Speak up on plans for forests — they’re yours
Every year during the middle of July, the conservation community recognizes and celebrates Latino Conservation Week. As a 13th-generation New Mexican, I’ve been using that time to reflect on how fortunate we are to have world-class recreation opportunities in abundance in New Mexico, from El Malpais National Monument to the Carson and Santa Fe national forests. We are so fortunate that some of the most inspiring vistas and beautiful places that many can only dream of exist in our backyards.
One of my favorite ways to explore the outdoors is horseback riding along the Continental Divide Trail, more than 800 miles of which meander through New Mexico. I am also an active trail maintainer and work hard to ensure that the Continental Divide Trail and other trails throughout Northern New Mexico remain clear and open for all to access. I am committed to the Continental Divide Trail because it provides unparalleled opportunities to see the wildest side of our state and all of the Rocky Mountain West — but it’s not just a recreational resource.
As the Continental Divide Trail traverses some of our country’s wildest remaining landscapes, one factor that makes the trail so incredible is the wildlife that live along it. From the majestic elk to the sprightly pronghorn antelope, many animals travel along the Continental Divide Trail and the protected lands surrounding it as they migrate from one place to another for breeding, feeding or staying warm in the winter.
These historic migration routes lead animals through a patchwork of public and private lands, which often are blocked or threatened by development, energy extraction, roads and more. The Continental Divide Trail serves as a valuable corridor linking larger swaths of public land like national forests — but only if these landscapes are managed well and with an eye toward protecting the wildlife that also call this place home.
Currently, the Santa Fe, Carson and Rio Grande national forests are all in the midst of revising their forest plans — a once-in-a-generation process that deter