BOSQUE ECOSYSTEM MONITORING PROGRAM

What BOSQUE ECOSYSTEM MONITORING PROGRAM does

The Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program (BEMP) is a community science and education organization founded in 1997 by Dr. Clifford Crawford at the University of New Mexico. BEMP operates a network of 33 monthly monitoring sites spanning 560 kilometers of the Middle Rio Grande valley, collecting systematic ecological data on groundwater levels, precipitation, litterfall, arthropods, and small mammals in the riparian forest (bosque) ecosystem. The organization's primary service population is K-12 students in more than 50 schools across New Mexico, who serve as citizen scientists during monthly field data collection, supplemented by a UNM undergraduate/graduate internship course (BIO 408L/508L) and summer enrichment programs.

BEMP's core technology consists of standardized field and laboratory protocols for ecological data collection — including 10 litterfall collection tubs per site yielding 3,840 processed samples annually, plus specialized tamarisk leaf beetle biocontrol monitoring at 17 sites. The data asset represents over two decades of continuous monitoring and is used to inform public policy and watershed management decisions. Supporting educational products include the River of Change curriculum, Stormwater Science, an Environmental Justice Air Quality program, a Phenology program, and several annual convenings (Crawford Symposium, BEMP Congress, Luquillo-Sevilleta Virtual Symposium). All educational content is NGSS-aligned and distributed free of charge.

BEMP is a donation-funded nonprofit affiliated with UNM's Department of Biology; it does not sell products or charge fees for educational programs. Revenue is sourced from individual contributions, foundation grants, and an active capital campaign supporting construction of a permanent facility at Bosque School. The organization maintains a small staff of approximately 8-12 members (Program Director, Science Director, Education Director, Data Manager, Office and Contract Manager, educators, and ecologists), operates from Castetter Hall on the UNM campus in Albuquerque, and runs a southern regional program (BEMP South) at Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park in Las Cruces.

Name

BOSQUE ECOSYSTEM MONITORING PROGRAM

Legal name

Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program

Website

https://bemp.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

BEMP is a UNM-affiliated community science nonprofit that engages K-12 students across 50+ New Mexico schools as citizen scientists collecting long-term ecological monitoring data at 33 sites along the Middle Rio Grande bosque, funded by donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Education Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Biodiversity Baseline Studies & Long-Term Monitoring Programs (EUAHAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Watershed/Source Water & Raw Water Quality Monitoring (intakes, reservoirs, groundwater) (EUANAJAH), Groundwater Monitoring & Well Sampling (Monitoring Wells, Plumes) (EUAHACAE), Wildlife Surveys & Movement/Connectivity Studies (e.g., Avian/Bat, Telemetry) (EUAHAHAH), Wetlands & Waters of the U.S. Delineation / Riparian Assessments (EUAHAHAC)

Keywords

• Ecological monitoring programs
• Environmental education services
• Community science programs
• K-12 science education
• Riparian ecosystem research

Headquarters

HQ city

Albuquerque

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: BEMP operates as a nonprofit organization primarily funded through donations from individuals, organizations, and foundations. The organization maintains an Operational Fund and a Capital Campaign to support students, staff, programs, and facility construction.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

BEMP operates a community science and education program in which K-12 students and volunteers conduct systematic monthly ecological monitoring of the Rio Grande bosque at 33 research sites spanning 560 kilometers of the Middle Rio Grande. The program collects standardized data on groundwater, precipitation, litterfall, arthropods, and small mammals, and delivers accompanying classroom, field-based, and curriculum resources to schools across New Mexico.

Product overview

BEMP (Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program) is a community science organization affiliated with the University of New Mexico that operates a portfolio of educational programs focused on ecological monitoring of the Rio Grande bosque ecosystem. The core offering is the Monthly Monitoring Program, where students and volunteers collect data on groundwater, precipitation, and litterfall at 33 research sites spanning 560 kilometers of the Middle Rio Grande valley. Supporting this are K-12 education programs including On Campus sessions, In Field data collection experiences, and a specialized 7th Grade Cottonwood Program. Educational curricula include River of Change (teaching the history and future of the Rio Grande) and Stormwater Science (watershed health education). BEMP also operates the UNM Intern Class (BIO 408L/508L), hosts annual symposiums including the Crawford Symposium and Luquillo-Sevilleta Virtual Symposium, and manages BEMP South at Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park. The organization specializes in phenology monitoring, air quality education through its Environmental Justice Air Quality Program, and invasive species tracking via the Tamarisk Leaf Beetle Monitoring program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Monthly Monitoring Program Hands-on ecological data collection program where students and volunteers collect groundwater, precipitation, litterfall, arthropod, and small mammal data at 33 research sites across the Middle Rio Grande bosque for K-12 schools and partner organizations.
• BEMP K-12 Education Programs (On Campus, In Field, 7th Grade Cottonwood) K-12 educational offerings including on-campus nature journaling sessions, field-based data collection experiences, and a specialized 7th grade program focused on Rio Grande cottonwood ecology for Albuquerque-area schools and teachers.
• Stormwater Science Program Educational program teaching K-12 students about watershed health, water quality testing, and how stormwater pollution affects the Rio Grande ecosystem, delivered to schools and community partners.
• River of Change Curriculum Multi-part educational series teaching the historical changes of the Rio Grande ecosystem, from Rio Bravo (~2000 years ago) through modern Rio Manso to future Rio Nuevo scenarios, for K-12 classrooms.
• UNM Intern Class (BIO 408L/508L) University of New Mexico course (BIO 408L/508L) where students learn southwestern riparian ecosystem ecology and monitoring protocols, mentor K-12 citizen scientists, and produce original scientific research using BEMP datasets.
• Phenology Program Educational resources and monitoring activities focused on seasonal changes in plants and animals, including nature journaling, seed adaptations, bird migration, and seasonal scavenger hunts for K-12 students and community participants.
• Environmental Justice Air Quality Program Outdoor education program centered around air quality monitoring, partnering with organizations to educate youth and community about the health of the air they breathe in the Rio Grande region.
• Tamarisk Leaf Beetle Monitoring Biocontrol monitoring program tracking tamarisk leaf beetle activity and behavior at 17 sites along the Rio Grande to understand the relationship between the beetle and invasive tamarisk tree populations.
• BEMP South (Mesilla Valley) Southernmost BEMP regional program at Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park providing volunteer-led monthly monitoring and educational and stewardship opportunities for K-12 students in southern New Mexico.

