Working Lands Resiliency Initiative

The Working Lands Resiliency Initiative was born out of multifaceted needs to address working land restoration, food security, cultural heritage, and acequia functionality in Taos, New Mexico. Taos is a historically agricultural community, characterized by a deep querencia (rootedness in place). Taos is also a traditional acequia community. These systems of communal water governance, management, and irrigation inform both community cohesion and socio-ecological resilience.

The constellation of pressures facing the agricultural community of Taos include increased development pressure, the persistent out-migration of farming generations, the concurrent loss of traditional land based knowledge, the fallowing of traditionally irrigated agricultural land, acequia disrepair, a widespread change in  agricultural land valuation , and the impacts of  climate change . Each of these variables contributes to the loss of adaptive capacity and a lack of enduring resilience for Taos's agricultural communities. While the re-assessment of agricultural land valuation sparked the current confluence, all of these pressures will be sustained by the impacts of climate change and economic upheaval. The same pressures that pose the gravest threats, however, often illuminate — and provide — the opportunity for lasting solutions.

This initiative has drawn upon, and has developed, a suite of conservation resources. Initially, efforts were focused on the use of conservation easements and land restoration support services to rejoin highly linea divided parcels. An identified deliverable was the piloting of a tool-kit of support services to rejoin such parcels, through surveyor, appraiser, and easement support. The tool-kit supported the revitalization of critical acequia infrastructure, as well as on-the-ground restoration services. The vision was to rejoin parcelized but non-fragmented areas, concentrating on the Taos Green Belt and expanding outwards. Following a series of conversations with prominent individuals in the Hispano agricultural community, it was decided that the use of conservation easements as a tool to re-join highly parcelized lands was not appropriate at this time. Following this decision, the initiative pivoted to follow an acequia based approach to vulnerability and capacity assessment. This approach, coupled with critical partnership development, and policy interviews, has supported the development of a holistic approach to landscape scale conservation and revitalization.

Partnership development and fortification has played a huge role in this process. Key partners thus far include the Taos Valley Acequia Association (TVAA), the Taos County Assessor's Office, the National Young Farmers Coalition, the members of the nascent Local Foods Coalition including: Taos Farmer Rancher Co-op, Alianza Agri-Cultura de Taos, Red Willow Farms, Farm to School, Big Wheel Farms, Taos County Economic Development Corporation, Not Forgotten Outreach, A.I.R.E., and Growing Community Now.

The pilot year of this initiative was informed by the opportunity, and the ability, to transform and adapt. The initial stages of this project illuminated many questions around trust — including institutional positionality, the linkage between conservation & paternalism, and organizational scope. Questions of who this project served, and how, came to light. In many ways, the team was asked to navigate " wicked problems " regarding the role conservation and conservation easements have often played in marginalized communities, especially those that are land-based in culture and identity. Through confronting pre-conceived notions of conservation easement use and limitation, along with long-held notions of conservation existing in opposition to agriculture and familial land succession, the Working Lands Resiliency Initiative informed a longer term internal & community dialogue about parlaying conservation benefits to a locally suitable model of land protection and restoration. At times, this means forgoing the use of binding easements in favor of culturally-appropriate models that honor familial methods of land stewardship and succession. In this way, the initiative has undertaken the development of locally appropriate models to conservation, through iterative community conversation. This process has further supported dialogue and planning at a local food system level.

Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment methodology was born from natural hazard, disaster relief, and rapid response planning ( Cutter et al., 2008 ). The methodology was later adopted by the international development community, and has become a leading framework in participatory, community based climate risk and adaptation planning work ( Carr et al., 2015 ). This study, as a component of the overall Working Lands Resiliency Initiative, is informed directly by the work of Cutter and Carr in both scholarship and practice.

The VCA incorporated a series of interviews with individual landowners, mayordomos, acequia commissioners, and organizational leaders, to understand the relative vulnerability and capacity of community and environment. It incorporated traditional GIS mapping, and acequia analysis to identify vulnerable parcels. Vulnerabilities and capacities identified by each modality were used to inform the categories of constraint at both the acequia and individual parciante level. The categories of constraint were directly modeled from Carr et al., 2015 and support intersecting analysis of capital, climate, and community constraint. The four categories of constraint include those who are: Capital Constrained, Water Constrained, Severely Constrained (facing both water and capital constraint), and Least Constrained (facing neither water nor capital constraint) (Carr et al., 2015).

Acequias were chosen as the level of analysis for this study, due to their position as systems of water governance, distribution, irrigation, and cultural cohesion. Acequias are an avenue to support both Lo-TEK (Local/Traditional Ecological Knowledge) and Low-Tech resilience solutions. As stated previously, partnership — particularly with Taos Valley Acequia Association — was a core component of this project.

In conversation with Taos Valley Acequia Association, we determined that many of the mapping needs undertaken by the VCA were in alignment with the needs of TVAA. Together, we decided that resource sharing was of paramount importance; thus the GIS analysis merged into a joint project between TLT and TVAA to support organizational partnership development and the establishment of information sharing. The acequias identified include the Acequia del Sur del Cañon, the Acequia Madre del Rio Chiquito, and the Acequia del Monte del Rio Chiquito. Combined, these acequias irrigate the majority of working land in the Taos County Green Belt. They also represent predominantly Hispano working lands owners, and were identified as priority acequias for TVAA.

