Mission, Vision, Values and Goals

Stewardship over Regulation: Individual awareness and grass roots community engagement are the best tools to achieve our mission and vision.  HPWA believes that when individuals are aware of, understand and value the needs of the natural and human community, they will take action to support the vitality of those communities.  When a community is involved as an active steward of its ecosystem, a sense of ownership and responsibility for the ecosystem develops.

In contrast, while regulation can effectively define, in technical terms, what actions will sustain both human and natural communities, regulation by itself can divide communities and create a burden of authority and enforcement.  HPWA believes regulation is a necessary component to safeguard our communities and ecosystems, but regulation does not, by itself, enable our mission or vision.

Value Indigenous Knowledge.  Northern New Mexico is home to a tradition of land stewardship, developed over hundreds of years by Native American, Hispanic and Anglo farmers, foresters and ranchers. Our community includes many individuals and families that maintain land-based lifestyles, and whose well-being is intimately tied to the health of the landscape. We honor and value this heritage of local knowledge, and see it as the foundation of our efforts.

Sound Science and Ecological Principles. In order to take full advantage of current knowledge and provide a sound basis for our actions, we strive to use the best scientifically credible information available in our education, monitoring, assessment, land management and restoration work.  Principles of ecology that recognize the interrelated nature and importance of all components of our ecosystems will be applied to our work.  Furthermore, we seek the potentially complimentary perspectives of local indigenous knowledge and scientific information to offer a more complete and holistic approach to watershed stewardship.