Santa Fe: Get ready to love your watershed

Santa Feans, mark your calendars! The Santa Fe Watershed Association’s second annual Love Your Watershed Day is just around the corner.

From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 4, De Vargas Park will transform into a buzzing hub — quite literally, thanks to a table full of bugs from Santa Fe County and Queen Bee’s musical performances and instrument petting zoo. You’ll find water-themed dance and yoga, a scavenger hunt, and many more educational exhibits and activities designed by our wonderful community partners.

This free, family-friendly community event isn’t just about enjoying a day in the park, it’s about celebrating how the Santa Fe Watershed unites us and sustains our way of life. It’s also a call to action. Starting Friday and continuing until May 5, we encourage residents to participate in a river or arroyo cleanup or join the cleanups being hosted by our amazing volunteer steward teams. All details can be found on the Santa Fe Watershed Association website or santafewatershed.org/lywd-2024.

Why should you celebrate the Santa Fe Watershed? Simply put, our watershed is the lifeblood of our community, providing us with clean drinking water, supporting wildlife and offering recreational opportunities that enrich our lives.

And yet, this very watershed is under constant threat amid ongoing dangers from pollution, litter and contamination. Last year alone, the Santa Fe Watershed Association’s steward teams and volunteers collected 15 tons of litter and debris in our arroyos and rivers.

By joining us for Love Your Watershed Day and the cleanup efforts, you’re sending a powerful message that you care about the future of Santa Fe and are willing to take action to protect it. Our watershed — and our community — depends on it.