Friends of Valle De Oro

Environmental Justice at VDO
2023-01-20 03:00 - 04:00 (America/Denver) | NM
Virtual Event, Will be Recorded
Did you know Valle de Oro is the only public land site with a specific plan to address environmental, economic, and social injustice? Tune-in to learn about our 2023 environmental justice priorities, what the work looks like on the group at the Refuge, and how to partner with us.
Link coming soon.

Mural Loop Interpretive Walk
2023-01-15 03:00 - 04:30 | Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, 7851 2nd Street SW, Albuquerque, NM, 87102, United States
Join Refuge Ranger Dakota for an easy 1-mile guided walk along our Mural Loop trail with presentations on the refuge’s history and our plans for environmental restoration. It’s a great opportunity to ask questions and learn what makes an urban wildlife refuge special.
Program meets at 10 AM by the visitor center amphitheater and will return to the visitor center by 11:30 AM.

Photo Contest- Submissions Due
2022-12-30 - 2022-12-31 | NM
Submit your entries for the Valle de Oro photo contest!
Entries are due at midnight.
Email valledeoro@fws.org for more details.

Christmas Bird Count
2022-12-29 - 2022-12-30 | Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, 7851 2nd Street SW, Albuquerque, NM, 87102, United States
Come to Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge for this annual tradition- the Christmas Bird Count! The fun starts at 7am.
Email valledeoro@fws.org to sign up.
And yes, Laurel with be there!

Visitor Center Closed- December 20 & 21
2022-12-19 - 2022-12-21 | NM
The Visitor Center will also be closed on December 20 & 21 for water line work. At this time, there will be no running water on the Refuge. Bathrooms will be closed.
Visitors are still welcome to enjoy the trails.

Mural Loop Guided Walk
2022-12-17 03:00 - 04:00 | Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, 7851 2nd Street SW, Albuquerque, NM, 87102, United States
Meet at the Visitor Center amphitheater for an easy one mile guided walk along the refuge’s Mural Loop Trail with Park Ranger Dakota. Program will end back at the visitor center by 11 AM

Luminaria Walk & TAAS Star Party
2022-12-16 11:00 - 14:00 | Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, 7851 2nd Street SW, Albuquerque, NM, 87102, United States
Join us for a luminaria walk around the Visitor Center and enjoy snacks, hot chocolate, music, and a story time!
Afterwards, look at the stars in the night sky with The Albuquerque Astronomical Society from 7PM to 9PM.
The Nature Store will be open for the duration of the event for some holiday shopping.

Luminaria Making Event
2022-12-10 02:00 - 09:00 | NM
Make wildlife and plant inspired luminarias for our December 16 event on the Refuge.
All are welcome to participate- and we could use your help! Stop by the Visitor Center and stay as long as you’d like.

How to Draw a Duck Workshop
2022-11-19 05:00 - 07:00 | Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, 7851 2nd Street SW, Albuquerque, NM, 87102, United States
CALLING ALL STUDENTS KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 12TH GRADE!!!

Valle de Oro NWR is hosting a FREE two hour art workshop to help prepare your artwork entries for the 2023 NM Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest

Learn from local artist, Vanessa Alvarado, co-founder of ALMA Tile! All skill levels are welcome and materials will be provided!

The event will be held Saturday, November 19th from 12pm to 2pm in the multipurpose room at Valle de Oro NWR’s visitor center.

There is limited space available for the workshop so email valledeoro@fws.gov to reserve your seat! You can also request for a digital flyer for more information to share with family and friends!

Send us a message if you have any questions

ALMA Tile Making Workshop & Fish Sculpture Viewing
2022-11-12 04:00 - 06:00 | Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, 7851 2nd Street SW, Albuquerque, NM, 87102, United States
Make tiles for Valle de Oro’s 2023 mosaic crane sculpture with ALMA Tile!
Afterwards, we’ll take the Bosque loop Trail to visit the fish mosaics on the west side of the Refuge! It will be a 2 mile round trip.

