Hispanic leaders call on elected officials to protect Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks region. This video clip is from the poet Denise Chavez’s poem.

Local and statewide Hispanic leaders including a former Governor, Attorney General, and Land Commissioner joined hundreds of local citizens in calling on elected officials to protect Southern New Mexico icons including the Organ Mountains during a press conference January 18, 2012, at the base of Tortugas Mountain (“A” Mountain). The group — Nuestra Tierra, Our Land – Our Future is focused on the deep connections and history many Hispanic residents share with natural gems in Doña Ana County.

In conjunction with the press conference, the group sent letters to President Obama and members of the New Mexico congressional delegation urging immediate protection of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peak region. You can view the letter here: http://donaanawild.org/nuestratierra.php

The Organ Mountains — Desert Peaks region includes the Organ, Robledo, Sierra de las Uvas, and Potrillo Mountains and important areas adjacent to them. In addition to vast ecological values, these areas also include well known historical events and figures including Billy the Kid, Geronimo, Butterfield Stagecoach Trail, Gadsden Purchase international boundary, and thousands of archeological sites from earlier Native American cultures.