A New Easement on the Glorieta Mesa Ranch

Located just south of Santa Fe, NM, the Glorieta Mesa Ranch borders the Santa Fe National Forest in the southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains, west of the Pecos River Valley. In October, NMLC recorded a conservation easement on 396 choice acres of the ranch, thereby preserving some exceptionally scenic open space in the region. The property has several ephemeral drainages as well as a natural spring with intermittent flows. The land is currently being leased for livestock grazing and the owner enjoys the property as a get-away and for horseback riding. This close to Santa Fe, where residential development pressure is increasing as baby boomer retirees begin to relocate to the area in earnest, this easement may not be that large in size, but it’s mighty when it comes to the beauty and natural habitat it conserves.