8th Annual Fundraiser & Online Auction
2022-10-30 02:00 - 2022-11-06 10:00 | NM
We’re getting ready for our 8th Annual Fundraiser and Online Auction. This is our largest annual fundraiser and we are excited to hold it again this fall. Funds raised by The Friends, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, benefit our mission to support the Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, restoring it back to its native habitat, benefitting wildlife, conservation, and our community.
Visit the Auction: https://one.bidpal.net/Friendsofvdo2022/welcome

Stewart Udall: The Politics of Beauty Film Screening
2022-10-28 08:00 - 10:00 | NM
Join us for a special film screening of the new documentary, Stewart Udall: The Politics of Beauty directed by long-time PBS veteran John de Graaf.
After the film, there will be a panel discussion with John de Graff and Refuge Manager Jennifer Owen-White. This event is free and open to the public.

ABQ Backyard Refuge Work Day
2022-10-22 03:00 - 06:00 | Zuni Elementary School, 6300 Claremont Ave NE, ABQ, 87110
Join the ABQ Backyard Refuge Program from a work day at Zuni Elementary School! Come ready to build the garden!
Email laurel@friendsofvalledeoro.org

Walk for the Wild
2022-10-07 - 2022-10-15 | Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, 7851 2nd Street SW, Albuquerque, NM, 87102, United States
Join the Friends of Valle de Oro as we Walk for the Wild!
Bird Walk with Laurel
Friday, October 14
9:00am
Join Laurel, the Director of the ABQ Backyard Refuge Program and resident bird expert for a guided walk on the newly opened westside trails! Meet at the Visitor Center. Bring your binoculars or borrow some from the Refuge!

Mural Loop Walk with Park Ranger Dakota

Saturday, October 15
10:00am
Meet with Park Ranger Dakota for an easy one mile guided walk along the refuge’s Mural Loop Trail and learn about Valle de Oro’s history and its future. Meet in the Amphitheater. Program will end back at the visitor center by 11 AM.

Walk for the Wild takes place during National Wildlife Refuge Week (October 8-15). Participants commit to walking a 5K (3.1. miles) and fundraising on behalf of Friends group.

Go to the Walk for the Wild-Team Friends Valle de Oro page.
Click the button on the left side of the page that says “JOIN TEAM.” It is free to register. Make sure you sign up for the Valle de Oro Team!
Set up your personal fundraising page and share the link with folks in your network.
Walk! This will be a self-guided event but we’ll share recommended routes, group walkabouts, and other ways to engage on the Refuge.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP OR DONATE!

Volunteer in the Nature Store
2022-09-13 02:00 - 11:00 | NM
The Nature Store is powered by volunteers!
We use a scheduling tool called SignUpGenius (just click the links below and select a shift). We need your help Tuesday-Saturday. Morning and afternoon shifts are available.
Are you a new volunteer? We’ll make sure you get the training you need!

Click here for the September Schedule.
Click here for the October Schedule.

Visitor Center Grand Opening
2022-09-09 - 2022-09-10 | Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, 7851 2nd Street SW, Albuquerque, NM, 87102, United States

Visitor Center Cleanup Volunteer Service Day
2022-08-27 03:00 - 06:00 | Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, 7851 2nd Street SW, Albuquerque, NM, 87102, United States
Come out and help Refuge staff prepare the Visitor Center for our Grand Opening and 10-year anniversary! We’ll be pulling invasive plants and doing general clean up. Bring work gloves, a water bottle, and sunscreen. Persons under 18 must be accompanied by a legal guardian.
Check in begins at 8:45am. Lunch will be served.
Questions? Contact Park Ranger Dakota at dakota_dominguez@fws.gov or 505.328.9876
Register for the event here!

Opening Doors to Nature Scholarship- Deadline for Applications
2022-08-04 - 2022-08-05 | NM
Friends of Valle de Oro will award three scholarships for the 2022-2023 school year.
Scholarships will be awarded to undergraduate students who are planning to pursue an environmentally focused career or are enrolled in an undergraduate conservation/environmental program.

