Nuestra Tierra Spring Noticias 🌻
Spring was full of excitement and new accomplishments! This season, our team grew, and we have been working hard to push forward equitable access to the outdoors!
CASTNER RANGE IS A NATIONAL MONUMENT
The Nuestra Tierra team flew to DC in early March to see President Biden designate Castner Range as a National Monument! We partnered with The Frontera Land Alliance and led the campaign alongside the community in El Paso, Texas.
After 50 years of hard work, dedication, and effort toward the 6,672 acres of high-desert mountains, Castner Range is a National Monument! This National Monument will protect the cultural, scientific, and historic pieces within the monument’s land, honor our veterans, Tribal Nations, and expand access to outdoor recreation on our public lands.
Castner Range National Monument is a huge accomplishment and it is a step closer to access to the outdoors for all. This is what community-centered conservation looks like!
OUTDOOR F.U.T.U.R.E.
Nuestra Tierra, alongside business leaders, elected officials, and fellow outdoor enthusiasts, went to The Hill with the Outdoor Industry Association for their annual Capitol Summit.
Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland was the keynote speaker and inspired everyone to continue working towards thriving communities and a flourishing economy. We used our voice to advocate for the outdoor economy, outdoor participation, and our planet. We are making progress together and the work continues.
EARTH DAY AT LA MANCHA
This Earth Day, Nuestra Tierra hosted a volunteer clean up event at La Mancha Wetlands Restoration Project. We also celebrated our one-year anniversary of ownership of La Mancha.
Dozens of people from around our community joined us in helping care for one of the only places with year round water in Las Cruces, beginning the day with breakfast and storytelling of how La Mancha came to be.
At the end of the day our partners, Desert Community Wellness, led our volunteers through a guided stretch.This clean up was essential to prepare for the Rio Grande opening on May 15th, as La Mancha is fed by groundwater from the Rio.
AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL
Nuestra Tierra led and participated in the first annual America The Beautiful For All (ATB4All) Coalition fly-in to Washington D.C. The fly-in included nearly 100 participants from the Mariana Islands to Maine,Washington to Puerto Rico, and dozens of communities in between.
There were also meetings with several Congressional offices and Departments, like the Council of Environmental Quality, Department of Agriculture, and Department of Interior.
Panels, presentations, and discussions focused on progress and the path ahead for shifting power and building community within the conservation movement to center the voices, knowledge, and experiences of Indigenous communities and communities of color.
JUSTICE OUTSIDE’S INAUGURAL CONFERENCE
Our Executive Director, Ángel Peña, was a keynote speaker for Justice Outside’s first conference, “Cultivating Community Outdoors” in Oakland, California. Nearly 200 community members attended, and it was a safe space to discuss equity and justice in the outdoors.
Also, to celebrate the joy that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color create in the outdoors. Various sessions throughout the day focused on how grassroots advocacy can lead to policy change and how storytelling can lead to healing and community.
DAVID SOULES SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
Join us in congratulating the recipients of our 2nd annual David Soules Scholarship, Justin Sanchez and Shundiin Livingston.
Let’s hear from the students themselves,
"I'm excited to utilize this scholarship in propelling me financially through my last year of undergrad. I hope that someday I'll have to same capability to help my community and environment through fellowships like this." Justin Sanchez.
"The scholarship will help me with my expenses, as well as starting a small at home hydroponic garden to further my education on sustainable farming." Shundiin Livingston.
Thank you to the Soules family for trusting us to keep David's legacy alive and to all the students who took the time to apply! We aim to grow this fund in 2023 and continue helping our community thrive!
Please consider donating to this facet of Nuestra Tierra's work:
BOOTHEEL CAMPOUT
Nuestra Tierra and partners traveled down to the Southwestern corner of New Mexico — The Bootheel. It is a special place with one of the most ecologically diverse and wild regions of the West and the Land of Enchantment! It has so much history, from Indigenous roots to ranching culture and traditions.
We were able to catch a few spring thunderstorms, explore some lithic sites, and view an array of wildlife - from wild turkeys and raptors to rattlesnakes and more.
We were incredibly privileged to explore and share time under the Bootheel's open skies and wild lands, and we look forward to our next adventure!
THE CONSERVATION ALLIANCE SUMMIT
The Conservation Alliance Summit created a space of collaboration and the collective determination to protect outdoor areas and wild places.
Our Executive Director, Ángel Peña, was a panelist and discussed the importance of the through-lines of leading a community-first campaign to protect lands for people, climate, and nature.
This session allowed other organizations/leaders to get inspired, push engagement and support conservation within their communities, and understand how important it is to have the community lead.
