Op-ed: Generations of hunters are losing access to the lands we love

This piece originally appeared as an op-ed in the Santa Fe New Mexican on May 28, 2025.

HECHO’s Hispanic Conservation Leadership Council member Leo Valdez shares in this op-ed how generations of hunters like his family are being shut out of cherished traditions due to shrinking access to public lands. While there are instances where land disposals are justified, recent attempts in Congress to sell off lands through budget reconciliation would bypass public’s input and established processes. Valdez calls on our communities to stay vigilant and speak out against any future efforts to sell off public lands.