For more information and to access the application, visit the scholarship webpage. Questions can be directed to Joan at 860-209-2328 and joan@friendsofvalledeoro.org.
https://friendsofvalledeoro.org/open-doors-to-nature-scholarship/

Outdoors 101 Day
2022-07-16 04:00 | Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, 7851 2nd Street SW, Albuquerque, NM, 87102, United States
Celebrate Latino Conservation Week at the Valle de Oro NWR!
Join us for an Outdoors 101 event on July 16th from 10 am – 2 pm. Activities will include camping and packing basics, outdoor first aid, and fishing!
REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.
This event is held in partnership with the Hispanic Access Foundation and Latino Outdoors. For more information, contact Jaidyn Armijo-Sonnenberg at jaidyn_armijo-sonnenberg@fws.gov.
REGISTER HERE.

The Bosque Education Guide Workshop
2022-07-16 02:30 - 10:30 | Rio Grande Nature Center, 2901 Candelaria NW, Albuquerque, NM, 87107, United States
The Bosque Education Guide is an interdisciplinary curriculum about the Middle Rio Grande Valley ecosystem. The curriculum provides classroom-based and field activities for students grades K-12. For the central activity, students construct a model of the Middle Rio Grande and then manipulate the paper and cloth pieces to demonstrate human impacts over the last two hundred years. Later, they “restore” the ecosystem.
Newly updated activities include Next Generation Science Standards/NM STEM Ready! Science Standards.
Features of the Bosque Education Guide curriculum

Over 700 pages of K-12 activities; many now NM STEM Ready!/NGSS designed
Spanish materials available for download
Background and appendices for teachers
Suggestions for service learning in the bosque
Topics include:

The geology of the valley, surface and groundwater
Demands on the river’s water budget
Flora & fauna of the valley
Natural history & human influence
Fire in the bosque
Energy and matter in ecosystems
Bird migration

Workshop information
Workshop activities will occur indoors and outdoors. All public health orders at the time will be followed. Participants should dress in comfortable clothing for the weather that day, good walking shoes, a hat, and sunscreen. Bring a sack lunch and water bottle.
To Register: https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07ej98kvhe91ab1f45&oseq=&c=&ch=
Workshop fee: $28 includes curriculum and binder (700+ pages), laminated kit, expert facilitator guides, refreshments and RGNC State Park Day Use Fee.
Refund Policy: Registration is refundable up to one-week prior to the workshop.
Questions: Tish Morris tish.morris11ATgmail.com or Karen Herzenberg at RGNC 505-344-7240; karen.herzenberg@state.nm.us

This workshop is sponsored by the US Fish and Wildlife Service—Valle de Oro, Friends of Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, Rio Grande Nature Center State Park and the Friends of the Rio Grande Nature Center, NM Museum of Natural History & Science, and New Mexico Department of Game and Fish—Share with Wildlife Program.

Movie Night: Encanto
2022-07-15 13:30 | Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, 7851 2nd Street SW, Albuquerque, NM, 87102, United States
Celebrate Latino Conservation Week at the Valle de Oro NWR!
Join us for a family movie night on July 15. We’ll be screening Encanto at the Refuge! The “doors” open at 7:30pm. The movie begins at 8pm.
REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.
This event is held in partnership with the Hispanic Access Foundation and Latino Outdoors. For more information, contact Jaidyn Armijo-Sonnenberg at jaidyn_armijo-sonnenberg@fws.gov.
REGISTER HERE

Star Party
2022-06-11 14:00 - 17:00 | Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, 7851 2nd Street SW, Albuquerque, NM, 87102, United States
Join us on the Refuge for a Star Party! This event is held in partnership with the Albuquerque Astronomical Society.

Beer Fundraiser
2022-05-26 11:00 - 15:00 | NM
Join us at Canteen Brewhouse for our first Beer Fundraiser of 2022!

