The U.S. Bureau of Land Management announced this week that it has acquired about 3,700 acres of land adjacent to Rio Grande del Norte National Monument near Taos.
The federal government purchased the property using money from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The agency states that the new acquisition will expand recreational access to the national monument.
The BLM worked with the Trust for Public Land to acquire the parcel from a private landowner.
“The Bureau of Land Management is proud to partner on this effort to protect a nationally significant landscape at the heart of Río Grande del Norte, increasing recreational access and economic opportunities throughout New Mexico,” BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning said in a press release. “The Río Grande del Norte National Monument is home to rugged open plains, abundant wildlife and is an economic driver for the local community. Thanks to the Land and Water Conservation Fund, we are able to partner with Trust for Public Land to acquire this property, which will provide more access to public land and safeguard this precious place for generations to come.”
The property will also increase access to a segment of the Old Spanish National Historic Trail.
In a press release, Jim Petterson, the Mountain West Region vice president for the Trust for Public Land, said that the project represents the culmination of two decades of work with the Taos community to protect lands near the national monument.
“These newly protected lands offer opportunities for expanded recreational access and secure a vital wildlife corridor,” Petterson said.
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, a Democrat representing New Mexico, championed the land acquisition and has worked to ensure funding is available through the Land and Water Conservation Fund to make such acquisitions.
“The Rio Grande del Norte National Monument has protected the natural wonders and cultural heritage that have always made Northern New Mexico unique. This historic expansion of our public lands system will block future commercial development near the Monument, protecting the hiking, whitewater rafting, hunting, fishing, and traditional land uses that have made the Rio Grande del Norte such a treasured place,” he said in a press release. “It’s why I’ve worked so hard to secure federal resources and work with the local Taos community to steer this acquisition through every step of the process. With the support and partnership of TPL, we are creating new outdoor recreation opportunities, protecting an important wildlife corridor, and preserving the beauty of our public lands.”