Quantifiable outcome

• 33 monitoring sites maintained monthly with standardized protocols
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of New Mexico (UNM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBEMP is headquartered at UNM in Castetter Hall. The organization operates as part of UNM's Biology Department and offers the UNM Internship Course (BIO 408L/508L). UNM students serve as important links between BEMP and K-12 teacher/student site representatives.
• Bosque SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBEMP has a permanent home at Bosque School where its capital campaign supports construction of a permanent facility including classroom, lab, gallery, and meeting spaces. Many BEMP programs and events take place at Bosque School including BEMP Congress.
• Luquillo Long Term Ecological Research NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual partnership hosting the Luquillo-Sevilleta Virtual Symposium connecting middle and high school students from Albuquerque and Puerto Rico to share scientific research through the Schoolyard Program for the Sevilleta LTER.
• Sevilleta Long Term Ecological Research (LTER)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBEMP is part of the Sevilleta LTER Schoolyard Program, enabling students to participate in long-term ecological research and share findings with the broader LTER network.
• Horizons AlbuquerqueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSummer partnership providing a tuition-free academic enrichment program for middle and high school students from low-income families. BEMP offers bosque ecosystem education including water quality testing, mammal tracking, and plant DBH measurement as part of the summer enrichment experience.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's 'Connecting People with Nature' program coordinates Native Fish In the Classroom in the greater Albuquerque area, providing curriculum, aquariums, native fish, and biologist support to local schools.
• Mesilla Valley Bosque State ParkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBEMP South operates at Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park, providing educational and stewardship opportunities for K-12 students in southern New Mexico through hands-on learning at the monitoring site.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: TNC is a global conservation organization that combines long-term ecological monitoring, habitat protection, and education at a scale that dwarfs BEMP's bosque-specific work. Comparable along the dimensions of science-driven conservation and donor-supported education programming, but with a vastly broader portfolio.
• National Audubon Society: Audubon combines long-term bird and habitat monitoring with extensive K-12 and community education programming at scale, overlapping with BEMP's biodiversity monitoring and education model. As a much larger established conservation organization, Audubon represents the broad-incumbent analog in the citizen-science-and-education space.

Direct peers

• EarthEcho International: EarthEcho equips youth worldwide with tools and programs for water and ecosystem stewardship, mirroring BEMP's student-driven approach to monitoring local watersheds. Both organizations pair K-12 engagement with water-quality data collection and science communication.
• American Rivers: American Rivers is a national nonprofit focused on river protection, restoration, and policy advocacy — overlapping with BEMP's Rio Grande bosque stewardship and policy-informing data work. Both operate as advocacy-and-science hybrids targeting a specific river's ecological health.
• River Network: River Network supports community-based organizations protecting and monitoring rivers across the U.S. BEMP's focus on the Middle Rio Grande bosque and its data's role in informing watershed management decisions directly parallels River Network's mission and constituency of water-focused community groups.
• Watershed Management Group: WMG runs community-driven watershed monitoring, restoration, and education programs in the arid Southwest — directly comparable to BEMP's riparian-focused community science work along the Rio Grande. Both organizations pair hands-on water and ecosystem monitoring with public education and stewardship.
• NatureBridge: NatureBridge delivers residential environmental science education for K-12 students in national parks and natural areas, similar to BEMP's field-based bosque education programs. Both blend hands-on ecological data collection with curriculum-aligned science instruction for school groups.
• Earthwatch Institute: Earthwatch runs field-based citizen science expeditions where non-scientists contribute to ecological and environmental data collection, closely paralleling BEMP's model of engaging students and volunteers in rigorous environmental monitoring. Both organizations convert community participation into publishable environmental research with educational outcomes.
• GLOBE Program: NASA- and NSF-supported GLOBE engages K-12 students in standardized environmental data collection (atmosphere, hydrology, soil, land cover) — the same student-citizen-scientist monitoring model BEMP uses at its 33 bosque sites. Both rely on protocols, teacher training, and student data submission for environmental research.

Emerging players

• iNaturalist: iNaturalist is a citizen science platform for biodiversity observation that, like BEMP, turns community-collected natural history data into research-grade records. It is an emerging technology-enabled peer intersecting with BEMP's biodiversity and phenology monitoring mission through a different (digital, opportunistic) data collection model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCZFY31NlhtZFTd0ixAaEMSw
• Facebookfacebook.com/bemp.nm
• Instagraminstagram.com/bemp.nm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bosque-ecosystem-monitoring-program

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about BOSQUE ECOSYSTEM MONITORING PROGRAM