Statement: Cerro de la Olla Designation, an Opportunity to Cultivate Legacy of Stewardship

Last week, Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández introduced the Cerro de la Olla Wilderness Establishment Act to the House of Representatives that would designate 13,103 acres within the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument in northern New Mexico as Cerro De La Olla Wilderness. 

Identical to the amendment to the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act introduced by Senator Heinrich and Senator Udall in 2020, the Cerro de la Olla Wilderness Establishment Act would preserve traditional uses such as hunting, wood gathering, and medicinal herb collecting, as well as honoring and protecting Cerro de la Olla’s livestock grazing area for generations of local ranchers via designation. 

Rich in ecological and historical importance, the Cerro de la Olla designation would provide the long-term protection needed for the area to continue to thrive, including maintaining its closure to motorized traffic, protecting its invaluable migratory connectivity passage for species such as elk, bear, and mountain lion.  

“The Cerro de la Olla Wilderness Establishment Act ensures that future generation can access cherished lands that are deeply important to our community,” said Camilla Simon, executive director of Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors (HECHO). “Public lands are the essence of our democracy, and the designation would allow our communities to continue to practice ancestral traditions, cultivating a legacy of stewardship.” 

“My family has been hunting for generations in New Mexico, and it has been a tradition that we have participated in year after year, and one that has bonded my family,” said HECHO National Advisory Board member Kent Salazar. “As a hunter, conservation is imperative, and why I support the Cerro de la Olla Wilderness Establishment Act that would allow future generations to enjoy the longstanding cultural traditions our ancestors have cultivated in these lands,” Salazar said. 

Nonprofits, local community organizations, and several community members have supported the wilderness designation.