CHECK LIST OF BIRDS
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO
BIRDS OF KIRTLAND AFB
AIR FORCE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
The United States Air Force has the responsibility of managing more than nine million acres of valuable public lands. To ensure success, the Air Force has developed a network of dedicated professionals who work in coordination with local, regional and national authorities. Their challenge is to find a balance in requirements of military mission, security and environmental habitat protection. This effort requires the cooperation and support of the Air Force and its neighbors. The primary goal is to guarantee the quality of public lands under Air Force stewardship.
Conservation programs on Air Force bases include fish and wildlife conservation, forestry, agricultural land lease, habitat management and outdoor recreation. Air Force Resource Managers and nearby communities, working together, have made great strides in fostering environmental awareness through education and cooperation.
The Air Force supports partnerships with many resource groups including Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation, Ducks Unlimited, North American Waterfowl Management Plan, Wetlands Protection and Enhancement and the National Watchable Wildlife program. You are invited to visit Air Force lands. Come see how we are doing with our part of America.
Located near Albuquerque, New Mexico, KAFB is one of the largest installations in the Air Force Materiel Command. The base covers over 52,000 acres and employs about 20,000 people. KAFB began in the late 1030s as an Army Air Corps training field. The current mission is research and development. The 377th Air Base Wing is host organization, supporting more than 150 tenant groups. Included are the Phillips Laboratory, the AF Operations Wing, Defense Nuclear Agency’s Field Command, and Sandia National Laboratories, a Dept. of Energy contractor.
The Natural Resources mission is to maintain awareness of the land condition and prevent habitat destruction. Holdings include desert grasslands, and foothills and canyons of the Manzano Mountains. It includes parts of the Cibola National Forest, Madera, Otero and Bonito Canyons. Natural water sources are limited to 5 springs, with the Coyote Springs picnic area being the most accessible. Wildlife ‘guzzlers’, however, have been installed at nine locations throughout the range. Several small seasonal ponds associated with the Tigeras Arroyo Golf Course provide habitat for wetland birds.
Resource management coordination with military operation has resulted in excellent wildlife habitat. Military mission precludes access to much of Kirtland AFB except with special permission. For more information, contact the Natural Resources Office at 505-846-6857.
The U.S. Air Force and Partners in Flight are cooperating on an international program to promote the conservation of migratory birds. For information, contact DoD Partners in Flight by email or call 540-349-9662.