The Nature Conservancy. Protecting nature. Preserving life.™

The Canyon Neighborhood Association is honoring The Nature Conservancy in New Mexico with its annual “Friend of the Canyon Award.” The award will be presented to Conservancy staff during the Canyon Neighborhood Association’s Annual Meeting and Picnic in mid September.

The “Friend of the Canyon Award” is given to a person or agency that has notably contributed to the character and preservation of the Canyon neighborhood. The Nature Conservancy has been pivotal in preserving open space, protecting habitat and showcasing nature’s beauty to the area with the Santa Fe Canyon Preserve. The preserve is located at the intersection of Cerro and Upper Canyon Roads.

The 525-acre preserve is like an oasis near downtown. The Conservancy has been restoring the preserve and the work is paying off. “This area has completely transformed over the past decade,” said Robert Findling, director of land protection and stewardship for The Nature Conservancy in New Mexico. “What was once a drained reservoir is now a scenic preserve with abundant wildlife, wetlands, and a colony of beaver only two miles from the plaza. Protecting this important open space through donations has saved the City and County millions of dollars in open space funding."

The Canyon Neighborhood Association played a key role in helping the Conservancy secure some of the land for the preserve through gifts. “It’s been a most successful collaboration,” says Michael Last, president of the Canyon Neighborhood Association. “This award offers us an opportunity to recognize and honor that partnership.”