Note that the largest area protected is west of Las Cruces. This includes favorite areas for ATV-abusers.
A monumental day for NM | Albuquerque Journal News
“I am grateful for the incredible partnership of so many residents of this region – including ranchers and tribal leaders and hunters – and many of you here today, especially Senators Martin Heinrich and Tom Udall and former Senator Jeff Bingaman, who were instrumental in helping preserve this treasured landscape,†Obama said.
The stroke of the president’s pen set aside 496,000 acres of federal land in five south-central New Mexico mountain ranges as a national monument, bypassing Congress to ensure the rugged but scenic country is protected for future generations. The moment marked Obama’s 12th use of the Antiquities Act to establish a national monument, and he vowed it won’t be his last.
The Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks monument was the second national monument Obama has designated in New Mexico. He established the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument in March 2013.
“I’ve preserved more than 3 million acres of public lands for future generations – and I am not finished,†the president said Wednesday, referring to his national effort.
The southern New Mexico land, currently managed by the federal Bureau of Land Management, is home to ancient petroglyphs and lava flows, rare plants and animals and vast recreational and hunting areas.
While the mood was joyous in the Interior Department’s auditorium Wednesday, not all New Mexicans were pleased with the decision.
