TAOS
Community Resilience Initiative
Shared Understanding, Community & Bioregional Stewardship
Deep Roots, Living Traditions
Taos is a place of deep cultural roots, living traditions, sacred waters and ecological complexity. It holds a strong community identity shaped by interwoven relationships between land, water and people —cultivated by generations of care and connection.
It is a place of beauty facing real, growing challenges. Understanding the complexity of these challenges is essential to planning for current and future generations.
This is a place-based initiative focused on listening, learning and stewarding this place together.
What Is the Taos Community Resilience Initiative?
The Taos Community Resilience Initiative is a collaborative community effort focused on supporting the long-term health, well-being, and resilience of the town, county and bioregion.
It is about helping our community better understand the ecological systems that sustain life here — and using that understanding to support wiser planning, stronger relationships, and more coordinated action.
Mission & Vision
Mission
Provide shared access to trusted, well-organized ecological and resilience-related data and intelligence that help the Taos community make informed, collaborative, near and long-term planning decisions in support of community well-being and resilience.
Vision
A thriving and resilient Taos community and surrounding bioregion where a shared understanding of ecological realities guides planning, strengthens stewardship, and supports the well-being of present and future generations.
Challenges We're Navigating Together
Taos faces interconnected ecological & planning pressures that require thoughtful, coordinated responses rooted in place and community wisdom.
Water Scarcity
Long-term watershed health and water availability remain critical concerns for the region's future.
Climate Variability
Climate variability and increasing strain on ecosystem health and community infrastructure.
Wildfires & Forest Health
Elevated wildfire risk and shifting forest conditions across the region threaten both ecological and community resilience.
Growth & Development Pressures
Housing expansion and land-use decisions with lasting ecological consequences.
Decisions made now will shape future generations & resilience
Why This Initiative Exists
Better Understanding
Create a common picture and better understanding of ecological conditions across the region.
Reduce Fragmentation
To reduce fragmentation and confusion by creating shared clarity across organizations and agencies.
Support Coordination & Stewardship
To support thoughtful, coordinated responses and planning rooted in place, lived experience and long-term stewardship.
Initiative Overview
Taos Initiative Overview
Click the button above to review the Taos Initiative Overview Document
Listening-First
A collaborative early-stage initiative that begins with listening, not prescribing solutions.
Shared Understanding
Focused on building shared understanding across systems, not delivering quick fixes.
Long-Term Resilience
Designed to support community resilience over time, with transparent collaboration.
Why Taos & the Upper Rio Grande Bioregion?
This community and bioregion is well-positioned to model bioregional resilience — rooted in deep traditions and a shared awareness of ecological limits (our founding team lives in Taos).
Ecological Awareness
Shared recognition of ecological limits and the need for coordinated stewardship. Deep sense of bioregional identity and responsibility to the Upper Rio Grande watershed.
Indigenous Stewardship
Centuries of Indigenous stewardship and acequia water governance provide living models of place-based care.
Regenerative Practices
Strong traditions of natural building, regenerative agriculture and stewardship that demonstrate ecological wisdom.
Purpose of Phase One
Establish a Shared Baseline
Build a credible ecological foundation grounded in existing data and local knowledge.
Support Collaboration
Connect residents, organizations, and agencies around shared understanding.
Guide Future Planning
Create a foundation for informed near-term and long-term decisions, including future funding opportunities.
Learn Together
Discover what is most important and useful before any expansion of scope or scale.
Core Components
Phase One consists of three interconnected components designed to build shared understanding and support coordination.
Community Resilience Assessment
The Phase One assessment has eight core categories of integrated ecological intelligence that creates a shared baseline for understanding system conditions and constraints.
Water
Food
Waste
Ecosystem Health
Climate
Air
Energy
Soil
Community Resilience Coalition
Local organizations, agencies and residents are invited as anchor contributors to the coalition. This work is grounded in real experience and lived knowledge.
Contributions are collaborative, credited and transparent. The coalition exists to strengthen coordination and reduce duplication of effort across the community.
  • Anchor organizations share insight and context
  • Collaborative contributions are recognized
  • Transparency builds trust and shared stewardship
Community Resilience Hub (digital)
Simple & Accessible
A straightforward digital dashboard designed for clarity and ease of use.
Place-Relevant Information
High-level indicators and information specific to Taos and the Upper Rio Grande.
Visible Participation
Transparency into who is participating and what is being learned together.
The hub will start digitally as a website portal and interactive dashboard. Eventually the hub may evolve into a physical community space
How People & Organizations Can Engage
This initiative is meant to be participatory, collaborative, and community-informed. Whether you are deeply involved in community life or simply care about the future of Taos, your perspective matters.
1
Share Your Voice
Complete the Community Resilience Questionnaire below to share your concerns, knowledge, and hopes for Taos.
2
Attend & Connect
Join community meetings or town halls. Contribute research, expertise, or lived experience.
3
Help Build the Coalition
Assist with outreach, facilitation, or represent an organization, sector, or area of focus.
Community Resilience Questionnaire
One of the easiest and most important ways to get involved is by completing the community resilience questionnaire. We really appreciate you taking a few minutes to complete this. It is intended to help us better understand what community members care about most, what concerns they have, and how they may want to engage.
Your perspective matters. Most questions are optional, and this should take approximately 3–5 minutes to complete.
Local Earth & ECOS
The Taos Community Resilience Initiative is a collaborative nonprofit endeavor convened by Local Earth in partnership with ECOS and local organizations.
Local Earth
This nonprofit (founded 2012) convenes and coordinates the Initiative, cultivating relationships, outreach, planning, and stewardship. Local Earth is dedicated to environmental stewardship and regenerative community development.
ECOS
A New Mexico-based company, ECOS provides the platform, technical implementation, and assessment framework, helping communities aggregate, organize, and synthesize ecological intelligence to support long-term planning and community/civic engagement.
The Taos Community Resilience Initiative itself is the shared, community-facing effort — the collaborative structure through which residents, organizations, civic leaders, and municipal agencies can engage with the Community Resilience Assessment, Hub and Coalition.
Seven Generations & the Future
This is just a beginning. Success is measured in trust, clarity and relationships—not in deliverables alone. This is an invitation to listen, learn and steward this place together with care and humility.
"This Initiative is offered in service to Taos and future generations."
Taos Community Resilience Initiative
Assessment, Hub & Coalition
Bioregional Resilience Hub (future phases)
Hub Vision: The Taos Community & Bioregional Resilience Hub is envisioned as a place-based center for education, collaboration, and activation. Rooted in ecological wisdom, cultural inclusivity, and community stewardship, the Hub will serve as the beating heart of the Taos Community Resilience Initiative.
Purpose
To provide a dynamic space where residents, organizations, educators, and civic leaders can come together to learn, plan, and co-create solutions that address the most pressing challenges facing our region — while honoring the land, its waters, and the diverse cultures that call Taos home.
How it Works
The Hub will host classes, meetings, presentations, exhibits, and events, and acts as a collaborative workspace for public and private coalition partners working together on the assessment and implementation of the initiative.
Connect & Collaborate
I am dedicated to the stewardship & coordination of this community initiative
Joshua Alvord
Initiative Coordinator | Taos Resident | Local Earth Director
Phone: 619-517-4469
If you would like to learn more, engage, collaborate, explore synergies or contribute to the Initiative please contact me!
Thank you
Click button above to learn more about ECOS
See appendix below for additional resources & statistics…
Taos County Drought
The harsh realities of water scarcity and climate change are acutely felt in Taos County, where a significant portion of the population and land is under severe drought conditions.
54.8%
Population Affected
Over 18,000 residents in Taos County are currently experiencing the direct impacts of drought conditions.
54.79%
Land in Severe Drought
More than half of the county's total land area is classified under Moderate to Severe Drought (D1-D2) categories.
These statistics underscore the urgent need for localized resilience strategies and collaborative action within Taos County.
New Mexico Water Scarcity
New Mexico faces severe water challenges, marked by historic drought and projected declines in water availability.
1,000+ years
Driest in over a millenium
New Mexico is experiencing its driest era in over a millennium, exacerbating existing water stress.
25-30%
Supply Decrease
Scientists project a significant decrease in available surface water and groundwater recharge over the next 50 years, equating to a staggering 750,000 acre-feet shortage.
Rio Grande Running Dry
lows on the Rio Grande have been below average for most of the last two decades. In 2022, the river dried up entirely through Albuquerque for the first time in 40 years, highlighting the urgent need for action.
Climate Volatility & Impacts
5° to 7°F
Drastic Temperature Spikes
New Mexico faces projected average temperature increases of 5°F to 7°F over the next 45 to 50 years. This severe rise will accelerate evapotranspiration and intensify drought conditions across the region.
96.6%
Precipitation Rarely Reaches the Ground
Despite 8 to 12 inches of annual average precipitation, a staggering 96.6% is lost to evaporation and thirsty plants. Only 1.6% runs off into rivers and streams, and merely 1.8% recharges groundwater aquifers.
These factors combine to create a critical and escalating water crisis, threatening both ecological stability and human communities.
unknown link
Severe Groundwater Reliance & Depletion
New Mexico's critical dependence on groundwater, forming over half its supply, is driving catastrophic aquifer depletion across the state.
52%
Total Water Supply
Groundwater provides over half of New Mexico's total water supply, creating immense pressure on finite resources.
81%
Public Systems Rely on Groundwater
A vast majority of public water systems and 78% of the state's drinking water rely entirely on groundwater.
120ft
Albuquerque Decline
The Albuquerque area experienced over 120 feet of decline in production wells between 1972 and 2012.
200ft
Gallup Decline
The Gallup area saw a 200-foot decline in groundwater levels in just a decade (1999–2009).
These significant declines highlight an unsustainable trajectory, necessitating urgent action to manage and conserve groundwater resources.
Critical Resource Data
Major Aquifers Show Long-Term Storage Declines
286.4 million acre-feet decline
High Plains Aquifer
The High Plains Aquifer, a vital source of groundwater for much of the central United States, has experienced a significant decline in recoverable water storage. By 2019, its storage was down approximately 286.4 million acre-feet (10%) from predevelopment levels, with total recoverable water standing at ~2.91 billion acre-feet.
Water availability is a binding constraint for growth and development decisions—carrying capacity requires groundwater and watershed intelligence in planning.
Planetary Boundaries: 7 of 9 Breached
The Planetary Health Check (PHC) 2025 Report reveals that seven of the nine critical Earth systems, which regulate our planet's stability and habitability, have now crossed their safe operating limits. This signals escalating risks for our future.
Planetary Boundaries : 7 of 9 Breached
1
Climate Change
Rising global temperatures and extreme weather events.
2
Biodiversity Loss
Accelerated extinction rates and ecosystem degradation.
3
Deforestation
Widespread loss of critical forest ecosystems.
4
Freshwater Disruption
Unsustainable water usage and pollution.
5
Altered Nutrient Cycles
Excess nitrogen and phosphorus runoff impacting ecosystems.
6
Ocean Acidification
Increased CO2 absorption by oceans threatening marine life.
7
Novel Entities
Accumulation of human-made substances (e.g., plastics, chemicals) in the environment.

