Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program

09/15/2026

The bosque continues to be a place of beauty. BEMP ecologist Rich captured these photos of a pair of Black-crowned Night Herons, a juvenile Green Heron, and a dragonfly making the most of rare bits of water.

Near the dry river, where rough cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium) has found an opportunity to spread, Rich also photographed an interesting plant that has not previously been recorded in Bernalillo County.

Aphyllon riparium is a parasitic plant. If you look closely, you’ll notice that the only green leaves in the photo belong to the cocklebur. Aphyllon attaches itself to the roots of a host plant and takes nutrients, water, and carbohydrates, the sugars the plant would normally produce through photosynthesis, from its host.

Rough cocklebur and several species of ragweed (achoo!!!) are known hosts.

Even in a dry bosque, there are always fascinating discoveries to be made.

07/08/2026

Last week BEMP staff met with the Asombro Institute for a hands-on preview of curriculum for our upcoming educator workshops. We spent the session exploring interactive lessons and field research projects focused on environmental markers of watershed health and the impact of fire on those markers, the impact of thinning on forests, and the potential of biochar as a tool for soil health.

Thank you to the Asombro Institute for hosting us and for presenting these engaging, hands-on lessons. We look forward to our continuing partnership as we move forward in bringing these lessons to New Mexico teachers and students.

06/29/2026

Summer is in full swing, and so is our partnership with Horizons Albuquerque!

Each year, our educators work alongside Horizons teachers and 3rd-8th graders to expand on school-year science topics through hands-on exploration, play, and community science in the bosque. This year, students are exploring questions such as, “Why is there no water in the Rio Grande and what is impacted by a lack of water?,” “What does it mean to be a careful observer?” and “How do parts of ecosystems interact with and impact each other?”

By fostering this curiosity, we are hoping to deepen our shared knowledge and sense of stewardship and belonging in this unique ecosystem. How are you encouraging the young scientists in your life to stay curious this summer?

11/12/2025

Sound on! Check out this rattlesnake encounter our science director Matt had down at our Bosque Del Apache BEMP site. 🐍🐍

Remember to give wild animals their space and never approach them unless you have the training to do so.

07/14/2025

Horizons summer academy students got to learn about parasites including the zombie ant parasitic fungus, Ophiocordyceps unilateralis. They were also able to get a closer look under the microscope of several different slides of parasites. Students had fun switching out different parasite slides and asked great questions throughout the lesson!

06/24/2025

The beavers have been hard at work at our Alameda site!

06/04/2025

Schools finished another successful year with BEMP! This last month we focused on phenology study trips, classroom lessons about the Rio Grande and wrapping up school monthly monitoring. Thank you students, teachers and parents for a great year!

06/02/2025

We’re celebrating a major win for New Mexico’s youth and the future of outdoor access!

Thanks to the leadership of Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and the dedicated legislators who championed this cause, the Outdoor Equity Fund has secured critical funding.

This means more youth—especially from rural, Tribal, and historically excluded communities—will have opportunities to connect with nature, build confidence, and grow as environmental stewards. 🌱

Let’s keep the momentum going by saying THANK YOU to the decision-makers who made this possible!

04/29/2025

04/21/2025

Please join us at our Luquillo-Sevilleta Virtual Symposium on Thursday, April 24th from 8-10am. Approximately 50 bilingual students from various schools in New Mexico and Puerto Rico gather together through the internet to share their scientific research projects done in their local ecosystems. Students in Puerto Rico work with the Luquillo Long Term Ecological Research Schoolyard program to study environmental issues across tropical ecotones. New Mexico BEMP students, in collaboration with the Sevilleta Long Term Ecological Research Schoolyard program, present their studies in the riparian bosque ecosystem.