This Weekend, Celebrate Earth, Night & Day
April 23, 2026 | Guest Columnist | news-bulletin.com By Teresa Smith de Cherif Earth Day began on April 22, 1970, to raise awareness of mounting environmental degradation. Ten percent of the U.S. population at the time, 20 million people, turned out to demand environmental protection. That initial civic engagement began as a bipartisan idea and […]
Saving the Belen Marsh, an Interview with Eileen Beaulieu
March 26, 2026 | Guest Columnist | news-bulletin.com By Teresa Smith de Cherif The protection of existing wetlands is among the top three goals of Valencia Soil and Water Conservation District. As the district has committed to informing the public of the importance of wetlands in New Mexico’s hot and dry environment, today’s column features […]
Valencia SWCD Stands with Taxpayers on Property Tax Bill Errors
January 7, 2026 | Press Release | View Letter By Teresa Smith de Cherif and Pam Cordova Valencia Soil and Water Conservation District has written to the Board of County Commissioners indicating that the “corrected” 2025 property tax bill, being replete with new errors, must be corrected. Valencia Soil and Water Conservation District (Valencia SWCD) […]
Whitfield under the Starry, Starry Skies
November 20, 2025 | Guest Columnist | news-bulletin.com By Teresa de Cherif Valencia Soil and Water Conservation District is hosting the annual Whitfield under the Stars event from 4:30–8 p.m., Friday, November 21, at Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area, located at 2424 N.M. 47, north of Rio Communities. The new moon will provide a dark sky […]
Valencia SWCD Board Chair to Present at 15th Annual NM Wildland Urban Fire Summit
Press Release — September 30, 2025 Valencia Soil and Water Conservation District’s Board Chair, Teresa Smith de Cherif, is a guest speaker this week at the 15th Annual New Mexico Wildland Urban Fire Summit at the University of New Mexico—Valencia Campus in Tomé, from September 30–October 2, 2025. Today, September 30, at 3:00 p.m., Chair […]
All About the Birds and the Bees
September 25, 2025 | Opinion | news-bulletin.com | View Article By Jeff Sanders and Michelle DentGuest columnists The upcoming Desert Willow and Pollinator Festival on Saturday, Oct. 4, at Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area is an opportunity to learn everything there is to know about the birds and the bees — nature’s pollinators. Folks can discover […]
Visit Whitfield and Be Cool
August 28, 2025 | Opinion | news-bulletin.com | View Article By Teresa Smith de Cherif Summer in central New Mexico has been hotter and drier than normal — and it’s not over yet. Even without a quick fix to this scorching season, there are some commonsense adaptations that Valencia Soil and Water Conservation District is […]
Become a soil and water conservationist, with district assistance
July 24, 2025 | Opinion | news-bulletin.com | View Article By Teresa Smith de Cherif If a drying Middle Rio Grande and uncertain monsoon rains have you wondering that it might be time to consider harvesting water from your rooftop to a backyard garden, or if you are dreaming of becoming a soil health champion, […]