Taos Land Trust Executive Director Darien Fernandez on the importance of conservation easements and how the Rio Fernando Park is revitalizing Taos.

Join assistant editor Geoffrey Plant as he talks with Taos Land Trust's new executive director Darien Fernandez. Geoffrey and Darien talk about conservation easements and the diverse ways they help protect Taos' landscapes. One example Darien uses is how the conservation easement of Rio Fernando Park has helped preserve a riparian area in the center of Taos. "As part of buying that property, a plan was put in place for how agriculture could be brought back and how the acequia running through that property could be brought back and not just to benefit Rio Fernando park but to benefit all the neighbors along that and also rehabilitate the wetland environment," Darien says in the interview. Since Taos Land Trust created the park, they've seen lots of bird and fish species visit including the endangered Southwest Willow Fly Catcher. Darien also discusses why the removal of invasive and non-native plants has been essential to the restoration of the land. He encourages anyone who has concerns or questions about the methods being used to visit the Taos Land Trust's office so they can explain their strategy. Taos Land Trust's plan for revitalizing the Rio Fernando Subscribe to the Taos News See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.