Published by ARC El Paso (KFOX14/CBS4) | Edition 04/28/2025 | Link To Article
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KFOX14/CBS4) — Nuestra Tierra, an environmental advocacy group based in Las Cruces, organized a community cleanup at the La Mancha wetlands over the weekend.
Volunteers gathered to remove invasive cattail plants and clear pathways of tumbleweeds, a crucial effort to protect the diverse animal species inhabiting the wetlands.
Natasha Norman, Communications Manager for the Nuestra Tierra Conservation Project, highlighted the significance of the event.
"So many people don't know that this is here, but it used to be a concrete dump site for Dona Ana County," she said. "La Mancha is a four-acre wetland right here in Las Cruces. And it provides a crucial habitat to a variety of different species. Anything from birds, butterflies to bullfrogs and fish. And it's the only wetland here in Las Cruces."
The event marked the third annual Earth Day at La Mancha, celebrating both Earth Day and three years of stewardship by Nuestra Tierra.
Norman noted the community's involvement, saying, "A lot of community members have come out to volunteer their Saturday morning to help with the cleanup."
The La Mancha restoration project began in 2010, initiated by the Southwest Environmental Center to create a wildlife habitat, particularly for fish affected by agricultural water diversion. In 2022, stewardship was passed to Nuestra Tierra.
Volunteers David Patterson and Jim Mulhauser, affectionately known as "the men of La Mancha," have been instrumental in the ongoing restoration efforts. "It's important to clean it up because the health of the pond has been at stake," said one volunteer. "The pond is drying up, so it's having a hard time sustaining the life that it normally does."
Norman emphasized the broader mission of the project, stating, "The cleanup today is so that we can ensure that La Mancha is around for future generations. This really stems from our mission to ensure that historically and deliberately excluded communities have access to the outdoors."
Nuestra Tierra is working to build a dedicated team of volunteers to continue restoration efforts.