While growing up in Redington Beach, Florida, one of the things I enjoyed most was looking west toward the sunsets on the beach. For decades, I joined others who gathered for this ritual. Now, I often look east toward the Sandia Mountains to experience these last powerful colors of the day.
I may no longer have the beach or Pinellas Trail for my outdoor getaways, but I live only a couple of miles from one of the most beautiful places for walks, the Rio Rancho Bosque along the Rio Grande.
The word for "forest" in Spanish, a bosque is a narrow gallery forest that stands out along a more arid or semiarid landscape. This forest thrives alongside a reliable source of water, in this case the Rio Grande, and offers a recreational corridor that also benefits migratory birds and, in some areas, the harvesting of crops. For example, farmers grow many Hatch green chiles along a portion of the Rio Grande in southern New Mexico.
In addition to serving as a popular recreation space, bosque corridors along the Rio Grande offer an oasis for many plant and animal species and act as a sentinel for a very fragile environment. Throughout the year, the levels of the Rio Grandee fluctuate, maintaining a delicate balance for life in an area where access to water is very important.
The Middle Rio Grande Bosque region covers forested areas along the Rio Grande in locations such as Albuquerque, Bernalillo, Corrales, Rio Rancho, and nearby Pueblos. Many open spaces include parking, trails, and benches. Albuquerque's Tingley Beach area represents a section of the bosque near the heart of that city.
For this post, we will focus most of our attention to two areas of the Rio Grande Bosque: the portions accessible from Willow Creek Road and Riverside Drive. First, we will examine the history of the bosque. We will then enjoy the four seasons of the Rio Rancho Bosque.
Creating a Public Recreation Space
The City of Rio Rancho was incorporated in 1981. The original developer of this area, AMREP Southwest, Inc., dedicated the bosque lands to the city. The preserve came into existence in 2000.
During the early 2000s, crews removed invasive plant species. By 2007, the loop trails near Willow Creek Road attracted interest, as volunteers also assisted in the planting of cottonwood trees during that time.
Cottonwoods remain abundant in many areas of the bosque. Once benefiting from seasonal flooding and a wider floodplain, today's cottonwood forests now require some human intervention due to the containment of water in arroyos and diversion channels that have lowered the floodplain.
A Winter Walkingland
Although fewer people may traverse the trails during the shorter winter days, the population of migratory birds soars. Geese and ducks often fly above the bosque in V-shaped formations. Year-round residents, including quail, finches, doves, and roadrunners, find refuge in the bushes that maintain their leaves. Coyotes become more visible as they continue to traverse the land.
Springing into Green
As the length of daylight increases, so does the flow of water through the Rio Grande. The thawing of snow and ice upriver expands the size of the river. This water nurtures the bosque and replenishes the subterranean aquifers near New Mexico's largest populations centers.
Summertime Greens
Summertime heat arrives in June, and accentuates the landscape from July to early September. This period is also known as the "monsoon season," the period from June 15 through September 30 when strong winds may bring occasional but intense thunderstorms.
Even during these summer storms, rain sometimes fails to reach the earth. One may notice rainfall in the distance where the rain evaporates before reaching the ground, a phenomenon that climatologists refer to as virga. However, these dry "thunderstorms" may bring powerful lightning.
High ultraviolet rays and temperatures hovering near or above 100 degrees limit bosque use during the heat of the afternoon, but the forests remain popular for those visiting during the early morning or late afternoon. Wildlife enjoy the abundant shade provided by the cottonwoods and other trees.
Temperatures begin to moderate in early and mid-September. Afternoons remain warm, but cooler mornings and evenings may even require a light jacket. Monsoon rains usually end. Unlike subtropical locations that may get inches of rainfall in an afternoon, the average rainfall for Rio Rancho spans between 8 and 12 inches for the entire year.
Amazing Autumns, Fantastic Falls
Fall colors brighten the bosque. The first seasonal change may become noticeable in September, with profound color shifts to much of the vegetation continuing into early November. Wild elderberry bushes yield their harvests, and cooler weather encourages walks earlier into the afternoon.
The sun usually keeps daytimes comfortable into October and early November, though evenings can occasionally get below freezing. The bosque remains a popular place for those wanting to get outside.
Frosty evenings in November and December may include strong winds that remove many of the remaining leaves from their branches.
I enjoy the Rio Rancho Bosque throughout the year. Whether during the summer heat or a winter chill, the bosque provides a nearby place to enjoy nature.
Comments
Post a Comment