THE PUBLIC LANDS FOUNDATION presents the Restore New Mexico Partnership with a Landscape Stewardship Certificate of Appreciation and Citation.  The Foundation grants this recognition to honor private citizens and organizations who work to advance and sustain community-based stewardship on landscapes that include, in whole or in part, public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).  Candidates for the award include any private citizen or citizen group of the United States who, over the past 1-5 years, has demonstrated sustained outstanding leadership, vision, and purpose in contributing to BLM’s efforts and in motivating other citizens and institutions to work together to more effectively manage whole landscapes, including watersheds, planning or management units, and other land systems upon which people share a common interest.

In his nomination of the Restore New Mexico Partnership, Doug Burger, BLM Pecos District Manager, described the beginning of the Restore New Mexico Partnership as “small groups of people with a large vision.”  He then added that “the vision inspired commitment.”  And, “today the partnership consists of eight key organizations and groups, and countless individuals who have each contributed in their own significant and unique way.”

The Restore New Mexico partnership consists of four main areas of accomplishments:

–         grassland restoration

–         oil field reclamation

–         removal of salt cedar, and

–         reintroduction of fire into the ecosystem

Each approach contributes to improving the health of watersheds, landscapes and biological communities.

Since 2005, over 500,000 acres of brush control have been completed on public lands in southeastern New Mexico, plus almost 100,000 acres on private and state lands, leading to the restoration of key grassland ecosystems; 900 acres of well pads, roads and power lines were reclaimed, defragmenting more than 90,000 acres of wildlife habitat; and native riparian vegetation was reestablished on 36 miles of river, formerly choked with salt cedar on their banks.

The Public Lands Foundation is pleased to present the Restore New Mexico Partnership with this Citation and a Certificate of Appreciation for invaluable contributions to the stewardship of America’s public landscapes.

September 12, 2009