New Mexico Focus Areas

At Wilderness, we're working to safeguard New Mexico’s unique lands, from the snowy peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to wind-tossed grasses of Otero Mesa.

We are working to protect several important New Mexico wildlands from mineral exploitation, oil and gas development, abusive off-road vehicle use and climate change.

Organ Mountains

Close in proximity to Las Cruces, a growing metropolitan area, the diverse and scenic Organ Mountains are an area of incredible botanical diversity.

Rio Grande del Norte

Rio Grande del Norte is a stunning New Mexico wildland with scenic vistas, natural landmarks and waters that sustain animals and surrounding communities.

Otero Mesa

Otero Mesa is a sweeping 1.2 million acre plain — the last fragment of the wild Chihuahan Desert. Potential mining operations threaten Otero Mesa and the wildlife that lives there.

Columbine Hondo

Columbine Hondo in northern New Mexico's Sangre de Cristo Mountains is a wildlife habitat, a recreation haven and a source of clean drinking water.

Petaca Pinta

Petaca Pinta area is a rich and beautiful wilderness area within New Mexico's red-rock country, featuring prairie grasses waving through the remnants of ancient civilization.

  • A support letter for H.R. 908/S. 404, the Green Mountain Lookout Heritage Protection Act, introduced in February by Reps. DelBene and Larsen and Sens. Murray and Cantwell.

  • Dear Representative Gosar:

    On behalf of the National Association of Counties (NACo), I am writing to express our support of the Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act (H.R. 596). This landmark legislation would extend royalties and lease income from solar and wind projects developed on Federal lands to home states and counties.

  • Dear Representative Gosar:

    We are writing to express our support for sharing with states and counties renewable energy royalty revenues from federal lands. The language contained in the Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act (HR 596) which you have introduced in the House would enact such revenue sharing.