Caja Del Rio Is Community Land Used by Everyone. Let’s Protect It for Future Generations

By Julian Gonzalez, Santa Fe Resident and user of traditional practices in Caja del Rio. 

The Caja del Rio is community land used by everyone. I want this critical landscape to be protected for future generations because I want and need my kids and all who come after me to be able to graze cattle, hunt, gather firewood, and other traditional uses of the everyday way of life for anyone who lives in the outskirts of Santa Fe.

The livestock here has fed tons of families that live in this area. The wood from this land keeps our homes, and many homes in Santa Fe warmed. My grandfather, Herman Baca, was a heavy wood hauler. That’s how he made a living and fed the family for years. Our connection to Caja and what it offers is deep.

Although it remains largely unprotected, this region has great cultural and historical importance for many people. When I roam in these lands, I see and come across so much out here, from Indigenous petroglyphs and footprints of Spanish settlements to historical trails like the Camino Real. We have lived together in this area for centuries and thrived. We must remember history and our ancestors. We must learn from our past to understand our present and pass these lessons to future generations.

 Besides the cultural, historical, and traditional usage significance, Caja del Rio is critical for our survival and wildlife. Water is life, and we must protect it, especially in the desert and the Southwest, where we face unprecedented drought. 

The Caja del Rio contains two vital watersheds: the Santa Fe River and the Rio Grande. Both are critical for hydrology, agriculture, grazing, the economy, and the ecosystem. We must be good and responsible stewards of the land and the water.  

Protecting Caja del Rio is a must, and we must bring all stakeholders to the table because everybody has a voice, and their perspectives count. Let's do this for future generations.