Native Plant Society of New Mexico Native Plant Society of New Mexico

“Caring for Dovetail”

Speaker: Melissa Houser, Stewardship Director at Santa Fe Conservation Trust

Dovetail is a 300 acre property in the Galisteo Basin purchased by the Santa Fe Conservation Trust in 2020. This is a place where people have lived for centuries and is the unceded territory of the Tewa and Tano people, who were the original stewards of the land.  It is also home to many native plants and animals, and part of an important corridor allowing plants and animals the ability to roam and adapt to a changing climate.  And because of the density of conservation easements held by SFCT in this area, it is a major focal point for our conservation work and an area where we work to connect our protected properties to provide critical connectivity to impact the loss of biodiversity and climate change in this region. Since purchasing the property, the Trust has been working to restore the land.

Melissa Houser is a born-and-raised Santa Fean, an avid outdoorswoman, and a committed researcher, conservationist, environmentalist, and vegan chef. She has proudly worked for the Santa Fe Conservation Trust (SFCT) since 2009, helping protect and connect the landscapes of northern New Mexico that shaped her life. As the Stewardship Director, Melissa has managed the stewardship of SFCT’s protected property portfolio, collectively representing more than 47,000 acres of protected land. She is extensively trained in Land Trust Alliance (LTA) Standards and Practices, with expertise in Conservation Easement Stewardship, Managing Easements in Perpetuity, Evaluating and Selecting Conservation Projects, Strategic Conservation Planning, Biodiversity Documentation, and Wetland and Stream Mitigation. Her additional training includes Montane Wetland Rapid Assessment with the New Mexico Environment Department, Slope Wetland Restoration with the Quivira Coalition, and Ecology of the Santa Fe Mountains through Santa Fe Community College. Melissa holds a Master of Philosophy from Trinity College Dublin and a Bachelor of Arts from Pitzer College.