ABQJOURNAL OPINION/GUEST_COLUMNS: Act Now To Protect N.M.'s Land, Water

Monday, April 19, 2010

Act Now To Protect N.M.'s Land, Water

By Al Castillo
Former state legislator
          It is hard to pick a favorite place, yet of all the lands I have hiked in New Mexico, the most memorable is the wilderness of Gila National Forest. My most cherished destination has always been Black Mountain Springs, where water runs cool and clear, even in the driest times of the year.
        The Gila National Forest is a special place to so many. Thousands of residents and visitors come here each year to hunt, fish, paddle, hike and mountain bike. Places like this support our way of life and our economy in New Mexico.
        As I travel around this great state, I can't help but notice the mounting threats to our natural world.
        Growth of our cities and towns, energy development, and the effects of climate change are posing increasing threats to our land and water. And, as our natural areas disappear, New Mexicans and Americans everywhere risk losing their connection to the great outdoors.
        Recognizing this, the White House held a conference Friday to engage policy makers, nonprofit organizations, community leaders and landowners in a conversation about the best ways to protect our most valuable natural places.
        The discussion centered on conservation opportunities, challenges and innovative solutions from a variety of interest holders. At the conference, President Obama stated that he intends to build upon "a breathtaking legacy of conservation that still enhances our lives."
        As a former New Mexico state legislator and current Nature Conservancy trustee, I commend these officials for their interest, and I hope they will find new ways for the federal government to engage rural landowners in a conversation about working-landscape conservation.
        Nature matters to us because it ensures our health and quality of life. Land conservation supports our clean drinking water, fresh air and a livable climate.
        It's vital to New Mexico's heritage of natural areas for recreation and wildlife. Land conservation also supports a healthy economy and creates jobs.
        In fact, land conservation creates more than 20 jobs per $1 million of investment, according to researchers at the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts. This is more job creation than many other sectors, including the construction of new bridges and roads, as well as the oil, gas, solar, wind and electricity industries.
        For these reasons we must invest in our nation's land and water. From our national forests and working farms to neighborhood parks and urban open spaces, funding is desperately needed.
        Our own senator, Jeff Bingaman, is leading the call in Congress to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund — the federal government's key vehicle for supporting community efforts to protect their natural areas. His efforts should be applauded as this program has already helped protect some of New Mexico's most unique natural places, including the 89,000-acre Valles Caldera National Preserve. Easily accessible from Albuquerque and Santa Fe, the preserve serves as a critical source for urban residents' drinking water, as an outdoor laboratory for climate change studies, and as an extraordinary place to hunt, fish and hike.
        The fund has provided public access to the wild and scenic portions of the Rio Grande and protected cultural resources in Petroglyph National Monument. It has improved public access to hunting in El Malpais National Monument and provided fishing and river running access to the Rio Chama. And, it provides support to willing landowners who want to protect their working farms and ranches through conservation.
        I am encouraged by the efforts of Senator Bingaman and the White House as they make conservation a priority. They are recognizing that an investment in conservation is an investment in America because healthy land and clean water are essential to our nation's strength. Conservation encourages tourism and outdoor recreation at a critical economic time and supports America's working farms and ranches that are so important to rural economies.
        Perhaps most importantly, Americans of all ages, and especially our children, benefit from more opportunities to get outside and into nature. Access to parks, trails and open space is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. My memories from Black Mountain Springs are priceless. We owe it to our children and grandchildren to stem the loss of America's great outdoors before it's too late.

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