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Southern Rocky Mountains - New Mexico Recovery Unit
This RU coincides with the Southern Rocky Mountain Physiographic Province (USGS 1970) and the Rocky Mountain Forest Province (Bailey 1980). The landscape includes a system of high ranges separated by deep structural basins of the northern Rio Grande rift (Williams 1986). Major ranges include the Sangre de Christo and Jemez Mountains. Numerous high peaks with alpine tundra are present in the Sangre de Cristos north of Santa Fe (Williams 1986). The Jemez Mountains are an extensive volcanic caldera with associated volcanic flows and tuff deposits.
In general, owls inhabit steep terrain and canyons in this RU. They typically occur in prefer mixed-conifer forests on steep slopes in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, and in the Jemez Mountains they occupy in canyons incised into the Los Alamos Tuff. Patches of mixed-conifer forest which appear to contain attributes of owl habitat exist throughout northern New Mexico.
Dominant land-use practices within this unit include timber cutting and livestock grazing. Products such as vigas, latillas, and fuel wood are harvested for personal use throughout this RU. Recreational activities in northern New Mexico include skiing, off-road driving, hiking, camping, and hunting. Other land uses include oil, natural gas, and mineral development, and pipeline corridors.
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