MEMO: New Mexico Must Prioritize Protecting Public Lands

*** Senior Sierra Club policy staff and spokespeople are available to discuss the need to advance the goals outlined in the America the Beautiful plan in New Mexico. ***

New Mexico is seeing record-breaking heat, drought and water insecurity, and more frequent and intense wildfires. From wilderness to local parks, safeguarding more greenspace and water will help us fight these effects of climate change. In New Mexico, that means protecting 30% of lands and waters by 2030, also known as ‘America the Beautiful.’ In addition to taking on the climate crisis, conserving more nature provides a myriad of health benefits, protections for vulnerable wildlife and plant species, diversification and growth of local economies, and increased access to nature for communities. 

Protecting New Mexico’s lands and waters is one solution to extreme weather brought on by climate change 

• New Mexicans are facing unprecedented increases in heat, with an average of about 20 days per year that are considered dangerous or extremely dangerous. 

• On top of this, New Mexico is facing the worst drought in 1,200 years, and scientists warn that these conditions are only going to worsen due to climate change

• Protecting 30% of lands and waters in this country by 2030 can keep our air and water clean and help nature work as a carbon sink— making a major dent in what’s needed to slow climate change and address climate-related weather conditions like heat and drought

There is a broad bipartisan consensus that the US needs to do more to conserve natural places

• There is consensus in the scientific community that pursuing ‘America the Beautiful’ goals, coupled with energy transition measures, would avoid catastrophic climate change, protect species, and preserve essential ecosystems.

• A 2022 bipartisan poll showed that 79% of voters in New Mexico supported the America the Beautiful initiative and 82% support creating new national parks, national monuments, national wildlife refuges, and tribal protected areas

• More broadly, 95 percent of people in the US support establishing marine protected areas to protect ocean wildlife and habitats, and 78 percent think the government should establish more environmental conservation protections to safeguard the ocean.

• 70 mayors from across the US and more than 400 state and local elected officials have declared support for the goal.

Protecting more lands, waters, and green spaces and improving community access to outdoor spaces has a wide-range of health, economic, and climate benefits for all people

• Protecting more lands and waters and expanding access to those spaces is essential to the health, wellbeing, and prosperity of families across the country.

• Conserved nature provides us with cleaner air and water. As the climate crisis threatens our access to water and worsens air pollution, we must protect lands and waters for the sake of stability and resilience.

• We’ve seen record breaking increases in popularity of public lands following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. By conserving more land we meet this increased demand and remove barriers to access for those who have been historically excluded from or unable to access the outdoors.

• Nature, when conserved, would belong to all Americans, and this land is the inheritance of future generations. 

New Mexico leadership can take action today to conserve our public lands and offer more health and recreational benefits to New Mexicans

• The state can support local and state efforts to protect lands through the creation of new state parks, state wildlife areas, community parks and open spaces, and conservation and recreation leases on state trust lands.

• The state can work with federal land managers and the New Mexico federal delegation to identify and conserve public lands in need of greater protection such as new national parks, national monuments, national wildlife refuges, wilderness study areas, wilderness areas, and roadless areas.

• New Mexico is uniquely positioned to implement a 30x30 plan and conserve more land, water, and wildlife habitat. Building on the success of the passage of landmark legislation such as the Energy Transition Act, Wildlife Corridors Act, Outdoor Recreation Division, and Outdoor Equity Fund, New Mexicans have proven that they understand the need to include environmental justice and equity in transformational statewide policies. Nationally, the New Mexico delegation has led this effort, introducing a federal resolution.