Tag Archive for: New Mexico

Perspective is How You Look at Things

March 19, 2021 – The Sangre de Cristo Mountains within the Columbine-Hondo Wilderness in New Mexico are 20 million years old, yet they are one of the youngest mountain ranges on earth.

The Wilderness Land Trust’s Columbine Hondo property

Designated in 2014, the Columbine-Hondo Wilderness contains the headwaters of the Rio Hondo and Red River, both major tributaries of the upper Rio Grande. While our Commodore Lode property that leads into this wilderness may only be 20 acres in size, we helped protect the larger watershed within the 44,372-acre wilderness when we purchased it in 2019.

We are pleased to announce we have transferred our Commodore Lode property over to public ownership as part of the national forest directly adjacent the designated wilderness. This single project adds to our history of success protecting designated wilderness in New Mexico since 2004, including the Gila, Columbine Hondo and Sabinoso Wilderness Areas, as well as the El Malpais National Conservation Area.

Thank you for providing the vital funding to support our work. From our perspective, the Trust couldn’t protect our nation’s treasured wilderness areas without your generous support.

Please help us spread the word about the Trust’s work by sharing this email and encouraging your friends and family to sign up for our e-news.

Conserving Canyon Country

February 26, 2021 – New Mexico is home to some of our nation’s wildest landscapes. However, only 2.5 percent of the total land area is protected as designated wilderness.

Wilderness Land Trust staff and project partners on a recent site visit to the Achenbach Canyon in Organ Mountains Wilderness, New Mexico

The Organ Mountains Wilderness is a beautiful and popular destination, known for its spring wildflowers, seasonal streams that flow through rugged canyon bottoms, abundant wildlife and spectacular views of the rugged Organ Mountains.

To ensure these splendid characteristics remain intact, The Wilderness Land Trust is working to acquire a 109-acre parcel at the entrance of the Achenbach Canyon, as well as save public access to a popular trail into the designation. This project is our second in the region of the Organ Mountains Wilderness. In July 2020, we purchased nearly 100 acres of private land straddling the boundary of the wilderness area, including a series of mining claims that had been zoned for a future housing development.

Braving the chill air and occasional snow flurry, Aimee Rutledge, our vice president and senior lands specialist, joined Sylvia Ulloa from U.S. Senator Heinrich’s office, author David Soules, and Patrick Nolan, executive director for Friends of Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Wilderness, on a recent site visit to the property to review and coordinate the critical steps required to purchase this property.

Stay tuned for more exciting news as this project moves forward. If you are interested in helping us secure the property or would like to learn more about this project, I encourage you to visit our Achenbach Canyon GoFundMe campaign.

Another Win in New Mexico

July 10, 2020 – Jagged spires forming one of the steepest mountain ranges in the western United States, open woodlands and seasonal streams providing critical habitat for golden eagles, hawks and owls. This is just a snapshot of the Organ Mountains Wilderness established in 2019 as part of the Desert Peaks National Monument near Las Cruces, New Mexico.

The Organ Mountains Wilderness at sunset
Photo credit: Patrick Nolan

The Wilderness Land Trust is pleased to announce it has purchased nearly 100 acres of private land straddling the boundary of the designated wilderness, including a series of mining claims that had been zoned for a future housing development. By purchasing this property, we have created a potential new access point into the Organ Mountains Wilderness for hikers, horsemen, rock climbers and wilderness enthusiasts who frequent this beautiful area.

Patrick Nolan, executive director for Friends of Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks, had this to say about our first project in the Organ Mountains: “We wish to thank the Trust for their efforts to acquire the Vetlaw properties located in Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument. This once private land will now be protected for public use for future generations.”

The Trust enjoys partnering with local advocacy organizations on land acquisition projects and we are especially grateful to supporters like you who make this happen. As always, we’d appreciate you sharing the good news.