08/31/2025
Sharing from an email:
On Tuesday night, the Galisteo Basin Preserve was overwhelmed by a storm of record power and scale. More than five inches of rain fell in just a few hours—a deluge so fierce it scoured the land with the force of a thousand-year flood.
Arroyos overflowed their banks, crossings were swept aside, sections of trails were gutted, and overlooks—places where we pause to take in the beauty and immensity of this extraordinary landscape —were battered.
In collaboration with hundreds of community volunteers, dedicated nonprofit partners, and stewardship organizations like the Santa Fe Fat Tire Society, Commonweal has tended this landscape with love and vigilance: working to protect its fragile soils, its winding trails, and its living tapestry of piñon, juniper, and grasslands. Over the past two decades, we’ve come to appreciate the preserve’s fragility… and its resilience.
But today, the GBP suffers the wounds of a storm that few among us have ever witnessed.
In the aftermath of the flood, we are tasked with making urgent repairs: rebuilding roads and arroyo crossings, reclaiming trails, stabilizing erosion, and establishing safe passage to areas of the preserve’s heartland. The work will be time-consuming and costly. If you plan to visit the GBP during the next few weeks, please bring extreme care and avoid areas that have been severely impacted by erosion.
By current estimates, Commonweal will need to devote upwards of $40,000 to return the preserve to a condition where roads are fully accessible, trails are securely rebuilt, and drainages are cleared of trees and rocks.
Needless to say, FEMA won’t be coming to our rescue.
A generous gift today will constitute a gesture of resilience equal to the land’s own: an affirmation that this unique open space and recreational resource, beloved by thousands, will not be left torn and scarred by an epic flood. With your support, Commonweal will be able to quickly and efficiently restore the paths, crossings, and overlooks that tie us to this land and to one another.
In a time when the world and our nation feel increasingly fractured and unmoored, the Galisteo Basin Preserve continues to offer solace, beauty, and belonging. I hope you’ll chose to join me in responding to this moment with generosity and love for a precious, magical, and beautiful place that brings joy and light to our lives.
With gratitude and resolve,
Ted Harrison
President
