Guest Blog: Teaching Our Kids to Fish and Hunt: A Generations-old Tradition

Sylvia Lovato Huereña loves nothing more than to watch a child fish for the first time. She had this experience with her own children, her 10 grandchildren, and countless others. “When a child goes out to the lake and catches their first fish, at first they’re terrified to grab it when it’s jumping all over,” she said. “But then the amount of joy in their eyes is one of the most profound moments.” In addition to teaching them how to hold a fishing pole and pull the hook out of the fish’s mouth, she and her husband Lupe also let them know that whatever they kill they have to eat; and that they should leave the lake in better condition than they found it.

Guest BlogGuest BloggerOctober 15, 2018Advisory Board, Sylvia Lovato Huereña, ArizonaComment

Blog: Sabinoso Wilderness Area - Open to the Public!

I recently had the honor to speak at an event celebrating the recent opening and expansion of the Sabinoso Wilderness Area to the public. This was the result of years of hard work among Latino public lands advocates, sportsmen and other northern New Mexico stakeholders.

Blog: Celebrating the 112th Anniversary of the Antiquities Act with Max Trujillo

This month we’re celebrating the 112th anniversary of the Antiquities Act, a law enacted and first used by President Theodore Roosevelt. Sixteen presidents (8 Republicans and 8 Democrats) have taken action to preserve our American heritage by designating places of cultural and historical significance as national monuments—places such as the Grand Canyon, the Statue of Liberty, César E. Chávez National Monument, Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, Organ Mountains Desert Peaks National Monument and the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument.

As we recognize this legacy of preserving these places that has lasted well over a century, we joined up with the new group Artemis Sportswomen for a conversation with two New Mexicans active in conservation. Max Trujillo from HECHO and Christine Gonzales from Artemis were kind enough to hop on the phone and share their experiences with public lands and conservation and reflect on the importance of why we protect the places we love.

MonumentsCamilla SimonJune 18, 2018Antiquities Act, Max Trujillo, Artemis Sportswomen, Public LandsComment

Press Release: Congress Must Reject Shortsighted Public Land Bills

“We’ve been asking for commonsense updates to oil and gas leasing policies established in the 1920s for years, but this proposal is a loser. The fees we should be raising are oil and gas royalty rates, which currently offer up our public lands at rock bottom rates.

We at HECHO value both our public lands and our voices. This policy of ‘pay to say’ would not only charge $150 or more just to object to an oil and gas lease on public lands, but it would also have a chilling effect on our constitutional right to petition our government. Our deep ties to the land and generations-old traditions on the land compel us, as stewards, to reject any attempt to drown out our voices, especially when it comes to decisions being made about our public lands.

Statement: HECHO Joins Other Latino Organizations in Saying "No" to Rescinding Methane Waste Rule

Today HECHO sent two letters to the Department of the Interior saying “no” to rescinding the BLM Methane Waste and Prevention Rule. One letter was sent by HECHO alone, and the other was signed by 16 Latino organizations all in opposition to this proposed change.

Statement: Local Elected Officials Urge Administration not to Repeal Methane Waste Rule

On April 10 the San Miguel County Board in Northern New Mexico unanimously passed a resolution opposing the BLM’s proposed repeal of the Methane Waste Rule, intended to reduce methane leaking, venting and flaring from oil and gas operations. Introduced by HECHO Board Chair and County Commissioner Rock Ulibarri, the resolution was prompted by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s refusal to hold hearings on the repeal of this important Rule, which would save New Mexico approximately $10 million per year in revenue that could be used for education and other infrastructure.

Press Releases/Statements, Oil & GasadminApril 16, 2018Statement, Advisory Board, Rock Ulibarri, New Mexico, Methane WasteComment

Blog: HECHO’s Annual Advisory Board Retreat

Last month the HECHO Advisory Board came together in Santa Fe for our annual board retreat to reflect on HECHO’s first five years, and to brainstorm ways to maximize our impact for the next five years and beyond.

Camilla SimonApril 13, 2018Advisory BoardComment

Blog: HECHO Board Member Kent Salazar Hard at Work – and Play - in New Mexico

HECHO Board Member Kent Salazar, lifelong resident of New Mexico and an avid hunter and outdoorsman, has been busy lobbying for important conservation bills in the state legislature. Just a 30-day session in 2018 (New Mexico’s legislative sessions alternate each year between 30- and 60-day sessions), there is a lot to do in a short amount of time!

Guest BloggerFebruary 6, 2018Kent Salazar, Advisory Board, New Mexico, Pollution, Renewable Energy, HuntingComment

Guest Blog: The Outdoors Is My Second Home by Rose Ann Contreras Atherton (Plus my favorite wild game green chili recipe!)

Read the story of Rose Ann Contreras Atherton, whose second home is the outdoors - plus her favorite wild game green chili recipe! "Every Thursday night, like clockwork, my husband, son and I pack up our Fifth Wheel and prepare to head out into the woods the next day," she writes. "During hunting season, we drive a few hours away to our favorite spots looking for deer, elk, and wild turkey. I love the outdoors. I love the smell. I love that you can go for a walk for hours and you see something different every second. You don’t have to answer to anybody. I can’t even tell you the last time I stayed in a motel – it’s been years."

