PLACITAS OPEN SPACE (POS)

History:  The City of Albuquerque acquired what became the POS from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in 1966 under the federal Recreation and Public Purposes Act which requires that it must be used for recreation.  In 1995, after opposition from Placitas community members to a proposal put before the Albuquerque Open Space Advisory Board to put a shooting range on the property, community members decided to take a proactive effort towards the management of the open space.  The Committee for a Las Huertas Creek Nature Reserve was formed in 1995 and merged with Las Placitas Association later the same year. (Las Placitas Association was incorporated in 1972 as a non-profit corporation focused on community welfare.)  LPA is a tax-exempt organization [501(c)(3)].   

Since its founding in 1995, Las Placitas Association has remained actively committed to the protection and management of the POS and has received overwhelming support from the community, area homeowners associations, local businesses, as well as the Albuquerque Open Space Division, and the Sandoval County Commissioners.

The Placitas Open Space Master Plan—Funding and Development
A master plan for the POS was essential for its permanent protection and management.  A sustained and combined community effort led by LPA resulted in The Placitas Open Space Master Plan which was completed in 2002.  The plan takes into consideration the community’s wishes for its recreational use, as well as the protection of its cultural, historical, and natural resources.  In all, over $110,000 was raised or received in the form of grants and volunteer expertise to make this a reality.  The following is but a partial list of all those who contributed this tremendous undertaking.

The State of New Mexico $50,000
Diamond Tail Ranch $10,000
Mid-America Pipelines $25,000
State Historic Preservation Division Grant $4000
Albuquerque Archeological Society (volunteer site survey work) $8000
Albuquerque Community Foundation Grant $4000
UNM Community and Regional Planning Program (volunteer ground work and mapping)

Also contributing to the funding of the Master Plan was LPA’s annual fundraiser, The Flowering Desert Garden Tour, which drew 300 plus people each year to Placitas to view the spectacular water-wise gardens on display.  Due to persistent drought conditions, this annual fundraiser has been discontinued indefinitely.  In addition to this, the plan was also made possible by LPA member donations and volunteer activities. 

Hikes and Recreational Uses of the POS
The POS Master Plan calls for low-impact recreation which includes hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking.  Each year, Las Placitas Association sponsors a series of hikes and activities on the Open Space which are free for anyone interested in learning about the natural and cultural heritage of this high desert area.  These hikes included Birds of Placitas, Native Plants of the Placitas High Desert, Archeology Hike, and Mountain Bike the Open Space.  Check out this year’s calendar of events which will be mailed out in March.  Also check out the the Resources tab for the bird inventory, the native plants inventory to find out more about the rich natural heritage of this beautiful high desert area. 

Cultural Resources

There is a high density of archeological sites on the Placitas Open Space.  A survey of the sites was jointly implemented and financed by LPA and grants from the New Mexico Historic Preservation Division and the Albuquerque Community Foundation and was carried out by the Archeology and Historical Research Institute along with volunteer contributions from the Albuquerque Archeological Society.  The Cultural Resources Inventory of the Placitas Open Space was completed in 1998 and the POS is now a historic district listed on the State Cultural Properties Register.