A CONTEMPLATIVE APPROACH TO SUSTAINABILITY ENGAGEMENT
Outdoor mindfulness, shared reflection, and ecological learning in Albuquerque and across New Mexico.
Link to Google Folder of updated information on site – will be updated each Friday before an event.
Slow down. Pay attention. Connect with the land beneath your feet. This place-based meditation and environmental-learning initiative welcomes the UNM and greater Albuquerque community—faculty, students, staff, and members of the public—to encounter sustainability as a shared practice of care for land, water, public health, cultural memory, and future generations.
JOIN ONE GATHERING OR JOIN THEM ALL. Gatherings during the UNM fall and spring semesters include place-based context, a guided 30-minute meditation, tea, reflection, and an optional continued hike.
| WHAT WE WILL EXPLORE • Drought, water scarcity, and river restoration • Wildfire risk, recovery, and watershed awareness • Land use, urban ecology, and green infrastructure • Ecological grief, resilience, and grounded action | WHAT TO BRING • Something to sit on, such as a backpacking chair or ground pad • Water, sun protection, and clothing for the conditions • A journal, if you would like to write during reflection • Openness to quiet observation and shared dialogue |
| DATE | SITE & PROPOSED MEETING LOCATION | THEME | TIME |
| Aug. 29, 2026 | Bear Canyon Open Space, Albuquerque Proposed: John Robert Dam | Arid land management, urban arroyos, drought-stressed flora, and stormwater infrastructure | 7:00–9:30 a.m. |
| Sept. 26, 2026 | Galisteo Basin Preserve Proposed: Cowboy Shack Trailhead / main trailhead parking | Grassland and piñon-juniper ecology, drought, erosion, and land stewardship | 7:00–9:30 a.m. |
| Oct. 31, 2026 | Cerrillos Hills State Park Proposed: park visitor center | Extraction history, mining legacies, land use, and repair | 8:30–11:00 a.m. |
| Nov. 28, 2026 | Rio Grande Nature Center State Park, Albuquerque Proposed: visitor center | Riparian habitat, migratory birds, river ecology, and water | 9:00–11:30 a.m. |
| Jan. 30, 2027 | Hyde Memorial State Park Proposed: main park entrance / visitor area | Forest ecology, drought, watershed awareness, and wildfire risk | 9:00–11:30 a.m. |
| Feb. 20, 2027 | Tingley Beach / Bosque, Albuquerque Proposed: Tingley Beach main plaza / visitor building | Managed water, restoration, recreation, and urban ecological care | 9:00–11:30 a.m. |
| Mar. 27, 2027 | Bandelier National Monument Proposed: visitor center and shuttle area | Canyon ecology, water, wildfire recovery, erosion, and human relationships | 8:30–11:00 a.m. |
| Apr. 24, 2027 | Elena Gallegos Open Space, Albuquerque Proposed: information center / main picnic-area parking | Fire ecology, the wildland–urban interface, and community preparedness | 8:00–10:30 a.m. |
| May 29, 2027 | Valles Caldera National Preserve Proposed: Valle Grande entrance station / visitor contact station | High-elevation meadow ecology, fire recovery, and watershed resilience | 9:00–11:30 a.m. |
| First 100 participants: Receive a Sea to Summit Frontier Ultralight Collapsible 12-ounce Camp Cup. Meeting locations are proposed and may change. Exact meeting instructions, parking information, and a map pin will be shared with participants before each gathering. Proposed sites and times are subject to change based on conditions and event logistics. Maps and other exact-location information will be shared in the Google Drive folder. |
| Questions or interest? Roberta Lavin | rlavin@salud.unm.edu | 703-431-6553 |
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