Currently Yesca is working with the Embudo Valley Environmental Monitoring Group, a community organization that works to provide a baseline of background environmental information that will help understand any changes in the event of a catastrophic event.  This is done with the understanding that there are many small, rural communities that exist directly in the windshed of Los Alamos National Laboratory.  EVEMG conducts monitoring of the watershed and the windshed, particularly focusing on constituents that come from the nuclear weapons industry.  EVEMG has developed many important partnerships throughout the years including New Mexico Environment Department and Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety.  These partnerships between community members and regulating agencies is an important step in the process of getting things done.

In 2007 Yesca completed a three-year long project in the form of The Upper Rio Grande Watershed Plan, a 140-page guide to the area’s ecology and ecological history with a special focus on the water systems and their safeguarding. The Embudo Valley Watershed Management Plan is available online, and is an excellent resource for those working on this and similar issues. (download PDF)

Yesca is a native New Mexican who after a fashion career in Europe, returned to the States and eventually to her beloved Embudo, where she raises two children. Does she miss the big-city world? “Not at all”, she says. She began her volunteer work while attending classes and is currently in her last year of study towards a BS in Environmental Science from Northern New Mexico College.

Rachel works as a full-time volunteer for the Upper Pecos Watershed Association, and is involved in all the activities of the Association, from grant-writing to outreach and education in Pecos.

I asked Rachel how she became involved with UPWA.

“I was living on the east coast, and I wanted to move west and get involved in environmental work. I heard about the VISTA program (Volunteers in Service to America), and at their website, found job openings listed for New Mexico and around the country. I applied for a position through the Western Hardrock Watershed Team in Durango, which places VISTAs with watershed associations, particularly in rural and historic mining communities.  The year-long commitment offers a modest living stipend, a choice between an education award or end-of-service stipend, and benefits.

“Working and volunteering for UPWA has been an invaluable experience- giving me training in watershed coordination, volunteer coordination, and project management.

I’ve written grants, helped establish the Pecos Canyon Collaboration, and I now write a quarterly email and snail-mail newsletter  to inform the public about the work of UPWA. This work led to my joining the steering committee for the 2010 NM Watershed Forum, and also receiving GIS training.

“This experience has been rewarding in so many ways and not only do I feel like I am contributing to this community that in many ways seems to be forgotten economically and environmentally but also I have learned and gained so much respect for Pecos and it’s heritage as it relates to the river.”