Central New Mexico Correctional Facility (CNMCF) in Los Lunas has initiated a conservation education program in collaboration with the Institute for Applied Ecology (IAE). This initiative is designed for inmates in the facility's geriatric unit. As part of the program, ten participants have successfully grown over 3,000 native grasses. These plants were then moved to a local farm to continue their growth and seed harvesting under IAE’s Southwest Seed Partnership program.
The program not only focuses on plant cultivation but also provides inmates with practical skills in greenhouse management, proposal writing, and native plant propagation. Participants receive bi-weekly lessons on native species ecology as well. The program aims to establish a restoration garden next year. This garden would benefit native pollinators and birds while serving as an outdoor classroom.
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