Takeaway: The planet's life-support systems are under severe and increasing strain, demanding urgent action to reverse accelerating negative trends.
ECOS (Video Overview)
VIDEO DISCLAIMER: This video is an AI-assisted production created from selected source documents and guided prompts. It is intended to spark ideas, conversation, creativity, questions and community engagement. While the core concepts and factual foundations are drawn from trusted materials, some pronunciations, phrasing, or perspectives may not fully reflect the nuance or position of ECOS. Please view this video as a starting point for exploration rather than a definitive statement. Thank you for viewing with curiosity and understanding. Enjoy the video!
ECOS (Sample Podcast)
Climate volatility
2024: The Warmest Year on NOAA's Record
+1.29°C
20th-Century
Global land and ocean temperature in 2024 was +1.29°C above the 20th-century average
+1.46°C
Pre-Industrial
Temperature reaching +1.46°C above the 1850–1900 "pre-industrial" baseline.
Ecological conditions are shifting fast enough that communities need planning systems that continuously integrate updated climate/ecosystem signals into zoning, infrastructure, and risk decisions.
Global Risks Report
WEF Survey Highlights Top Ecological Risks
The World Economic Forum's Global Risks Perception Survey consistently identifies environmental and ecological issues as the most severe long-term global threats over the next decade. These reflect consensus across 1,300+ experts worldwide:
Extreme Weather Events
Ranked as the top long-term risk, increasing in intensity and frequency, impacting global economies and infrastructure.
Biodiversity Loss & Ecosystem Collapse
A high-impact risk contributing to food insecurity, resource scarcity, and ecological instability.
Critical Earth System Changes
Broad structural changes, including altered biogeochemical cycles and climate tipping points, pose systemic risks.
Natural Resource Shortages
Scarcity of water, fertile soil, and energy materials due to ecological degradation and population pressures.
Persistent Pollution
Air, water, and soil pollution from industrial, agricultural, and energy systems remains a critical long-term risk.
trust & fragmentation Challenges
Bridging Gaps in Trust and Data Management
ECOS is uniquely positioned to address critical deficiencies in public confidence and data infrastructure that hinder effective climate planning and community development.
Public Trust in Government Remains Low
Only 22% of Americans trust the federal government to do what is right “just about always/most of the time”. This lack of trust affects the acceptance and implementation of crucial community initiatives.

