Valle De Oro Master Plan

SITES partnered with Wilson & Co. and a multi-agency team—including the Albuquerque Metropolitan Arroyo & Flood Control Authority (AMAFCA), U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), and Ducks Unlimited—to craft the master plan for the nation’s first purpose-designed urban wildlife refuge in Albuquerque’s South Valley.

Located on a former dairy farm just south of Albuquerque, the 570-acre refuge has been transformed through thoughtful planning into a landscape that supports both wildlife and community. From the outset the project employed an extensive public-interaction strategy involving workshops, charrettes, field trips, public gatherings, and meetings with local and national agencies.

The plan’s vision included restoring habitat for waterfowl and other avian and land-based species, creating six wetland or management units, organizing the site around fields informed by its agricultural history, and weaving in both pedestrian and equestrian trails. Botany study labs, children’s learning exhibits, and a salt-grass habitat emphasize education and ecology. Innovative stormwater features serve as both functional art and infrastructure that cleanses runoff before it reaches the Rio Grande.

At its core, this project reflects SITES’ commitment to designing landscapes that serve people, habitat, and process in equal measure. Valle de Oro stands as a model of how ecological restoration, public engagement, and community access can converge in an urban setting, offering memorable outdoor experiences and meaningful stewardship opportunities for decades to come.