Speaking up for martens

In response to the 2021 Taos Ski Valley master plan

Let me put it this way, all of your talk about caring for nature, and respect for the land and water, is overshadowed by your statements like “upgrading/expanding guest amenities,” and “expansion of year-round offerings and summer activities,” “Via Ferrati,” “new mountain bike trails,” “Wild West” “forest mastication” to “improve” forest health, “upgrading terrain network,” “fire mitigation,” “glading,” “base to base access,” all sound to us like the human propensity to rationalize the destruction of nature for the sake of “development.”

Our view is that more than enough “development” has taken place in this valley which we have inhabited and lived in harmony with for thousands of years.

The last 20 years has been especially difficult for us as more and more of our forest habitat has been fragmented by human activities at the ski area and the surrounding private lands.

The American marten (martes americana caurina) is dependent on old growth spruce-fir forest, and in particular, the complex and messy structure of dead and down trees that give us subnivean (under snow) access to our preferred rodent prey (voles). The ski area and surrounding lands used to provide this kind of habitat and we thrived there until recently. Now the wilderness boundary has largely become our boundary.

If you are sincere in your wish to protect the environment we suggest you consider our habitat and future in your plans. Lets see some of that “Can-do” spirit that you talk about.

American marten facts (from Wikepedia):

• The American pine marten (martes americana), also known as the American marten, is a species of North American mammal, a member of the family mustelidae. The species is sometimes referred to as simply the pine marten.

• The American marten is broadly distributed in northern North America. From north to south its range extends from the northern limit of tree-line in arctic Alaska and Canada to the alpine forests of Northern New Mexico.

• Trapping and destruction of forest habitat have reduced its numbers.

• The American marten is a long, slender-bodied weasel about the size of a mink with relatively large rounded ears, short limbs and a bushy tail. American marten have a roughly triangular head and sharp nose. Their long, silky fur ranges in color from pale yellowish buff to tawny brown to almost black. Their head is usually lighter than the rest of their body, while the tail and legs are darker. American marten usually have a characteristic throat and chest bib ranging in color from pale straw to vivid orange.

• Denning behavior Females use dens to give birth and to shelter kits. American marten females use a variety of structures for natal and maternal denning, including the branches, cavities or broken tops of live trees, snags [28], stumps, logs [28], woody debris piles, rock piles and red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) nests or middens. Females prepare a natal den by lining a cavity with grass, moss and leaves.

In New Mexico martens are restricted to only a few areas in the Sangre de Cristos, and the San Juan Mountains. The populations in the Latirs appears to be isolated from the Taos Mountains population, which also appears to be isolated from the Santa Fe Mountains population.

They are listed as a Threatened Species in New Mexico. Taos Ski Valley and Village could and should become a partner in the protection of this unique species instead of the cause of its local demise.