Community-driven campaign calls for new Mimbres Peaks National Monument
Tres Hermanas Mountains, NM
Mason Cummings
A new collaborative in southern New Mexico is calling for the protection of public lands as Mimbres Peak National Monument.
A community-driven campaign to increase protections for federally managed lands in Luna County, New Mexico has officially launched. Community members, elected leaders, business owners, economic development advocates, conservationists, hunters, and students announced a collaborative effort to designate Mimbres Peaks National Monument in southern New Mexico, and are calling on the state’s delegation to work with President Biden to further protect these culturally and ecologically significant public lands.
The Chihuahuan Desert lands in southern New Mexico, which encompasses the proposed monument, are among the most biologically diverse in the Western Hemisphere and are home to rare and endangered wildlife and plants. They are profoundly significant to the region’s Tribes, Pueblos, and local communities; the ecological and scientific importance of these areas cannot be overstated.
“This landscape is layered with culture, history, and ecological diversity and is worthy of federal protection for it to be sustained for current and future generations,” said Kay Bounkeua, New Mexico State Senior Manager of The Wilderness Society. “It’s time to honor a place that communities have a deep spiritual and physical connection to.”
The proposal includes well-known areas such as the Florida Mountains, Tres Hermanas, the Cookes Range, and the Good Sight Mountains, which offer invaluable recreation opportunities. “We’ve seen the positive impact of nearby Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument, and believe a designation in Luna County would offer similar benefits,” said Bounkeua. A new study by BBC Research & Consulting shows that under a medium visitation scenario, spending by new visitors to a Mimbres Peaks National Monument in Luna County could generate $11.8 million in new economic activity, support 88 new jobs, and generate $653,000 in new state, county, and local tax revenue.
Contact: Gaby Diaz, Communications Manager – Landscape Connectivity; gaby_diaz@tws.org / 720-464-1941