Guest BlogGuest BloggerDecember 19, 2017Arizona, Hunting, Fishing, Traditional Land UsesComment

Event Recap: HECHO & Friends Clean Up High Point Canyon for Latino Conservation Week

Last week was Latino Conservation Week, when hundreds of events took place around the country to celebrate and honor Hispanics’ ancestral connections to the outdoors and stewardship of the land. No other event exemplifies this more than the clean-up of High Point canyon in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of Northern New Mexico. The event was spearheaded by HECHO Advisory Board Chairman Rock Ulibarri, whose family has lived in the Las Vegas area for seven generations, along with HECHO Advisory Board member Kent Salazar, volunteers from Hermit's Peak Watershed Alliance, Casa Cultura, San Miguel County, and more.

Guest BloggerJuly 26, 2017Latino Conservation Week, Rock Ulibarri, Advisory Board, Kent Salazar, Latino Outdoors, Event RecapComment

Blog: Herencia y Querencia for Our Public Lands

We have a very rich history and a very strong connection to the land. Some people see the land as the topography, the boundaries, maybe mineral rights, a place to exploit. We see the land as where my father was born, where the blood from his umbilical cord soaked into this earth. We have a connection to the land. We have herencia and querencia and querencia is a love for the land.

Blog: Appreciating Public Lands in a Border Community

My experiences growing up not only taught me to respect the land, it also taught me the importance of getting out there. You care more about protecting our land and water when you have a personal relationship with them. Now, I bring that to my work as county supervisor and I organize events that will get the community involved in outdoor recreation.

Guest BlogGuest BloggerMay 9, 2017Arizona, Ranching, Hunting, Fishing, Family Fishing DayComment

Guest Blog: The Arizona Schultz Fire & The Incredible Restoration that Followed - One Man’s Story

My family’s been living in the San Francisco Peaks area for three generations and the forest is everything to us. All my life my family would tell stories of the time they spent out on the land. One of my grandfathers was a logger and spent his entire career in the forest. There’s even a legend about a huge mule deer buck my grandpa got at Schultz Pass back in the 40’s. Personally, I’m an avid bow hunter, hiker, and mountain biker. I’m out there all the time. I even combine my mountain biking and hunting, since most of the forest is closed to cars.

Guest BlogCamilla SimonApril 5, 2017Arizona, Hunting, Outdoor Recreation, Forest Restoration, Liz ArchuletaComment

Blog: Latino Partnership to Cut Waste and Protect Our Air

Right now Congress is threatening to overturn a ruling by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) that would save taxpayers millions of dollars and curb harmful pollution from methane waste.

The BLM rule – which HECHO worked hard to help finalize last year -- would curb natural gas waste by requiring new and existing oil and gas operations on public lands to use the most up-to-date technology to capture wasted natural gas that is either released into the atmosphere or burned off, and repair leaks from equipment. To help prevent this important ruling from being overturned, we are partnering with other Latino groups including: the Hispanic Access Foundation; Chispa Nevada; League of Conservation Voters; Mi Familia Vota; and Por la Creación Faith-based Alliance, to educate Congress, the press, and the public about this issue.

Camilla SimonFebruary 11, 2017Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Methane Waste, Oil and Gas, Environmental Justice (EJ)Comment

Press Release: Latino groups unite over reducing natural gas waste, concerns for the future of BLM rule

Today, five Latino groups announced the formation of a new initiative, “Latino Partnership to Cut Waste, Protect Our Health.” The partnership includes Hispanic Access Foundation; HECHO; Chispa Nevada, League of Conservation Voters; Mi Familia Vota; and Por la Creación Faith-based Alliance.

Press Releases/StatementsCamilla SimonFebruary 7, 2017Press Release, Methane Waste, Pollution, Oil and Gas, Public LandsComment

Statement: HECHO calls for New Administration to Continue the Conservation and Preservation of our Public Lands

“We call on the new Administration to make it a top priority to protect and conserve our natural resources, and to ensure that oil and gas resources are developed responsibly, with input from local governments and communities.

Press Releases/StatementsGuest BloggerJanuary 6, 2017Statement, Department of Interior (DOI), Public LandsComment

Action Alert: Thank New Mexico’s Leaders for Holding Oil and Gas Companies Accountable

HECHO thanks our nation’s leaders for listening to the many voices that supported the finalizing of the methane rule. Read more about the national thank you letter and HECHO's radio ads applauding the finalization of the rule.

Statement: HECHO calls for New Administration to Continue the Conservation and Preservation of our Public Lands

The following is a statement from Camilla Simon, Executive Director of Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors (HECHO) on the reports that president-elect Donald Trump will nominate Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) as Secretary of the Interior.

Press Releases/StatementsGuest BloggerDecember 12, 2016Statement, Department of Interior (DOI), Public LandsComment

Statement: HECHO Commends BLM on the Finalization of the Methane and Waste Prevention Rule

On November 11, the Department of Interior's Bureau of Land Management finalized the long-awaited Methane and Waste Prevention Rule. The following is a statement from Camilla Simon, Executive Director of Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors (HECHO) in support of this announcement.

Press Releases/Statements, Oil & GasGuest BloggerNovember 15, 2016Statement, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Methane WasteComment

Statement: Bernalillo County Passes Resolution Supporting Bureau of Land Management Natural Gas Waste Rule

On October 25, the Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners resolved to support the Bureau of Land Management’s rule to charge royalties on wasted methane—the primary component of natural gas—on federal and tribal lands. The resolution addresses the serious problem of methane waste, which is impacting state revenues, harming the environment and threatening the health of New Mexicans.

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