Contact: Joe Gardner Wessely 277-8016 Richard Towne 277-8009 Media Contact: Carolyn Gonzales 277-5920

"Montoya Ranch" sound clip October 21, 2002 KUNM STORY AMONG FINALISTS FOR NATIONAL JOURNALISM PRIZE The story, "Montoya Ranch," produced by Joe Gardner Wessely for public radio KUNM 89.9 FM, is one of five finalists for the Daniel Schorr Journalism prize. Sponsored by WBUR and Boston University, the prize is designed to encourage and inspire a new generation of public radio journalists. Schorr, a senior analyst for NPR, has a distinguished, award-winning career in broadcast journalism and has worked with such legends as Edward R. Murrow and Ted Turner. "We submit stories for various awards because we believe we're doing good community service broadcasting," said Richard Towne, KUNM station manager. "Having one of our stories recognized nationally keeps us on the map for good journalism. We are pleased to have an independent producer like Joe Gardner Wessely working with us." The Montoya Ranch, on Highway 313 west of Sandia Indian Pueblo and across the highway from St. Anthony's Mission, is owned and operated by Sam Montoya, who grew up at Sandia Pueblo. The Quivira Coalition, a non-profit organization created to bring ranchers, environmentalists, public land managers and the public together to look at innovative ways to manage and provide good stewardship of ranch lands, saw the Montoya Ranch as one of the most innovative. Montoya runs 200 head of cattle on 90 acres. Typically in the west only half that number would be grazed on that acreage. Montoya has divided his land into 30 sections, or "paddocks." The cattle don't spend more than one day in a paddock. The overgrazing that exists in the west is the result of the time the cattle spend on the land, not the number of cattle on it, according to Courtney White, executive director of Quivira Coalition. "I am pleased to have been a finalist for the award. It is gratifying to be able to share material about our struggling, scrapping state with a broader public," said Wessely.   # # #

The University of New Mexico
Public Affairs Department
Hodgin Hall, 2nd floor
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0011
Telephone: (505) 277-5813
Fax: (505) 277-1981