Keep Otero County Beautiful

05/28/2026

June 6th is National Secure Your Load Awareness Day.

05/20/2026

The next monthly meeting of the Keep Otero County Advisory Board will be changed to Thursday, May 29, 2026 at 1:30 pm. Because of Early Voting at the County Administration Building, the Board will be meeting at the Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce in May.

05/20/2026

Howdy, Alamogordo! 🌳

We have noticed some questions on Facebook recently regarding the removal of the trees in the center medians on N White Sand Blvd, between 10th Street and Indian Wells. Our Parks Supervisor, Erik Marion, provided some helpful details on what is going on and what our plans are for that section:

Why were the trees removed?

The trees that were removed were Chitalpa Speciosa, a cross between a Chitalpa and a Desert Willow, planted about 20 years ago. Unfortunately, this species is highly susceptible to a terminal condition called the Xylella Virus, which often infects them at the nursery stage.

Our crew has spent years nursing them along with supplemental water and selective pruning, but the remaining stock in the medians was failing and in very poor shape. To restore an attractive landscape, we decided to remove the failing trees and refill the empty planters.

What is replacing them?

We are replacing them with Texas Mountain Laurels! This variety is a much better fit for our local climate because it is drought-tolerant, evergreen (staying green year-round), and sized perfectly for medians, so it won't grow too large. They are also known for beautiful lavender blooms every spring.

What to expect next

These trees can be tough to find, and the only size we could secure right now is 5-gallon pots. Because of this, they will look pretty small for the first few years as they grow into their new home, but the wait for them to mature will be well worth it!

We appreciate your patience as we work to keep our city landscaping healthy and beautiful.

05/15/2026

Join us tomorrow for the next community cleanup!

05/15/2026

05/09/2026

Next Saturday! Please join us for the next community cleanup.

05/09/2026

Please bring yourself and all of your friends! 💚

04/25/2026

04/22/2026

The next monthly meeting of the Keep Otero County Advisory Board will be Thursday, May 21, 2026 at 1:30 pm. Because of Early Voting at the County Administration Building, the Board will be meeting at the Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce in May.