New Mexico Wildlife Federation: Sabinoso Update, Valles Caldera Camping

Secretary Ryan Zinke Visits New Mexico

The New Mexico Wildlife Federation was excited to meet with Secretary Ryan Zinke during his visit to New Mexico. Our staff got the opportunity to discuss the importance of protecting Organ Mountains Desert Peaks National Monument and the work sportsmen and women had put into opening up the Sabinoso Wilderness.

After the visit Zinke commented, “For the New Mexico monuments, it seems to be the majority of people are proponents of the monuments than opponents. That’s different than in some areas where the grass-roots have a much more pronounced apprehension and objections to the monuments.” We hope Zinke’s visit really drove home the support New Mexicans have for our monuments and public lands!

Read about Zinke’s visit and sign our petition in support of opening Sabinoso!

Upcoming Events:

• August 10th: Luna County Commission Meeting: Luna County members! Attend the August 10th meeting of your county commissioners and speak out against the Gila River Diversion. Public comment will take place at 9 am, the meeting will take place at the Luna County Courthouse, 700 S. Silver Avenue, Deming, NM.
• August 19th – 20th: NMDGF Outdoor Expo: We’ll be tabling at the annual NMDGF expo in Albuquerque. Please email nmwildlife@nmwildlife.org if you’re interested in volunteering to help out!
• August 22nd: Wildlife Corridor and Connectivity Summit: NMWF is excited to be hosting the 2017 Wildlife Corridor and Connectivity Summit in partnership with the Colorado Wildlife Federation, the National Wildlife Federation, and Trout Unlimited. Senator Martin Heinrich will be speaking at the event, as well as additional congressional staff. The summit aims to increase collaboration between local, state, federal, tribal, and nonprofit organizations focused on preserving, promoting, and planning around wildlife corridors and connectivity in the Upper Rio Grande Watershed.
• August 25th – 27th: Valles Caldera Camping Trip: Save the date for our second annual camping trip in the Caldera! More details to come!

Public Lands 101 Video Series

Our latest videos dive into everything public lands. The first two videos tackle national monument designations and what the term “public lands” actually means. Watch them today and stay tuned for more in the coming weeks!

Game Commission Update:

Catch up on everything that went down at the last Game Commission meeting in Ruidoso, where NMWF presented the opinion of Attorney General Hector Balderas around the Stream Access Bill. We look forward to continuing to work with the department and stakeholders around this issue. The next meeting of the Game Commission Department will be on August 24th at the Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid North.

Felix Canyon Road Update:

Working with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, the Bureau of Land Management, and Access New Mexico (a newly formed Lincoln & Chaves Co. sportsmen’s organization), NMWF began the process of proposing an alternative route that would open thousands of acres in the Felix Canyon. This route would reopen access that was lost with the recent road closure near the Cassabone ranch and provide access to areas that have been practically off limits to all but the most determined hunters for years. NMWF is dedicated to working with local sportsmen and women and the respective government agencies to make sure that hunters, anglers, and all outdoor recreationists have access once again to this area.

Sign the Petition – Tell the BLM to Protect Habitat in Otero Mesa

Right now the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Las Cruces Field Office is working on the Tri-County Resource Management Plan Supplement (Tri-County RMPS) and deciding how they want to manage Otero Mesa in the future. Sign our petition today urging the BLM to preserve and conserve wildlife habitat and the backcountry hunting areas and to prohibit oil and gas drilling where there are prime opportunities for hunting and recreation.

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