Focusing on bridging the urban-rural divide, Ute Creek Cattle Company’s Guiding Principles include hosting an annual educational event on the land. Here are some of the highlights:
2012 – As members of a rancher panel, Tuda and Jack presented at the October 12th Riparian Restoration Workshop in Tucumcari. The following day the Crews’ hosted the group at the ranch where Tuda and Jack presented before-and-after illustrations of the salt cedar eradication efforts on Ute Creek.
2011 – In late September Christopher Rustay brought 13 members from an Albuquerque Audubon Society Chapter for a day of birding. The group birded around the house the Bird Sanctuary where 27 species were identified in about 15 minutes. After a full day of birding, Jack educated the urbanites on the ranch low-stress cattle handling facilities and Tuda presented on UCCC’s Animal Compassion Standards.
Also in 2011 Tuda, Jack and Ted received their educational certificates at the week-long Ranching For Profit School taught by Dave Pratt.
2009 – The C de Baca Family Reunion brought 117 relatives to the heritage ranch and featured a tour highlighting the working corrals and riparian restoration efforts to eradicate salt cedar in Ute Creek.
2008 – Presented the UCCC story on Earth Day at the Eldorado Library near Santa Fe. From that Courtney White, Director of the Quivira Coaliton, asked UCCC to write an article for the Quivira Journal. To read “Reflections on A Resilient Heritage Ranch” by Tuda Libby Crews, visit www.QuiviraCoalition.org
2007 – July 27th presented UCCC story at Society for Range Management annual meeting and July 28th hosted group for Ranch Tour on Riparian Restoration, lunch and program.
2006 – With a matching grant from the Playa Lake Joint Venture, a one-day workshop called Discovering New Ranch Dollars through Nature drew 111 attendees to the ranch. Presenters from Canadian, Texas introduced the concept and benefits of nature tourism as rural economic development. The workshop sparked innovative action for creating diverse income streams to local ranches to create jobs and strengthen the rural economy.
2005 – Quivira Coalition New Ranch Network held a workshop at the ranch bringing 47 men and women onto the land to learn planned grazing, salt cedar management and habitat restoration.
2004 – Collaborating with New Mexico State University, Ute Creek Soil & Water Conservation District and UCCC co-hosted a Watershed Restoration & Management Field Day and salt cedar tour. The impressive bus carrier brought 65 guests included legislators, county commissioners, bankers and land owners to the Bueyeros School House for a program on salt cedar eradication. A demonstration of canopy chemical application by helicopter and afternoon programming on management provided extensive education on the invasive, high water-using plant.
2004 – On May 4th, a Kids Wild Bird Workshop brought 60 fourth studentsplus 22 teachers/bus drivers from four surrounding rural schools to learn the about how wild bird habitat provides a symbiotic relationship between healthy land and the number of bird species. Programing was directed by Wildlife Biologist, Tish McDaniel of The Nature Conservancy with assistance from biologists from the US Fish & Wildlife and Patty H. from the NM Department of Game and Fish.
2003 – NRCS ranch tour focusing on Salt Cedar eradication on Ute Creek.
2001 – A Wild Bird Workshop directed by the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory from Ft. Collins, Colorado drew 72 attendees to Bueyeros. From diverse backgrounds and four states, men and women gathered to learn about short grass prairie birds and the habitat that sustains them.