Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge
Encyclopedia
The Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge is a protected area of New Mexico
managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
as part of the National Wildlife Refuge
System. It is located in the Chihuahuan desert
20 miles north of Socorro, New Mexico
. The Rio Salado
flows through the refuge.
The area that is now the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge was inhabited by the Piro Pueblo
prior to Spanish
arrival in 1598 in what is now the southwestern part of the United States
. El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, which passed through the area, was the main transportation route from Santa Fe, New Mexico
to Mexico City
, Mexico.
In 1680, Governor Antonio de Otermin
of Santa Fe retreated through the area to El Paso
during the Pueblo Revolt
. By this time, the Piro Pueblo, as well as many other Pueblo
s, were already abandoned due to Spaniard encroachment.
After the Piro were gone, the Spanish built a military post called "New Sevilla" on the site. This post became an important stop on El Camino Real and was at various times named "Joya de Sevilleta" and "La Jolla,".
The Sevilleta de la Joya Land Grant
was given to the people of Sevilleta by the Governor of New Mexico prior to Mexican independence from Spain in 1821. The area passed from Mexican to United States control as a result of the Mexican–American War
.
Socorro county bought this land in a public sale in 1928, because taxes on land could not be paid by the community that owned the land grant. In 1936, General Thomas Campbell bought this land from Socorro County and used it as a cattle ranch. In 1966, shortly before his death, Campbell established a foundation that eventually decided to preserve the land of Sevilleta by creating a wildlife refuge. In 1973 the foundation gave the land to The Nature Conservancy
, which in turn gave it to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. On December 28, 1973, the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge was established.
.
s and waterfowl
is permitted. Most, but not all, of the refuge is off limits to the public and its development is left to nature. Use such as hiking
and photography
are permitted in some areas, but picnic
king and camping
are not permitted anywhere in the refuge.
and Central America
from May to September.
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is a federal government agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats...
as part of the National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuge is a designation for certain protected areas of the United States managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Wildlife Refuge System is the world's premiere system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America's fish, wildlife and plants...
System. It is located in the Chihuahuan desert
Chihuahuan Desert
The Chihuahuan Desert is a desert, and an ecoregion designation, that straddles the U.S.-Mexico border in the central and northern portions of the Mexican Plateau, bordered on the west by the extensive Sierra Madre Occidental range, and overlaying northern portions of the east range, the Sierra...
20 miles north of Socorro, New Mexico
Socorro, New Mexico
Socorro is a city in Socorro County in the U.S. state of New Mexico. It stands in the Rio Grande Valley at an elevation of . The population was 9,051 at the 2010 census...
. The Rio Salado
Rio Salado (New Mexico)
The Rio Salado is tributary of the Rio Grande in the U.S. state of New Mexico. From its source in northeast Catron County it flows about generally east to join the Rio Grande just north of Polvadera and about north of Socorro. The name Río Salado is Spanish for "salty river".-Course:The Rio...
flows through the refuge.
History
The area that is now the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge was inhabited by the Piro Pueblo
Piro Pueblo
Piro Pueblo : The Piros were a Native American Pueblo people that lived in a number of pueblos in the Rio Grande Valley around modern Socorro, New Mexico, USA. The now extinct Piro language was in the family of Tiwa languages...
prior to Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
arrival in 1598 in what is now the southwestern part of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, which passed through the area, was the main transportation route from Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
to Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, Mexico.
In 1680, Governor Antonio de Otermin
Antonio de Otermín
Antonio de Otermín was the Spanish Governor of the northern New Spain province of Santa Fe de Nuevo México, today the U.S. states of New Mexico and Arizona, from 1678 to 1682. Otermín was governor at the time of the Pueblo Revolt, during which the religious leader Popé led the Pueblo people in a...
of Santa Fe retreated through the area to El Paso
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
during the Pueblo Revolt
Pueblo Revolt
The Pueblo Revolt of 1680, or Popé's Rebellion, was an uprising of several pueblos of the Pueblo people against Spanish colonization of the Americas in the province of Santa Fe de Nuevo México.-Background:...
. By this time, the Piro Pueblo, as well as many other Pueblo
Pueblo
Pueblo is a term used to describe modern communities of Native Americans in the Southwestern United States of America. The first Spanish explorers of the Southwest used this term to describe the communities housed in apartment-like structures built of stone, adobe mud, and other local material...
s, were already abandoned due to Spaniard encroachment.
After the Piro were gone, the Spanish built a military post called "New Sevilla" on the site. This post became an important stop on El Camino Real and was at various times named "Joya de Sevilleta" and "La Jolla,".
The Sevilleta de la Joya Land Grant
Land grant
A land grant is a gift of real estate – land or its privileges – made by a government or other authority as a reward for services to an individual, especially in return for military service...
was given to the people of Sevilleta by the Governor of New Mexico prior to Mexican independence from Spain in 1821. The area passed from Mexican to United States control as a result of the Mexican–American War
Mexican–American War
The Mexican–American War, also known as the First American Intervention, the Mexican War, or the U.S.–Mexican War, was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848 in the wake of the 1845 U.S...
.
Socorro county bought this land in a public sale in 1928, because taxes on land could not be paid by the community that owned the land grant. In 1936, General Thomas Campbell bought this land from Socorro County and used it as a cattle ranch. In 1966, shortly before his death, Campbell established a foundation that eventually decided to preserve the land of Sevilleta by creating a wildlife refuge. In 1973 the foundation gave the land to The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a US charitable environmental organization that works to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive....
, which in turn gave it to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. On December 28, 1973, the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge was established.
Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) Program
The refuge currently hosts the Sevilleta Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) Program, conducted by the University of New MexicoUniversity of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
.
Facilities
The Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge has some areas set aside for scientific research, and permits to conduct research are available. Limited hunting of doveDove
Pigeons and doves constitute the bird family Columbidae within the order Columbiformes, which include some 300 species of near passerines. In general terms "dove" and "pigeon" are used somewhat interchangeably...
s and waterfowl
Waterfowl
Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....
is permitted. Most, but not all, of the refuge is off limits to the public and its development is left to nature. Use such as hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
and photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
are permitted in some areas, but picnic
Picnic
In contemporary usage, a picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors , ideally taking place in a beautiful landscape such as a park, beside a lake or with an interesting view and possibly at a public event such as before an open air theatre performance,...
king and camping
Camping
Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no...
are not permitted anywhere in the refuge.
Endangered species
The endangered Southwestern Willow Flycatcher migrates to the refuge from MexicoMexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
from May to September.