Program lets opposing groups unite over a common concern

by Jeremy Hunt

Daily Lobo

Don't let its small stature fool you - the silvery minnow is an integral part of the Rio Grande's ecosystem, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife biologist said.

Joel Lusk said New Mexico needs to save the minnow for the state's benefit.

"Its unique biological heritage would be gone," he said. "It's the last of its kind. It's also a biodiversity we can save. We have the ability, and we have the

responsibility."

Lusk spoke to about 50 people Monday as part of the Middle Rio Grande Endangered Species Act Symposium.

The symposium presented research and projects from the Middle Rio Grande Endangered Species Act Collaborative Program.

The symposium focused on the biology and ecology of the silvery minnow and the Southwestern willow flycatcher, an

endangered bird.

The program is a collaborative effort of 20 groups, including farmers, the Isleta Pueblo

and UNM.

Through the program, groups work together instead of taking disputes to court, said Jennifer Parody, Endangered Species Act coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

"This program is more about getting the entities together," she said. "The intention is to meet everyone's needs while following the ESA."

The program has done much more than if the groups worked individually, Parody said.

"We've definitely reversed some of the negative effects," she said. "Without having those folks at the table, it's more difficult to solve these problems."

The biggest benefit of the collaboration is the funding it has brought, said April Sanders, former director for the program.

The program received about $50 million from the federal government and research communities since it started five years ago, Sanders said.

It gives scientists the opportunity to look further into the impact humans are having on the Rio Grande's ecosystem,

she said.

The program addresses the harmful effects humans have had on the Rio Grande, Sanders said.

For example, too much water was taken from the river before the program began, she said.

"We're mitigating for all the mistakes we've made in the past," she said. "The Rio Grande is

listed on the 10 most endangered rivers in the world, and it's because we've lost so many species."

A major accomplishment is habitat restoration, which helps bring up the numbers of the minnow and flycatcher,

Sanders said.

Lusk said the minnow is important in the food chain because the minnows eat vegetation, and they are food for other fish and

animals.

"There aren't many animals that can eat plant matter and turn that into meat," he said. "That transfers the energy of the sun into meat we can eat."

Sanders said the Rio Grande's ecosystem needs to be maintained because it is New Mexicans' source of water and a place of refuge.

"It impacts the health of the people here," she said. "There's a huge impact on the quality

of life."