Through GIS analysis, a dashboard was created that intersects water rights, parcel boundaries, parciante identification, and filters for agricultural valuation through the Taos County Assessor's office. Such analysis enables TLT and TVAA to identify vulnerable parcels, based on agricultural valuation, irrigability, parcel fragmentation, acequia flow, and development pressure. Further, the analysis enables TVAA to determine proper water sharing and allocation. To date, this is the most robust mapping of water rights, acequia systems, and agricultural valuation in Taos County. Although originating from publicly available data, the compilation of this information will remain proprietary to TVAA. It is important to note that the validity of the data depends on the capacity of the Taos County Assessor's Office to reliably update information. This highlights the need for capacity support and development at the Town and County level.

As is visible, much of the land currently maintains agricultural valuation status. Much of this land, however, is not in current agricultural production. The land maintains irrigable water rights, and is prime for development. In partnership with TVAA, TLT supports landowners in finding preemptive alternatives to development, through regenerative agricultural solutions. We propose an initial healthy soil assessment (using tools and analysis through the TLT/TVAA Healthy Soil program) followed by an exploration of programs and resource support through NRCS and state-based initiatives.

The majority of individual parciantes currently face capital constraint, and will soon face water constraint due to the impacts of climate change. Such climate impacts include a reduction in snowpack, changes in precipitation amount and timing, earlier seasonal runoff and higher rates of evapotranspiration resulting from increased seasonal temperatures. Of note for New Mexicans, the increasing frequency of El Niño events (resulting from Pacific basin warming and decadal oscillation) will result in more extreme drought and precipitation fluctuations, along with seasonal monsoon changes.

This capital/climate paradigm is mirrored by the majority of acequias at large, although the needs of each differ in scale. For example, capital constraint could appear at the acequia level as limited capital for infrastructural repair, while appearing as the lack of capital necessary to purchase agricultural equipment — or a lack of affordable housing for a small scale farmer — at the individual or parciante level. The vulnerabilities of the acequia and the individual are mutually informative, on both a capital and climate level.

Parciante and mayordomo interviews revealed that while many acequieros acknowledge a reduction in snowpack melt, precipitation, and overall water availability, the conversation around planning for climate impacts was often posed in future terms. Climate concerns are frequently pushed to the future, with preparation seen as a non-imminent need. This is particularly true for communities which may face socio-economic marginalization and other pressures, despite their increased vulnerability. This 'futurization' of climate impacts is concerning, as the implementation and enhancement of adaptive capacity is in fact an immediate need. Of note, the majority of interviews took place in 2019 and early 2020, following a season of 'renewed' precipitation in comparison to 2018. Under current drought circumstances (Summer 2020), it is hypothesized that climate concerns are of higher importance. In this season, Taos has already experienced historic water depletion, and increased concern over water sharing and allocation. Downscaled climate modeling will be used to engage in conversations about the very real and present need to develop water sharing agreements, and resilience planning at a regional level.

"Our Mayordomo does a good job at sharing the water in a time of shortage...but I still have to prioritize where I put the water I receive. My garden? My sheep? My open pasture? ... Even the meadowlarks are gone..." - Parciante

In terms of socio-economic factors, primary and common stressors cited by parciantes include a lack of capital for restoration or repair, a lack of access to equipment or equipment sharing (often due to the prohibitive cost of equipment), a lack of skilled workers, and lack of a reliable economic market for small-scale producers to plug into — exacerbated by the availability of cheaper goods in neighboring states, provided by large-scale producers. The loss of land to development, the fragmentation of acequia systems, and a loss of knowledge were also cited. The most common concern, however, was the lack of, and need for, affordable housing. This was mentioned in every single interview conducted. Affordable housing, and the lack thereof, may well be the most visible symptom of the underlying pressures for small scale producers in the region.

"The maximum return on irrigable land is development...if we lose agricultural valuation, that's another $1,000 just to hold onto the land...the need for my children to have a home is greater than the need for them to have the land." - Parciante

This initiative has been both a project and an inquiry: it has demonstrated that resilience is not a product, but rather it is a constantly emerging process that takes shape and strengthens itself by the addition of new information. Because of this, the initiative understands that the process of engaging in conversation around vulnerability, water, and economic stressors also helps to generate capacity, ideas and solutions. In this way, the process of inquiry helps to develop resilience in real time.

Interviews were conducted in person when possible, and over the phone when necessary. Interviews followed a semi-structured format, and participants were the leaders of the conversation. Participants remained anonymous in the interview analysis, and no identifying information was linked to participant response. At times, mayordomos were asked to provide representative viewpoints for the acequia at large, and therefore informed understandings of vulnerability and capacity at both an individual and acequia-wide level.