Stop by the brewery on Thursday, May 26 between 5 and 9 pm to enjoy the beer, live music and some time with the Friends.

A portion of proceeds will benefit the Friends of Valle de Oro. You can purchase a beer and commemorative pint glass combo for $10.00. We’ll also have other merch for sale!

We miss you- come by and say hello!

Tile Making Workshop
2022-05-21 03:00 - 09:00 | Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, 7851 2nd Street SW, Albuquerque, NM, 87102, United States
Join us on the Refuge for a tile making workshop with ALMA.
Register for this event here.
Learn more about Environmental Justice Community Days here.

Alternative Economies: Barter, Trade, Sell, Buy, Free Community Meet
2022-05-14 05:00 - 09:00 | Los Jardines Institute, 803 La Vega Dr. SW, ABQ, NM, United States
This will be a type of swap meet that will focus on trading, bartering, selling, buying or giveing away things, products, services and skills from participants. Food and Drink will be available for sale. LJI will provide: Copies of Principles, Water, free COVID tests, and carrots.
Register for this event here.
Learn more about Environmental Justice Community Days here.

EJ & Paddle Day: an Educational Journey along the Middle Rio Grande
2022-05-14 03:00 - 07:00 | NM
Join Adobe Whitewater Club for a paddle skills 101 outing combined with Environmental Justice education on Mountain View community issues and Rio Grande history. We will travel the Rio from Bridge/Central to Rio Bravo or Rio Bravo to Isleta.
Space is limited but sure to RSVP.
Register for this event here.
Learn more about Environmental Justice Community Days here.

Please note: This event was listed as May 15 on the flier. This was a misprint. The event is indeed on May 14!

Spreading Sunflower Love, Sanchez Farm Service Day
2022-05-14 02:00 - 06:00 | Sanchez Farm Open Space, 1180 Arenal Rd SW, ABQ, NM, 87105, United States
Come spread sunflower seeds with the community.
Members of Recuerda Cesar Chavez Committee will be offering a workshop on seed ball making and sunflower seed spreading. We will also partner with UNM graduate students to plant seeds and vegetable starts in the community Wisdom Garden.
Our Humanity project will offer a free COVID-19 vaccination pop-up clinic, COVID-19 at-home tests, and educational materials.
AgriCultura Network will provide free bags of produce, and we will have free seeds and educational activities for kids to offer.
This event is organized by many partners including: Recuerda Cesar Chavez Committee, Bernalillo County Open Space, South Valley Main Street Our Humanity Project, AgreiCultura Network, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps.
Register for this event here.
Learn more about Environmental Justice Community Days here.

Native Seed Bursts for Healing the Earth and Ourselves
2022-05-07 05:00 - 07:00 | Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, 7851 2nd Street SW, Albuquerque, NM, 87102, United States
We will make Seed Bursts of local mud, clay, and seeds to be used for spreading native and healing seeds throughout our community. This is an activity that educates us on local plants, medicinal herbs and connecting ourselves to the earth.
Register for this event here.
Learn more about Environmental Justice Community Days here.

Rio Grande Water Quality Workshop
2022-05-06 03:00 - 09:00 | Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, 7851 2nd Street SW, Albuquerque, NM, 87102, United States
Pueblo of Isleta Environment Department will be on the Refuge to educate participants on water quality of the Rio Grande. Water quality kits will teach users about dissolved oxygen, pH, and turbidity.
Register for this event here.
Learn more about Environmental Justice Community Days here.

Art Along the Rio Grande
2022-04-30 04:00 - 08:00 | Gutiérrez Hubbell House, 6029 Isleta Blvd. SW, ABQ, New Mexico, 87105, United States
Join us for the 6th Annual Art Along the Rio Grande — a one-day art fair showcasing the cultural heritage and ecological significance of the Rio Grande Valley!
The event will be on Saturday, April 30th, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Gutiérrez Hubbell House.
Proceeds from artist registration fees and any art donated to the raffle will benefit the Friends of Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge and the Gutiérrez Hubbell House Alliance!
