Rep. Udall Introduces Sabinoso Wilderness Legislation

From the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance:
After working with Congressman Tom Udall for the last year, and an important visit to Washington DC recently by NMWA staff, Congressman Udall introduced legislation to permanently protect the Sabinoso Wilderness Study Area on June 7th.  Sabinoso lies just 40 miles east of Las Vegas, New Mexico. At 25,000 acres, it is one of the finest intact Great-Plains ecosystems left in New Mexico and is home to a variety of wildlife, including American kestrel, savannah sparrow, red-tailed hawk, broad tailed hummingbird, coyote, mountain lions, mule deer and gray foxes.

New Mexico Wilderness Allliance would like to thank Congressman Tom Udall, our members and the Bureau of Land Management for working together to protect this wild landscape.  We look forward to seeing this Bill pass through Congress this year.

According to the New Mexico Department of Tourism, the outdoor tourism industry in 2005 generated over $5 billion dollars to the state economy. Additionally, a 2004 study conducted by the nonprofit Sonoran Institute found that communities adjacent to protected public lands, including wilderness, are those with the fastest economic growth rates.

“Sabinoso is a spectacular landscape that features the deep canyons and rugged beauty of San Miguel County,” said Arturo Sandoval, Board Member of the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance. “Creating this area as a wilderness will provide wonderful opportunities for sustainable economic development tied directly to open space.”

A series of high, narrow mesas surrounded by steep, rock-walled canyons provides a striking contrast to the nearby rolling prairie. The Canadian River runs through the northeast corner of the Sabinoso Wilderness Study Area, which feeds into many other streams. Ponderosa pine, Cottonwood, and willows can be found along the many stream sides.

There have been resolutions in support of protecting Sabinoso from the San Miguel County Commission, the City of Las Vegas, and other surrounding communities. For more information go to:

https://www.nmwild.org/campaigns/sabinoso/

To help support our efforts to protect Wilderness, please visit:

https://secure.ga3.org/05/nmwild_donate