Arable agricultural land is critical to our traditions and wellbeing
Ibelieve Taoseños may rue the day they didn’t see to it that their elected town and county officials take steps to protect and preserve arable, acequia watered, agricultural land in Taos County.
The signs of climate change are clear and threatening. The arid southwest losing the historic uses of the land also spells the disappearance of the age-old cultures that have sustained themselves here and steadfastly stewarded the health of the land for many generations.
Surely any elected official in Taos in a position to determine land use (a very heavy responsibility) is familiar with the in-depth study contained in Taos County resident William deBuys 2011 book, “A Great Aridness.” In it he has described in fine detail the changes evident in the New Mexico climate, as explained to him by scores of lifelong New Mexico residents — people who can also speak of the land knowledge of their elders.
The question that needs to be attended to in a very serious way, and now, is whether our previous, fragile, arable land should be turned over to residential or commercial development, with wells and septics being punched in the green fields, roads cut through landscapes that fed and supported families for many generations: paved parking lots on former hayfields?
Is this the “highest and best” use in view of the present climate emergency? Are our leaders not aware of the coming urgent need for land that can grow food: Land that can preserve clean water running through it and under it? Natural land that contributes to clean air?
There are forward-looking municipalities in New Mexico that have taken positive steps toward keeping the loss of arable land at a minimum. Towns that have recognized the environmental changes resulting in desertification, huge fires and other changes that are destroying arable land today all over the world, causing populations to abandon their ancestral homes.
There are New Mexico municipalities that are limiting damaging and unthoughtful development on agricultural land for the health and future wellbeing of their citizens.
Taos could be one of those enlightened, forward-looking places, but that will only happen if Taoseños and their leaders place enough value on our future well-being and historic traditions that kept the land healthy, and the people supported.
“If wishes were fishes ...”