Greening the Railyard

REI donates $50,000 toward water harvesting to irrigate landscape full of trees, plants

Julie Ann Grimm | The New Mexican

3/26/2008 - 3/27/08

The city's new Railyard Park will be shaded by cottonwood, ponderosa pine, piñon, juniper, elm, ash, apricot and apple trees, and host hundreds of shrubs and flowers by the time a landscaping plan is complete.

On Wednesday, ready-to-bloom fruit trees were among the first of 400 new trees to be planted at the park, and officials expect more than 100 will be in the ground within two weeks.
Meanwhile, a business that is slated to open this summer in the redeveloped Santa Fe Railyard has donated $50,000 toward a water harvesting system for the park and other public areas on the city land.

REI sporting goods, which is the anchor tenant in a large retail building, made the donation to support the project because it highlights a sustainable design and the city's history, said Bob Ward, who will be store manager in Santa Fe.

The Trust for Public Land, a national nonprofit land conservation organization, has been leading the effort to plan, design and raise funds to build the 12-acre park on behalf of the city. Including the REI grant, support from a city bond issue and other contributions, the trust has raised $12.3 million and needs about $1.2 million.

The rainwater harvesting system will collect and store water from the roofs of new and historic Railyard buildings to provide irrigation for the park's shade trees, rose garden and other naturally landscaped areas. The feature will also recharge the local aquifer and serve as a regional demonstration project for water-wise, sustainable parklands.