Hermits Peak Watershed Alliance

Restoration work done in 2025 focused on three main projects. We worked with approximately ten landowners in the Sapello River Watershed to remediate watershed impacts from the Hermits Peak - Calf Canyon Fire with funding from a Clean Water Section 319 grant. Work entailed construction of hand-built erosion control structures reforestation and flood mitigation. Some reforestation occurred in the Santa Fe National Forest and assistance with fencing repairs and burned timber removal all occurred to assist the US Forest Service. Two other significant river restoration efforts were completed in 2025 and resulted in approximately 2 miles of the Sapello River and Mora River restored. A Bureau of Reclamation WaterSMART grant provided funding to develop designs for a number of projects to prepare them for future implementation.

The most significant education project was to employ train and guide eleven 14-25 year olds in post-fire watershed restoration for the summer of 2025. This education and workforce development was done with support from the New Mexico Youth Conservation Corps Commission. This was our third year in carrying out this YCC project. With state funding from the Outdoor Equity Program we conducted youth nature appreciation and outdoor recreation programs for a group of middle school students. Education included birding macroinvertebrate identification and ecology and flyfishing. Other education programs featured the development and distribution of a series of videos on Post-Fire Restoration techniques including erosion control reforestation and reseeding with herbaceous plants. These are available to the public.