On February 29th, 2020, the team continued to plan for a spring and summer season of engaging one-on-one with acequieros and agriculturalists; of hosting demonstrations and workshops on topics covering conservation, regenerative agriculture, climate planning, and youth engagement. Very soon, our perspective shifted. The impacts of COVID-19 globally and locally have highlighted the critical need for place-based food security and sovereignty. The Taos community experienced a day-to-night shift in the number of families facing immediate food insecurity, highlighting the margin that many in our community live on. The pandemic, in many ways, has brought together community organizations in an unprecedented way. Together, we are addressing immediate food insecurity while working towards regional food security in a remarkably unified effort.

The findings of the vulnerability and capacity assessment, and of the iterative and deeply reflective conversations about appropriate models for conservation in this community, coupled with the impacts of COVID-19, have informed the following response efforts.

Thanks to the Working Lands Resiliency Initiative, Taos Land Trust was positioned to receive a significant private donation to fund the beginning of an equipment sharing program. In March of 2020, Taos Land Trust purchased a no-till seeder, crimper and trailer (valued at ~$26,000) and began the development of a formal equipment sharing program. As noted, the cost of agricultural equipment is prohibitively expensive for small scale producers to purchase as individuals. While informal equipment sharing is practiced between growers in the Taos Valley, the cost of equipment triggers concerns about liability and damage. Furthermore, regenerative agricultural equipment often costs more than conventional equipment, leading to a lack of regenerative agricultural practices. The Taos Land Trust is now able to offer equipment for lease at a nominal fee-per day cost. This supports small-scale producers and landowners in their endeavors, while also contributing to regional adoption of regenerative agricultural practices. This program is in its initial pilot year, and has so far served fifteen farmers in Taos County, seeding seventy acres thus far.

In an effort to support the regeneration of agricultural working land, Taos Land Trust encourages those who are not yet engaged in food production, but are in need of equipment to revitalize their working lands, to apply for the equipment sharing program. We partner with Taos Valley Acequia Association and Alianza Agri-Cultura de Taos to connect the landowner with other revitalization resources.

This project, in combination with Taos Land Trust's participation in the New Mexico Healthy Soil Pilot Program, supports the promotion of regenerative agricultural practices and holistic ecological health and resilience. It also supports sustainable agricultural development and the integration of innovative and traditional methods of farming, irrigation, and stewardship. We hope to expand the reach of our equipment as planting and harvesting seasons progress. We plan to offer training programs to support youth livelihood development, youth skill development, and youth certificate training programs with the use of this equipment.

Food production, regenerative agricultural practices, acequia demonstrations and irrigation, and agricultural exploration continues to develop at Rio Fernando Park (RFP). Under a new pilot program from the state, Taos Land Trust is working to assess soil health at Rio Fernando Park and on 10 Rio Fernando acequia properties, to encourage regenerative agricultural and healthy-soil based farming practices.

RFP also currently hosts agricultural interns, Youth Conservation Corps crew members, and Vista Grande High School (VGHS) interns. The partnership with VGHS has been a particularly profound development, as food grown from the park is now being distributed not only to the interns' families themselves, but also to families facing food insecurity within the community. RFP is donating excess produce to Shared Table (a program through El Pueblito Church), to VGHS families, and works in partnership with Taos Nurturing Center at Enos Garcia Elementary — the site of Taos’ first Community School. In addition, Taos Land Trust received funding to build and distribute one hundred planter beds for families in need throughout the County. The beds will be equipped with soil, seed, irrigation, instructions and mentorship support. The beds are a small scale attempt at supporting familial food sovereignty.

Perhaps the most salient teaching of this pilot program is the need for organizational partnerships in the agricultural and community resilience realm. While there are naturally-formed cohorts, much agricultural work is still siloed. This leads to gaps in information, project overlap, unintentional competition for funding, and gaps in addressing need. These system vulnerabilities, as we have learned, create potent opportunities for increasing resilience. Throughout this year, Taos Land Trust has entered into deeper partnership with existing allies, and has reached out to bridge a communication divide with organizations to which we were less connected. In the spring of 2020, the nascent Taos Local Foods Coalition was formed as a working group of the Enchanted Circle COAD food and agricultural response planning team. The Taos Land Trust was invited to participate and lead this sector in April 2020. What began as regional food systems mapping work has evolved into facilitated network sharing and partnership development. The Coalition is now independently functioning to unify and amplify efforts, identify and address gaps in the local food system, and to collaboratively engage on initiatives together. Partnership development is a key component in replicability and scalability, informing regionally and locally appropriate strategies.

During the pilot year of the Working Lands Resiliency Initiative, Taos Land Trust interviewed a diverse set of elected officials and policy leaders, including many representing agricultural, environmental, and conservation sectors, to establish shared policy priorities for agricultural conservation in our region. Interviews were conducted in a semi-structured interview format, with guiding questions and open ended conversation. Responses came in both written and oral form. The results of these interviews, in combination with our own organizational expertise and research, inform the recommendations set forth in the Working Lands Policy Guide.

The next phase of this initiative is focused on increasing food security and agricultural resilience in Taos County. We understand that food, land, and water are inextricably linked. We further understand that community health, socio-ecologic resilience, and cultural integrity inform every step of a food security plan. Without healthy land and water, we cannot have a functioning food system.