Press Release: Colfax County Becomes the 5th County in New Mexico to Unanimously Pass a Wildlife Corridors Resolution in the Upper Rio Grande Basin

NEW MEXICO (September 9, 2019) – Colfax County Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution supporting protections for wildlife corridors in the Upper Rio Grande Basin this week, joining several counties and municipalities across New Mexico that have passed similar resolutions. The resolutions also urge Congress to pass the Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act of 2019, serving to protect wildlife corridors nationally.  

Development of roads, fences, and other human-created barriers can make it increasingly difficult for wildlife species to migrate safely across landscapes. With forest planning underway in the Carson National Forest, the approval of the resolution demonstrates to the U.S. Forest Service that local community members, care about habitat connectivity and the preservation of land-based cultural traditions.  

HECHO (Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors) supports the Colfax County resolution. HECHO Advisory Board Member and Chairman, Rock Ulibarri, attended the county meeting in support.  

“Five counties and three cities have shown their support for protecting wildlife corridors, and we hope that leadership in Washington D.C., as well as our forest planners, understand how critical this issue is to New Mexicans,” Ulibarri said.  

“Wildlife plays an important role to many of our land-based cultural traditions, and a step to protect wildlife, is a step taken to preserve our ancient traditions,” said Ulibarri.  

Rio Arriba, Santa Fe, and Taos Counties have all previously, and unanimously, passed resolutions, as well as The Town of Taos, the Village of Pecos, and the City of Española. 

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