CELEBRATING 5 YEARS

OF COMMUNITY, CONSERVATION & CONNECTION

VIEW OUR 5-YEAR IMPACT REPORTSUPPORT OUR 2025 END-OF-YEAR GIVING CAMPAIGN

In just five years, Nuestra Tierra Conservation Project (Nuestra Tierra) has grown from a grassroots idea into a nationally recognized leader in community-driven conservation. Founded by friends and organizers who saw that access to nature was too often denied to frontline communities, Nuestra Tierra has redefined what conservation means: not just protecting landscapes, but protecting legacies.

Our mission is simple yet transformative: ensure historically and deliberately excluded communities have access to the outdoors, and that their history, values, and voices are authentically reflected in public land and water decisions. Guided by values of community-rootedness, equity and justice, and leadership development, we have built a model where those most impacted by environmental injustice lead the way locally and nationally.

KEY ACHEIVEMENTS

2019 - 2025

Landmark Protections:

Co-led the successful campaign for Presidential action to designate Castner Range National Monument (2019-2023), safeguarded sacred Indigenous lands near Chaco Canyon, restored La Mancha Wetlands, and introduced legislation to advance Wild and Scenic River protections for the Gila River.

Community + Youth Engagement:

Provided over $8,000 in scholarships to young conservation leaders, held over 20 culturally relevant community events increasing opportunities to engage outdoors and learn about conservation advocacy, ensuring the next generation of leaders reflects the diversity of our communities.

Outdoor Equity Leadership:

Led the co-creation of the New Mexico Outdoor Equity Fund providing access for thousands of children and families, and inspired a national movement to create a National Outdoor Opportunity Fund.

Policy Wins:

Influenced state and federal policy including the John D. Dingell Jr. Act (2019) Great American Outdoors Act (2020), EXPLORE Act (2025), and reforms to the New Mexico Game Commission (2025).

National Influence:

Provided leadership support to multiple national coalitions including Next 100 Coalition, Monumental Shift, Outdoor Opportunity, Mobilizing For Monuments Road Trip, and America the Beautiful For All Coalition, contributed to shaping national conservation goals, and brought frontline voices into federal decision-making spaces including Department of Interior, White House Council on Environmental Quality, Department of Agriculture, and Congress.

2017

Nuestra Tierra was founded in Las Cruces, New Mexico by Àngel Peña & Gabe Vasquez.

Began hosting events connecting local communities and youth to local public lands.

2019

Secured 501(c)(3) nonprofit status.

Worked with New Mexico State Representative Angelica Rubio and state partners to create the ground-breaking New Mexico Outdoor Equity Fund.

2020

Hired first Executive Director.

Provided vision and leadership to create the America The Beautiful For All Coalition; advancing outdoor equity, 30x30 and Justice40 goals.

2021

Expanded organizational capacity by adding three full-time employees.

Launched the Outdoor Opportunity Coalition, working with Senator Heinrich to develop legislation to establish a national outdoor equity fund modeled after New Mexico’s efforts.

2022

Took over land and water stewardship for La Mancha Wetlands in Las Cruces, securing an additional 1.5 acres of protection through an adjacent land donation and conservation easement.

2023

Celebrated President Biden’s designation of Castner Range National Monument, one of Nuestra Tierra’s major conservation campaigns.

2024

Expanded organizational capacity to seven full time employees.

Deepened youth programming, national coalition building of Outdoor Opportunity Initiative, and local community restoration at La Mancha Wetlands.

2025

Advocacy efforts at the New Mexico Legislative Session resulted in critical wins for land, water and outdoor equity priorities, including $3 million in additional funding for the Outdoor Equity Fund, protections for New Mexico’s surface waters and modernizing the Department of Game and Fish with updated wildlife management authority and funding.

PROGRAMS

Over the past five years, Nuestra Tierra has emerged as a powerful force in the conservation movement, transforming what it means to protect our environment through a community-centered lens. Our campaigns are not just about preserving landscapes; they’re about making sure that every child, every family, and every community, especially those who’ve been historically excluded, have a voice and a stake in our shared public lands and waters. Each win isn’t just a policy shift — it’s a statement that frontline communities be-long in the decision-making rooms.

MOVEMENT BUILDING

New Mexico Outdoor Equity Fund

First-of-its-kind in the nation, the New Mexico Outdoor Equity Fund has shown the nation whats possible when we put equity and youth at the center. We will continue to advocate alongside our partners to secure permanent funding for this critical program.

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Outdoor Opportunity Coalition

We’ve gathered partner organizations and launched the Outdoor OpportunityCoalition to build the public and political momentum for the creation of a national fund that will ensure large-scale long-term investments in programs to ensure that all youth across the nation, have an opportunity to explore the great outdoors and to enjoy its health, educational, and career-building benefits.

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America The Beautiful For All Coalition

As founding members and key architects of the America the Beautiful for All Coalition we help define national goals by bringing together advocates working through their respective missions on freshwater, ocean, public lands, wildlife, urban parks and green space and private lands conservation to harness the power of the collective.

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Mobilizing For Monuments

The Mobilizing for Monuments campaign, brings together grassroots partners from
across the country to elevate local monument efforts and amplify Indigenous and front-line voices. Our storytelling work, advocacy materials, and coalition strategies are helping to build a more inclusive future for public lands policy
nationwide.

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Castner Range National Monument

The Castner Range National Monument campaign wasn’t just about protecting 6,600 acres — but reclaiming a cultural and historical space for the communities
of El Paso, Texas.

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Restoring New Mexico Wetlands

Restoring the four-acre, La Mancha Wetlands in Doña Ana County, New Mexico will restore and protect critical habitat for
countless species who call the borderlands home and a place for community members to connect to nature.

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Protecting Chaco Canyon

We will continue to fight tirelessly alongside our partners to halt new oil and gas leasing near Chaco Canyon, protecting sacred Indigenous lands.

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Protecting The Gila River

We will continue to advocate for protecting
the Gila River, the last free-flowing river in New Mexico that still has an abundance and diversity of fish and wildlife.

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Next Generation: Soules Conservation Scholarship Program

The David Soules Conservation Memorial Scholarship program is supporting the next generation of conservation leaders at
New Mexico State University (NMSU) to advance their studies and local conservation projects.

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Expand Outdoor Access & Advance Community-Led Conservation

Nuestra Tierra has hosted over 100 culturally relevant programs and events including our annual Rio Grande River Float that reflect the communities we come from.
It’s not just about exposure to nature — it’s about empowerment and transformation.

Advancing community-led conservation including the defense of stream access rights by amplifying community voices to ensure public policy better reflects public values and are rooted in our cultural
values.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The story of Nuestra Tierra Conservation Project is one of community, collaboration, and shared vision. Over the past five years, countless individuals, partner organizations, foundations, and businesses have lent their voices, time, resources and expertise to help us protect culturally significant lands and waters, expand access to the outdoors and redefine conservation to center equity and justice.

THANK YOU!

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