Lately there has been a surge of state-based Outdoor Recreation Offices, and important coinciding efforts—namely equity funding in New Mexico and the Kids Outdoor Initiative in Utah, both supported by HECHO.
Earlier this month representatives from eight states signed off on a first-of-its kind agreement called the Confluence Accords, to unify and strengthen the outdoor industry voice on matters of public policy.
Read MoreOnce you get up there the treeline stops – you can see Sedona, all of Flagstaff, and the view from the back of the mountain is unreal. Breathtaking.
On the way down, a storm rolled in so for the last hour or two I was walking in the rain. People say, “oh man,” but honestly it was the most peace I’ve ever had. I totally got drenched it was so peaceful. The clouds rolled in and that’s all you hear is just the rain. That was one of the better hikes I’ve had in a long time. The last mile or two it really started coming down so I picked up the pace. But the rain actually ended the hike really well.
Read MoreI always went fishing with my grandfather and my uncles, Bernave Arellano and Virgil Lopez, who taught me how to catch trout. Both of my uncles were very respectful of the land and understood that it was important to leave it better than you found it.
Growing up in Salt Lake City, I always enjoyed the outdoors. The air felt so good to breathe and it seemed like the opportunities were endless. We were rather poor. My mother raised four kids by herself. We didn’t have a car for much of the time. When we got on the train to visit relatives, I always looked out the window at the open range where you could run fast and feel free.
Back then, my family hunted deer and elk. It’s important to realize that hunting and fishing are fun, but the best reason is to hunt to put food on the table. This is true for most Latinos. My family made jerky from the meat of the animals they killed. They would smoke the fish that we caught. Today, my relatives living in small towns in the Southwest still hunt for subsistence. A lot of these towns are food deserts and don’t have access to the best grocery stores. But through fishing and hunting you can still feed your family with good nutrition.
Read MoreIn late November, our mission and our passion came together when HECHO Advisory Board Members from Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah flew to Washington D.C. to speak directly to their members of Congress on the importance of protecting our shared public lands by reauthorizing the Land Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).
Read MoreEarly last year, the National Wildlife Federation formed a strategic partnership with HECHO (Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors). The conservation group provides an effective voice for communities that traditionally have been underrepresented on matters relating to the environment. “HECHO is a national leader on public lands issues, and NWF is proud to have such a powerful partner to advance our collective conservation priorities,” says NWF Regional Executive Director Brian Kurzel.
Read MoreThe land has always been our life. Our dedication is to the land. We’ve always depended on the land to survive. My family were farmers and ranchers. I spent most of my summers with my grandfather, and I continue his traditions. We own pieces of land, but I don’t feel like they’re ours, only ours to take care of while were here.
Read MoreLiz Archuleta, HECHO spokesperson said, “It is personally rewarding to see the community out here discovering their sense of adventure or renewing their connection to the land. I hope that by experiencing all that nature has to offer, we can help people understand the importance and urgency to protect and conserve our public lands and waterways. We used this opportunity to educate community members on the importance of permanent reauthorization of the Land Water Conservation Fund that is used to build and maintain parks and trails with no cost to taxpayers.”
Read MoreHispanics Enjoying Camping Hunting and the Outdoors (HECHO) was joined by the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Vice President, Monica Villalobos on November 14, 2018 at the Murdock Community Center in Flagstaff for a presentation of DATOS 2018. The report highlights “Elements of a Healthy Community.” Villalobos provided an overview of the state of Latinos in Arizona and key facts on climate change views.
Read More“This was a great way to bring the family together without all the electronic devices,” Sanchez said. “ We enjoyed being outdoors. We spent hours out there enjoying a beautiful sunny day and really talking to each other. While my sons were having a lot of fun, they learned a lot about how to fish, what kind of fish they could catch and how to bait and cast. All of this while developing an appreciation for clean air and clean water. We could not have asked for more.”
Read MoreAs a 26 year-old living in Phoenix, I hear all the time from the Latino community that camping and hiking is not part of our culture. That’s not true. This is part of who we are. It is part of our identity to enjoy the earth and what it provides for us, and also to have our role in protecting it. People are disengaged from their history and their roots. But if you can’t directly experience public lands, it’s harder to advocate on their behalf, or speak to elected officials about why they should care.
Read MoreSylvia 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.
Read MoreI 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.
Read MoreThis 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.
Read More“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.
Read MoreToday 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.
Read MoreOn 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.
Read MoreLast 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.
Read MoreHECHO 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!
Read MoreRead 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."
Read MoreLast 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.
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