility
Federal Agencies
State Agencies
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Local Government
BEMP is unique – land managers actually USE data
Ground water wells help the Army Corps determine how much water in the river vs. in the ditches and agricultural drains.
Army Corps chooses to contract its groundwater data collection with BEMP and isn’t super interested in the fact that its collected by students – data is credible.

11. Water table and restoration implications
Data Trends
Water table and restoration implications
2012 annual mean depths to groundwater

12. Data Trends
Removal of exotics (clearing) without subsequent flooding leads to increased exotic understory
Forbs and grasses:
native (green)
exotic (purple)
Sites:

13. Flooding is still key driver of native recruitment and establishment
Data Trends
Flooding is still key driver of native recruitment and establishment
Sites:

14. Education at BEMP

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17. Classroom Education
Annually – over 10,000 K-12 + college students and their teachers work with BEMP
40+ public, charter, independent, parochial, tribal schools throughout New Mexico
We offer 10 different classes for all ages: all place-based & focused on the bosque ecology
Students are from underserved communities, in a state that ranks 50th in Education
NM ranks 50th in Education in 2016 – Kids Count Data Book Annie E. Casey Foundation (out of 51)

18. High School Research Opportunities18

19. Professional Presentations
Students and teachers have won
national awards and recognition for the BEMP work

20. Stewardship at BEMP

21. The Cottonwood Wrapping Project21

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25. Questions?
@ BEMPinItUp