“Participation in the Yerba Mansa project and Dara Saville’s classes has created a ripple effect for which I am incredibly grateful. I began taking classes the year my son was born because I wanted to empower myself with knowledge of herb medicine.  Over the last five years, I have witnessed and experienced the power of plants to heal and support our well-being.  Dara’s teachings revolve around ourrelationships with plants.  Because of what I’ve learned, I’ve welcomed many medicinal plants into our gardens with a sense of curiosity, wonder, and awe. This has been a journey I have shared with  my son as we admire and care for the plants in our yard together.  We drink tea and make medicines from plants in our garden.”

“My experiences with the Yerba Mansa Project have been nothing short of incredible. I was fortunate to bring students on their Ecology and Herbalism Bosque Walks in 2018 and 2019 and they were fantastic. I consider myself to be somewhat of an expert on the riparian ecosystem surrounding the Rio Grande but I always manage to learn something new and amazing every time. The tour guides do a great job keeping the students interested and engaged and use their time and the space expertly. Beyond that, working with their iNaturalists page on the plants of the Rio Grande is a great way for students to develop their research skills and learn something new about plants they see just walking around town. The work they do is essential to the long term health of the Bosque and the community.”

“It has been a privilege and joy to participate in the Yerba Mansa Project semiannual Bosque Restoration days. This project offers me a chance to interact and work with caring people of all age groups who are guided and overseen by professionals from the city’s Open Space  department. All these people come together focused on making a visible and tangible difference to our environment and the Bosque. …Having participated over multiple years, I have been able to see areas once infested with Ravenna grass now supporting native plants and being restored to a healthier condition. The whole project fosters a sense of community amongst diverse people and provides time interacting outdoors in nature that is beneficial to both the participants and the land. This is really a terrific project and one I hope is able to continue for many years to come.”

“I’ve been fortunate to visit the areas involved in the Yerba Mansa Project over the years. There’s been such an improvement in the land, water, and vegetation due to the treatments provided by the volunteers Dara Saville has recruited to remove unwanted invasives and plant appropriate native species.  Not only has the land improved, but this project has helped many young people, including school children, become involved in their environment.  It’s one of the best examples of citizen science and community engagement I’ve experienced.  There will even be a publication created by these young people showcasing their achievements, further solidifying their interest in science, conservation, and public service.“

“The Yerba Mansa Project has made and is continuing to make a difference in drawing families and children into the bosque and encouraging them to learn about…their home environment…. I can recall when ravenna grass completely dominated the ground surrounding the two ponds in the bosque near Tingley Beach. …[N]ow these ponds have a more natural appearance…. …[S]ome of the people that have volunteered on Bosque  Restoration Day…had never visited the bosque previously. This fact alone is enough to establish the importance of the Bosque Restoration Days as well as the education initiatives…in exposing  families and children to the bosque…The…participating individuals, the plants and animals, and the river itself are all part of a community. YMP is engaged in other educational initiatives that include developing a bosque field guide that is created by children. The field guide ties all the components of the community together. In short, the Yerba Mansa Project makes a difference in making the bosque a part of a community…. “

“The Yerba Mansa Project gave me the opportunity to learn about local plants and meet community in a new to me ecosystem/city. I was also very inspired to hear of the work that they do in the community with youth, inspired how many people show up to restoration days, and thrilled to hear that local wildcrafting with a critical eye was being taught and paired with restoration work. This project is very unique and valuable. “

“I’ve been working with the Yerba Mansa project for a few months helping to water the new plantings in the Bosque. I got connected to this amazing project during the pandemic to find ways to connect with my local environment and community that is actively trying to better it. I am so grateful to the restoration space and all the native plants I get to nurture, and the subsequent questions I get to answer about the project from folks walking around the area.“

“Although I was born and raised in Albuquerque and grew up close to the Mountains, I never had much of a chance to spend time with our River, or amongst the towering River Cottonwoods alongside it’s banks. The Yerba Mansa Project changed my life when they helped me make a relationship to our central water way, the Rio Grande, the surrounding Bosque, and most importantly to bring understanding of the importance of Riparian ecosystems, particularly the quickly disappearing and essential Desert Wetlands that occur within these spaces & all life encompassed within them. …I have embraced a new sense of responsibility and meaning, found in the precious moments of solitude and community care that are encompassed by Yerba Mansa Projects’ initiatives. Their community events create outdoor, inter-generational learning opportunities that give back to the land and water while helping those young and old learn that they can make an impact in their place….”

“About three years ago I moved to Albuquerque for the second time. One day I happened upon a notice for a free class (put on by the Yerba Mansa Project…) on local medicinal plants. …I was absolutely captivated during that class and from there became a regular participant in Albuquerque Herbalism’s series, courses and plant walks (led by Dara and her highly skilled community of educators, scientists, and herbalists) as well as the Yerba Mansa Project’s community-based Bosque restoration efforts. The foundational principles and practices I continually encountered working with and learning from Albuquerque Herbalism and the Yerba Mansa project are what kept me coming back.”