WASHINGTON, D.C.—On April 23rd, 2009, Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) introduced legislation that would protect over 300,000 acres of wild public land in northern New Mexico. The bill is cosponsored by Senator Tom Udall (D-NM).

The “El Rio Grande del Norte National Conservation Area Establishment Act” would protect approximately 235,980 acres of public land managed by the Bureau of Land by designating a combination of “conservation” and “wilderness” areas.

“This is a great time for wilderness in New Mexico,” said Nathan Newcomer, Associate Director with the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance. “Senator Bingaman’s legislation comes on the heels of the newly designated Sabinoso Wilderness, and as the birthplace of wilderness, New Mexicans should be proud that our congressional leaders are actively preserving our natural heritage.”

Creation of the National Conservation Area and Wilderness areas would give local communities a natural attraction and resource to use as part of a long-term sustainable economic development plan.

“These are some of the most spectacular lands in all of New Mexico,” said John Olivas, Northern Director for the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance. “This legislation will ensure that we are protecting the hunting and fishing opportunities for New Mexico sportsmen as well as preserving a special place for our children.”

The area is also the Rio Grande Migratory Flyway – one of the great migratory routes in the world. Eagles, falcons and hawks make the basalt walls of the Gorge their nesting homes. Ospreys, scaups, hummingbirds, herons, avocets, merlins and willits all traverse the Gorge.

This substantial chunk of wild land is bounded by the Gorge Rim on the east and Highway 285 on the west. The northern portion spills over 285, encompassing the broad, gently rolling grass and sage brush plains of the Rio San Antonio Gorge, bisected by yet another gorge where raptors nest in 200-foot high lava walls and conifers clamber down to the Rio los Pinos. Perhaps the crown jewel of this whole area is Ute Mountain, a 10,093 foot high volcanic cone rising nearly 3,000 feet above the surrounding plain.

Descendants of the land grantees run cattle all along the Gorge and out into the table-lands between the rim and Highway 285.