New Mexico Legislators Create a Permanent Conservation Fund


On Thursday, March 23, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed into law the Land of Enchantment Legacy Fund. This historic program creates a permanent fund for outdoor recreation, outdoor equity, public land conservation, climate resilience, and more.

Alongside on-the-ground outdoor businesses and recreation stakeholders across the state, OIA and REI worked to amplify the industry’s voice, urging lawmakers to pass the legislation to create this groundbreaking fund. A key partner was endeavOR New Mexico, the state’s outdoor business alliance, which strives to be a balanced and unified voice for all of the state’s outdoor recreation businesses and organizations. Recognizing the importance of the dedicated funding as a key requirement for the growth of a vibrant outdoor economy, lawmakers continually cited the potential of the state's outdoor economy as a key inspiration to create and fund the Legacy Fund.

"When we refer to the creation of this fund as being historic, it's not only because a permanent funding source was created for increasing outdoor recreation opportunities for all residents and visitors to New Mexico today, but because of the legacy it promises to uphold that the outdoors is worth protecting and for experiencing deep connection to the unique geological and cultural history of the state," said Kent Ebersole, President Outdoor Industry Association. "New Mexico's outdoor recreation accounts for 2.1% of the total state GDP and more than twenty-eight thousand jobs. So you can be sure that we are celebrating this milestone alongside REI and the incredible coalition of organizations and individuals who have worked tirelessly for years to make this happen. Today, more than 40% of New Mexico’s residents participate in outdoor recreation. As a member-led collective focused on creating meaningful change, OIA applauds the direction of these resources to create more hiking, biking, walking, riding trails and parks so that even more people can participate."

Utilizing the funding from a major surplus, policymakers, Governor Lujan Grisham’s staff, and state agency partners designed the Legacy Fund to invest in critical existing programs:

  • The Outdoor Recreation Division’s Outdoor Equity Fund: Since its creation, this program has granted $2 million to 128 organizations throughout the state, creating opportunities to get outside for nearly 40,000 youth.

  • The Outdoor Recreation Division’s Outdoor Recreation Trails+: This program supports infrastructure projects that enhance communities’ outdoor recreation opportunities. So far, the division has funded over 85 projects since the creation of the Trails+ grant.

  • Crucially, the fund will provide financial leverage, helping the state unlock millions in federal funding focused on wildfire mitigation, climate resilience, biodiversity protection, and more.

The creation of long-term, sustainable, and predictable funding for conservation, outdoor access, and infrastructure is a thoughtful move by policymakers in New Mexico. The creation and initial funding of the Legacy Fund demonstrates the power of the collective voice in creating reliable funding to benefit the outdoors. In creating this fund, New Mexico is setting the standard for other states across the country that recognize the importance of reliable funding for outdoor recreation.

OIA and REI would like to thank the sponsors of this extraordinary bill creating the fund: Senator Steven Neville (R-San Juan County), Senator Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe), and Representative Nathan Small (D-Doña Ana). Secretary Sarah Cottrell Probst of New Mexico’s Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department provided leadership and expertise as an agency partner and witness. Governor Lujan Grisham’s administration showed unwavering support of the creation of a permanent conservation fund.

Finally, this policy victory could not have happened without the enduring commitment of many on-the-ground activists and leaders who have pushed for the creation of a conservation fund for years, including endeavOR New Mexico, Western Resource Advocates, Trout Unlimited, Trust for Public Land, The Semilla Project, and many more.

Never forget the power of our collective voices as a united outdoor industry. Working in community we can create unstoppable momentum for the good of the planet, our industry, and generations of outdoorists to come. New Mexico is just the start.

 

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