Planning decisions need transparent, verifiable foundations—shared ecological intelligence improves legitimacy and reduces conflict risk.
State IT Leaders Cite Data Fragmentation
Only 22% of states report having an enterprise-wide data quality program, indicating widespread data silos and integration challenges.

Data fragmentation is not just a tooling problem—it’s an institutional capacity gap; ECOS can provide a practical integration layer for ecological decision intelligence.
Operational Challenges
Operational Barriers to Ecological Intelligence
Even when ecological data exists, institutions struggle to integrate it into planning workflows—often due to data quality, siloed systems, and limited capacity. At the same time, low trust and low participation in local governance increase the stakes for transparent, well-substantiated planning. ECOS strengthens legitimacy by grounding decisions in shared, verifiable ecological intelligence.
Public-sector GenAI Access Still Limited
75%
Lack access to GenAI
Deloitte’s survey indicates that approximately 75% of government organizations have fewer than 40% of their employees with access to GenAI tools. This highlights a significant operational gap.

Many agencies can’t yet operationalize advanced analytics broadly—so decision infrastructure must be usable, interpretable, and deployable with today’s capacity constraints.
City Leaders Flag Capacity Constraints
70%
Lack staff capacity
70% of cities cite lack of staff capacity as a major barrier, according to a recent National League of Cities survey. This underscores a pervasive resource limitation across municipal governments.

Tools that reduce coordination burden and convert fragmented ecological data into ready-to-use planning intelligence directly address a top municipal constraint.
ECOS
Guided by Nature | In Service to Life
~ Let's work together to ensure a healthy thriving future for our planet and future generations ~
Thank You