Community Conversations Inform Wildfire and Watershed Health Strategies in Taos

Historically, conversations about wildfire and its impact on Taos watersheds have not always included the full range of community voices—resulting in management strategies that do not always reflect local values and knowledge.

To help strengthen community engagement in these efforts, the Watershed Coordinator at the Taos Soil and Water Conservation District launched an initiative designed to bring people together for shared, on-the-ground learning experiences.

With support from LOR, the District purchased supplies and materials to host four invite-only field excursions to wildfire-affected areas throughout Taos County. Each half-day workshop will bring together 12 community representatives and feature guest speakers who share scientific insights, traditional knowledge, and lived experience.

The project will culminate in a public event at the Taos Center for the Arts, featuring short films and panel discussions, to generate broader community dialogue and encourage more inclusive, locally informed approaches to protecting Taos’s watersheds from future wildfire risk.

This project is fiscally sponsored by Downtown Taos.