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BEMP

@bemp.nm

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Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program - A community science organization in the Middle Rio Grande watershed. 🌾

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The bosque continues to be a place of beauty. BEMP ecologist Rich captured these photos of a pair of Black-crowned Night Herons, a juvenile Green Heron, and a dragonfly making the most of rare bits of water.

Near the dry river, where rough cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium) has found an opportunity to spread, Rich also photographed an interesting plant that has not previously been recorded in Bernalillo County.

Aphyllon riparium is a parasitic plant. If you look closely, you’ll notice that the only green leaves in the photo belong to the cocklebur. Aphyllon attaches itself to the roots of a host plant and takes nutrients, water, and carbohydrates, the sugars the plant would normally produce through photosynthesis, from its host.

Rough cocklebur and several species of ragweed (achoo!!!) are known hosts.

Even in a dry bosque, there are always fascinating discoveries to be made. taken in Bosque along the Rio Grande by @bemp.nm

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18 days ago

Last week BEMP staff met with the Asombro Institute for a hands-on preview of curriculum for our upcoming educator workshops. We spent the session exploring interactive lessons and field research projects focused on environmental markers of watershed health and the impact of fire on those markers, the impact of thinning on forests, and the potential of biochar as a tool for soil health.

Thank you to the Asombro Institute for hosting us and for presenting these engaging, hands-on lessons. We look forward to our continuing partnership as we move forward in bringing these lessons to New Mexico teachers and students. taken in Asombro Institute for Science Education by @bemp.nm

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3 months ago

Summer is in full swing, and so is our partnership with Horizons Albuquerque!

Each year, our educators work alongside Horizons teachers and 3rd-8th graders to expand on school-year science topics through hands-on exploration, play, and community science in the bosque. This year, students are exploring questions such as, “Why is there no water in the Rio Grande and what is impacted by a lack of water?,” “What does it mean to be a careful observer?” and “How do parts of ecosystems interact with and impact each other?”

By fostering this curiosity, we are hoping to deepen our shared knowledge and sense of stewardship and belonging in this unique ecosystem. How are you encouraging the young scientists in your life to stay curious this summer? taken in Bosque along the Rio Grande by @bemp.nm

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3 months ago

Today, we went to the bosque to learn about how much water is collected in water wells and where trees grow best to access water.🌳🏞☀️ by @bemp.nm

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4 months ago

BEMP was recently recognized in a UNM Newsroom article for one of our new projects, which is coming to the end of its first year planning phase.

🌲The heart of the project is to use built mesocosms in the bosque that will test impacts of different groundwater conditions.

🌲 This will support the development of new management practices and best practices for the timing and duration of planned environmental flows to test the impacts of different river flow regimes.

🌲 By separating the mesocosms from the groundwater around them, we can add or drain water and test responses in plant recruitment, soil properties, and other variables. taken in Bosque along the Rio Grande by @bemp.nm

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4 months ago

We had an amazing turnout at this year’s Crawford Symposium! We are so proud of all the students that presented, and want to extend a special thank you to all the professionals that came to speak about how their work intersects with BEMP and the bosque. Thank you to everyone that attended and made it all possible, and to UNM Biology for hosting us this year! taken in Albuquerque, New Mexico by @bemp.nm

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5 months ago

BEMP hosted its annual Crawford Symposium at the University of New Mexico Student Union Building, bringing together UNM students, educators, researchers, schools, and community partners to showcase projects and environmental stewardship efforts connected to New Mexico’s Bosque ecosystem. The event highlighted student research, community engaged learning, and collaborative work focused on conservation and environmental education throughout the year. taken in University of New Mexico by @bemp.nm

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5 months ago

BEMP is collaborating with Sevilleta LTER and Rice University to model population dynamics of cottonwood, coyote willow, saltcedar and siberian elms.

BEMP is in the process of selecting 360 trees for long-term monitoring. 90 individuals each of cottonwood, coyote willow, salt cedar, and siberian elm will be monitored over the course of five years to determine how trees of different sizes and ages are growing, reproducing, and dying. These data will then be used to predict whether the non-native trees are likely to be more successful than the native trees.

As a result we’ve been tagging trees and doing some literal tree hugging to measure them! taken in Bosque along the Rio Grande by @bemp.nm

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5 months ago

The National Phenology Network (NPN) is hosting a feedback session for their project, “Time to Restore: Connecting people, plants and pollinators” and wants your input! This project aims to deliver guidance to those working on pollinator restoration in the South Central region: New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Louisiana.

🐝 This session will be held in Santa Fe at the Institute of American Indian Arts with the intention of getting feedback on the utility of the NPN’s pollinator data (from Nature’s Notebook) and data visualization tools.

🐝 We want your input on your needs related to pollinator restoration, what are the species and systems of highest concern to you, where are the gaps in your information about nectar plants, what tools and resources will help you to make informed choices about planting in the face of climate change?

🐝 The session will include a brief talk by Melanie Kirby about her pollinator work, as well as an opportunity for attendees to share their work with pollinators. This event is open to all, but will prioritize indigenous perspectives on the datasets and tools offered by NPN.

🐝 Want to attend? Visit the link in our bio to register and learn more about this project. taken in New Mexico by @bemp.nm

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6 months ago

BEMP’s annual Crawford Symposium is only a month away! To RSVP click the link in our bio and for more information visit our website at bemp.org

Our 2026 Crawford Symposium will be held Thursday, April 30th, 2026 from 5:00-8:00pm at the University of New Mexico Student Union Building, Ballroom C. Come see what our school and community partners along with our UNM students have been working on this year to help steward our Bosque. taken in Albuquerque, New Mexico by @bemp.nm

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6 months ago

Earlier this month our educators spent a beautiful day in the Bosque with Volcano Vista High School students exploring stormwater science! From tracking pollutant pathways to delineating local watersheds and discovering Dragonfly larva, these students focused on the impact of stormwater runoff on our water systems.

The highlight of the day? Getting our hands dirty and searching for macroinvertebrates in local waterways - an important bioindicator of water quality and freshwater ecosystem health. taken in Bosque along the Rio Grande by @bemp.nm

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6 months ago

Ever seen a flower that looks like it’s trying to give the earth a hug? This Townsendia exscapa or Easter Daisy loves to give flower hugs! This tiny but mighty wildflower is one of the first to pop up and greet us in the spring.

🌼 Its species name, exscapa, means “without a scape” (stem). The flowers have almost no stalks meaning the white to pinkish flowers grow directly from the root crown, making them look like they’re floating on a bed of fuzzy green leaves.

🌼 These beauties are one of the earliest spring wildflowers to bloom (March-May) in its habitat of dry, rocky, or sandy soils, frequently appearing around Easter, even during cold, snowy conditions.

🌼 If you look closely at the leaves, you can see tiny hairs covering them. While they may have a cool leaf hair do, those tiny hairs help the plant retain moisture and protect it from the harsh sun in dry, sandy habitats.

🌼 Despite its early, harsh blooming time, it can provide essential nectar for early-season insects, including native bees and flies.

🌼 Indigenous people like the Diné have used these plants for medicinal purposes pertaining to child birth and for various ceremonies.

Have you ever seen an Easter Daisy, if not now is the time, keep your eyes on the look out for them! taken in Bosque along the Rio Grande by @bemp.nm

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7 months ago