Recently Steve & Linda Blamer have added conservation and permaculture to their long list of site improvements, fulfilling the owner’s vision to preserve the 2,000 + acres of land for generations to come.

One of Santa Fe’s best landscape and design firms, San Isidro Permaculture was hired to assess a potential liability on the Blamer’s ranch. The rainwater on the mesa had the potential to erode the property’s main road and was naturally pooling in a depression on the land. “There was already a natural pond area happening, says Sam Knowlton, San Isidro Permaculture’s Operations Manager, “we decided to turn this into a great resource.”

San Isidro Permaculture is a team of professionals with experience in irrigation, masonry, horticulture, forestry, soil science, ecology, carpentry, green building, food production, and much more. The company specializes in private and commercial land and public spaces in Northern New Mexico. Their work intends to provide a positive impact on Santa Fe and its larger ecosystem.

After surveying the affected area at Blame Her Ranch, San Isidro designed several minimalist erosion control interventions to slow the spread of water, channel water into a deliberate ponding area and constructed two ponds. Knowlton reports that the biggest challenge was drilling through a solid 8-foot shelf of limestone. Eventually, the first of the two ponds were created and sealed with sodium bentonite clay; this pond, serves as an oasis providing drinking water for local wildlife. The second is an overflow pond capturing additional water and slowing its absorption back into the water table.

In addition to the two ponds, San Isidro Permaculture planted a couple hundred native shrubs: each with specific ecological functions. The native shrubs accomplish everything from building soil root mass to mitigating erosion, providing food for animals and wildflowers for pollinators. 25 shade trees were also planted at the conservation site to slow water evaporation and over 3 acres of lands were hydroseeded with native grasses and wildflowers.

“Linda and I are completely committed to the Agroecology and Research Center (the Center) which actively works to protect, maintain and enhance our unique property in an effort to preserve open space, establish game corridors, enhance the land’s ability to hold and support local wildlife including expanding travel corridors, implementing indigenous agricultural and biodiverse activities, and educating the community about the preservation of this ecosystem,” said BHR owner, Steve Blamer.

Look at our short video about the project:
https://youtu.be/E_bOuX3LQ5c

Persons interested in learning more about The Center at Blame Her Ranch or visiting the Conservation easement are welcome to inquire: steve@blameherranch.com