Sandia Collaborative
Sandia Collaborative
The Sandia Collaborative aims to protect, preserve, promote, enhance and restore the landscape and watersheds of the Sandia Mountains for traditional and contemporary multiple use for current and future generations.
The Sandia Collaborative holds general membership meetings at 10:00AM on the third Tuesday of each odd-numbered months.
About Us
The Sandia Collaborative is working to:
1. Establish mutual priorities that will leverage resources and funding of all partners and stakeholders for the betterment of the Sandia Ranger District.
2. Identify collaborative projects to protect the flora, fauna, historic and cultural properties and artifacts, and watersheds.
3. Develop recommendations to manage fire risk, natural resources, and year round recreational and educational activities.
Member Organizations Participate in National Public Lands Day Event at the Sandia Ranger District
September 26, 2026 – This event provided an opportunity for the public to meet Forest Service staff, chat with the District Ranger and staff, get updates on the Forest and recreation.
Participants also met partner organizations at family-friendly interactive stations and explored ways to get involved.
Kerry Jones of Friends of the Sandia Mountains reported, "Our National Public Lands Day event at the SRD on Saturday had around 150 attendees. Peter Rhyins and I set up a table in the lobby and enjoyed chatting with a steady stream of visitors. The event got a nice write-up in the East Mountain News!"
Photo credit: East Mountain News
Forest Service Lifts Fire Restrictions
(Albuquerque, NM, September 17, 2026) – Due to increased moisture and favorable weather across central New Mexico, the Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands will lift Stage 1 fire restrictions on the Mountainair and Sandia Ranger Districts effective Friday, September 18, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. MDT. This rescinds Stage 1 Fire Restriction Order #03-03-00-26-20. Stage 1 restrictions have been in effect across both districts since May 8.
The decision is based on fuel moisture levels and the amount of precipitation both received and forecasted across the two districts. Fire restrictions are implemented to reduce the risk of human-caused wildfires during periods of extreme fire danger and elevated fire weather.
Forest managers consider several factors for determining fire restrictions, including current fire danger and fire activity, current and predicted weather, fuel moisture levels, availability of firefighting resources, and local, regional and national fire preparedness levels.
Click to read full order.
Sandia Collaborative Bimonthly Meeting Held on September 15
The Sandia Collaborative held its bimonthly Zoom meeting on September 15. Vice-president Allen Saville presided in the absence of president Mike Madden. Discussions consisted of updates from member organizations. (Governor Paisano of Pueblo of Sandia was invited to be guest speaker but was unable to make the meeting.)
The presentation "Partner-Led Funding for Large-Scale Fuels Reduction" by Sandia District Ranger Ken Born drew a lot of favorable comments and recommendations for further discussion.
The agenda and "handouts" from the meeting can be accessed below. A detailed summary will be added later.
Click to read agenda.
Click to read meeting announcement.
Click to view Ken Born presentation..
Pueblo of Sandia Land Transfer Proposal
Perhaps you watched one of these TV newscasts on the evening of July 23 or read the detailed story in the July 26 issue of the Albuquerque Journal.
The policy of Sandia Collaborative is not to choose a side on political issues. However, member organizations operate under their own policies.
Click on above images to watch July 23 TV news reports regarding a proposed congressional act to transfer management of much of the west side of the Sandias from the Forest Service to the Department of Interior. The KOB story includes a video clip of volunteers from Friends of the Sandia Mountains cleaning graffiti at La Luz Trailhead in May. The KRQE story includes a brief statement by Governor Paisano of Pueblo of Sandia.
Sandia Crest Recreation Areas Closed Until January 2027
District Ranger Ken Born describing upcoming projects. Click to watch KRQE 13 feature story.
April 24, 2026 — The Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands issued a closure order (03-03-05-26-02) for the Sandia Crest “Switchback” Hazard Tree and Fuels Reduction Project on the Sandia Ranger District to be enforced starting April 30, 2026. The closure protects public health and safety during mechanized thinning work. See maps attached.
Click to read/download full order.
Click to enlarge/download map.
Click to enlarge/download map.
Click for closure details and alternate hiking routes during closure.
July 30, 2026 – In private conversations, Sandia District Ranger Ken Borne provided the following clarifications:
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The equipment of the contractor doing the thinning work is needed elsewhere for fire suppression. Therefore, the work, which is about 80% done, is on pause until the equipment and personnel can return.
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The road barrier above 10K was manned by the contractor. SRD does not have the personnel to continue staffing this; therefore, the decision to remove the barrier even though there is no public parking above 10K while the closure order remains in effect.
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The (separate) contract for demolition of the Crest House was signed recently. Work should begin in late August and finish this fall.
Forest Service Seeking Volunteers
Volunteers needed at the Base of the Tram!
Since May of 1966 the Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway has been a gateway to the most stunning views in the Sandia Mountains. For many years local Volunteer Site Hosts have been available at the Four Seasons Visitors Center at Sandia Peak to welcome visitors and provide information about the area. It was necessary to discontinue the volunteer effort during the pandemic; however, this year we are looking at establishing the volunteer effort at the Tram.
After the pandemic, the Tram changed visitor routing at the upper tram terminal such that visitors are no longer routed through the Four Seasons Visitors Center until they are ready to return. Because of this, it was felt that a better location for Site Hosts would be at the lower Tram terminal. Days, times and hours are flexible, and training will be provided. However, volunteers who are willing to dig into the depth of resources provided and learn on their own are appreciated. If you enjoy engaging with the public and sharing information about the Sandias, you are encouraged to sign up!
Volunteer Steve Roholt of Friends of the Sandia Mountains at table with maps and other handouts on ground floor of lower Tram terminal.
Volunteers are based in the public area on the ground floor of the lower tram terminal. This is a busy area and is a great spot to welcome visitors and provide information about the Sandias. Volunteers can chat with folks waiting to board the tram and move indoors during inclement weather.
If interested, please contact coordinator Jamey Browning at jamey@friendsofthesandias.org.
Volunteers needed at Doc Long Interpretive Hut!
The Doc Long Picnic Area had been used for picnicking as early as 1920, when the original Crest Highway was constructed. It was named in honor of Dr. William Long, a forest pathologist, who studied tree disease in the area and was partially constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The Interpretive Hut, located within the picnic area, has long been used as a place to welcome visitors and provide information about the area. For many years, it was staffed by Forest Service personnel, then switched to being staffed by local Volunteer Site Hosts, then was closed during the pandemic. Since then, a dedicated Forest Service intern, Tony Powell, renovated the hut, giving it a fresh new look and updated displays and information.
New volunteers are needed to share this little gem of an interpretive center with the public. Days, times and hours are flexible, and training will be provided. However, volunteers who are willing to dig into the depth of resources provided and learn on their own are appreciated. If you enjoy engaging with the public and sharing the natural wonders of this area, you are encouraged to sign up!
If interested, please contact coordinator Julie Padilla at julie.padilla@usda.gov
Volunteers needed at Tijeras Pueblo!
Below is the background and capacity needs for volunteers at the historic Tijeras Pueblo site. Some of the former Friends of Tijeras Pueblo volunteers have stayed on. Many have left.
If interested, please contact coordinator Sandra Coambs at sandra.coambs@usda.gov
Click either image above to read or download pdf file.
Blog Posts
Get Involved
If you are interested in the Sandias, we offer many ways to become involved.