APD and Open Space Division team up to clean up bosque

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Albuquerque Police Department and the city’s Open Space Division are teaming up to clean up the bosque, so people can enjoy nature without running into trash.

“When we see areas that have a lot of trash, and things that shouldn’t be there, it is heartbreaking. And it’s scary too to think that a fire could get out of control, and impact us that way,” said Colleen McRoberts, superintendent of the City of Albuquerque Open Space Division.

For people who walk through the bosque every day, it’s astonishing how much trash was piling up just off the trails.

“Wow if you are looking at the before picture I am looking at colors of plastic, and garbage, and crap inside the wood, and the trees, and all over the ground. And the after, it’s just ground and trees, you can feel the trees are happy,” said one hiker. 

But it wasn’t just garbage that was cleared out, crews were also able to clean up multiple illegal encampments.

“We probably only tackle around three camps a week, and with APD’s support, in just two weeks we were able to tackle 17 camps,” said McRoberts.

McRoberts says she loves to see people coming out and using the city’s open spaces, but she doesn’t love to see what people leave behind.

“It’s important that they be good stewards of the land. We want people to keep in mind they do have an impact to the wildlife, they do impact the water, and each other as well. So please be respectful to this beautiful place we are in,” said McRoberts.