SFCT News:
In November 2023, the Santa Fe Conservation Trust (SFCT) accepted the donation of a conservation easement over 58 acres of land along the Rio Grande in La Mesilla.
The Aeby family generously chose to grant this conservation easement to protect their land from development and provide continued public access to the river.
The newly-protected land sits on the eastern bank of the Rio Grande in between Santa Fe and Española. The Aebys have owned the land since the 1950s, and have always invited neighbors, Scouts, birding groups, and others to hike there and enjoy the natural beauty. Located in an area that has mostly been subdivided into small residential lots, this intact piece of bosque and grassland provides important habitat for wildlife. Bald eagles, sandhill cranes, and beavers are just a few of the species that use the property.
The Aeby Family Conservation Easement was the pilot project for SFCT’s new “Quick Start” program, which helps landowners get over the financial hurdles that often cause conservation easement projects to stall. The completion of the conservation easement brings the total amount of land protected by SFCT to 46,613 acres.
Protecting this land from development benefits the community because it preserves the ability of the Rio Grande to move naturally over time. Letting rivers meander where possible is a cost-effective, nature-based way to refill depleted aquifers and reduce the risk of flooding to nearby residents. The property is also adjacent to thousands of acres of open space at Santa Clara Pueblo, so protecting it contributes to landscape-scale habitat conservation efforts in the area.
Conservation easements are flexible tools that allow a landowner and a land trust to restrict certain uses of land in order to accomplish conservation goals. In addition to safeguarding habitat, the Aeby family chose to use this conservation easement to ensure that the public will always have access to a half-mile footpath that runs from Rio Arriba County Road 114 to the Rio Grande. The property is located at the end of Rio Arriba County Road 114, three miles south on SR 399 from the junction with US 84/285. There is limited parking available at the trailhead.
“This land’s excellent natural habitat and recreational values made it a priority for protection by SFCT,” said Sarah Noss, SFCT’s Executive Director. Ian Aeby, speaking on behalf of the Aeby family, said, “We are very pleased to memorialize our parents’ (Jack and Jeanne) enduring respect for nature and their desire to give back to the community with this conservation easement. We are also extremely grateful to the SFCT for their assistance through the “Quick Start” program, making it easy for us to complete this donation.”
Founded in 1993, SFCT is a private, non-profit, local land trust that protects land in Santa Fe, Rio Arriba and San Miguel Counties. SFCT partners with the community to keep northern New Mexico’s living lands and people flourishing together. SFCT protects culturally and environmentally significant landscapes, ignite people’s passion for nature, and enable the continual regeneration of our healthy place. SFCT envisions a future where everyone in northern New Mexico cherishes nature and works to preserve it for this and future generations.