THE PUEBLO OF SANTA ANA SITS NEXT TO THE RIO GRANDE NORTH OF ALBUQUERQUE AND RIO RANCHO.

FOR NEARLY 900 TRIBAL MEMBERS THE LAND IS NOT ONLY HOME BUT AN IMPORTANT PLACE THAT CONNECTS THEM TO ANCESTORS.

THE RIVER HAS ALWAYS BEEN IMPORTANT TO US CULTURALLY FOR THE PUEBLOS AND SANTA ANA.

WE HAVE TRADITIONAL DANCES, GRANDPARENTS, PARENTS TELLING IT, AND THEY TIE IN WITH ECOLOGICAL SYSTEM AS A WHOLE FOR THE REASON WHY WE ARE DOING.

GOVERNOR MONTOYA SAYS PROTECTING MEDICINAL PLANTS AND CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT AREAS AND WILDLIFE IS FOR IMPORTANT TO THE TRIBE AND OTHERS CAN SEE THE WORK THEY ARE DOING WHEN THEY VISIT THE PUEBLO FOR EVENTS AND RECREATION.

A LOT OF PEOPLE NO MATTER ETHNICITY, PEOPLE LIKE TO SEE THE BOSQUE THAT IS IN THE STATE IT WAS.

THE TRIBE HAS BEEN WORKING TO RESTORE THE BOSQUE AND RIO GRANDE FOR DECADES.

FAR FROM THE RIVER BANKS, THERE IS EVEN MORE WORK BEING DONE.

TRIBES NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT IS RESTORING TURKEY POPULATIONS, TRYING TO HELP ENDANGERED FISH AND BIRDS, AND TRACKING MOUNTAIN LIONS, AND BEARS.

THEY HAVE ALSO WORKED ON RESTORING HEALTHY FIRE TO THE LANDSCAPE.

INSTALL WATER FEATURES FOR WILDLIFE.

IN 2005, THE TRIBAL COUNCIL CREATED WILDLIFE CONSERVATION CODE.

THIS VISION WAS CREATED BY TRIBAL LEADERS FOR THE BENEFIT OF EVERYONE LIVING AT SANTA ANA.

PART OF THE WORK IS THINNING OUT TREES AND RETURNING LAND TO WHAT THEY ONCE WERE BEFORE COLONIZATION AND LIVESTOCK RAISING.

PRETTY INTENSE, THIS WORK, AND WE HAVE TO BE OUT HERE IN THE WINTER AND HOT SUMMER, COLTED.

NOXIOUS WEEDS ARE OUT HERE AND WE TRY TO BRING THE GRASSLANDS BACK TO WHAT IT WAS BEFORE.

WE CUT THE TREES SO IT IS NOT SO HOT WHEN WE PUT DOWN FIRE AND IT BRINGS BACK GRASSES.

THIS IS A GOOD JOB FOR ME AND CLOSE TO HOME.

I DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH TRAFFIC.

MOST OF SANTA ANA IS OFF LIMITS TO NON-TRIBAL MEMBERS UNLESS INVITED AND IN PARTS OF THE PUEBLO'S 79,000 ACRES, PRONG HORN HAVE BEEN REINTRODUCED AFTER NEARLY 40 YEARS OF BEING MISSING FROM THE AREA.

THERE USED TO BE ANTELOPE ON THE MESA OF SANTA ANA AND USED TO BE ANTELOPE ALONG HIGHWAY 550, KIND OF THIS PERIPHERY HERD THAT WOULD COME FROM THE RIO RANCHO AREA.

BRINGING THEM BACK WAS SOMETHING THAT THE COUNCIL REQUESTED.

SANTA ANA PUEBLO NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT WORKED WITH STATE AND FEDERAL OFFICIALS TO GAIN PERMITS AND FUNDING TO BRING IN ABOUT 100 PRONG HORN.

THEY STARTED RELEASING THE ANIMALS IN 2009.

NOT ALL SURVIVED.

SOME WERE EATEN BY PREDATORS AND A FEW DIED FROM THE STRESS OF BEING MOVED.

OTHERS TRAVELED BEYOND THE BORDERS OF THE PUEBLO.

THERE ARE CURRENTLY ABOUT 70 PRONG HORN ON THE PUEBLO AND THE DEPARTMENT IS ALSO FOLLOWING MOUNTAIN LIONS AND OTHER PREDATORS OUTFITTED WITH GPS COLLARS.

WE'LL BE ABLE TO LOOK AT WHAT KIND OF IMPACTS ARE THEY HAVING, HOW MANY ANIMALS ARE THEY KILLING ON THE PUEBLO, WHAT SPECIES.

WE ARE ALSO LOOKING FOR TRAVEL CORRIDORS, ARE LARGE CARNIVORES MOVING ON AND OFF THE PUEBLO AND WHERE ARE THEY MOVING SO WE CAN PROTECT THOSE AREAS AND PROVIDE CONNECTIVITY FOR WILDLIFE IN THIS AREA.

I THINK THEY ARE OFF IN THAT DIRECTION OVER THERE.

YOU WANT TO -- PARKER HAS WORKED FOR THE TRIBE FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS.

HE SAYS THE CHANGING CLIMATE AND NEW CHALLENGES WILL TEST GROUNDWORK ALREADY LAID FOR WILDLIFE AND PEOPLE.

TRIBAL COUNCIL HAS BEEN A LEADER I THINK IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY AND SUPPORTING RESTORATION WORK ON THEIR LAND, KNOWING FULL WELL THAT THERE IS PRESSURES FROM OUTSIDE, YOU KNOW, RIO RANCHO, BERNALILLO, PLACITAS, EXPANDING COMMUNITIES, LAND USE OF MINING, WATER ISSUES WITH THE LACK OF WATER.

YOU KNOW FULL WELL, IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN CULTURAL IDENTITY THEY HAVE TO PROCEED TO THE LAND.

FOR OUR LAND AND NEW MEXICO INFOCUS, I AND LAURA PASKUS.