Western Resource Advocates
Western Resource Advocates
Western Resource Advocates (WRA) fights climate change to sustain the environment, economy, and people of the West. Our team of policy experts in New Mexico works with local communities and decision-makers to preserve the state’s precious land and water resources.
Last month, WRA and its partners celebrated Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s signing of Senate Bill 9, establishing the Land of Enchantment Legacy Fund – the single largest land and water conservation investment in New Mexico history. The approved state budget included a $100 million appropriation for the fund, which will invest in existing state programs and unlock access to significant available matching federal funds that have been historically left on the table.
“Recent catastrophic and devastating wildfires have shined a bright light on our state’s need to invest in landscape and community resilience,” said Jonathan Hayden, western lands senior policy analyst with WRA.
“The Land of Enchantment Legacy Fund is the kind of investment New Mexico needs to ensure the health of our forests, watersheds, and the communities that rely on them. By making this investment, our elected leaders have cemented their commitment to land and water stewardship and have allowed us – for the first time – to access millions of federal dollars available to protect our lands, waters, wildlife, and cultural heritage. Now we can begin the hard work needed to ensure a healthy environment for future generations.”
Over the past five years, WRA has worked to secure conservation funding by driving a unified plan of action with our coalition partners, crafting bill language, and finding consensus between diverse stakeholders. Going forward, WRA will advocate for the full funding necessary to ensure the Land of Enchantment Legacy Fund’s long-lasting impact and preserve New Mexico’s ecological, cultural, and economic future.
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The Santa Fe Community Foundation invited nonprofit partners to submit stories related to its April topic of Environment.
The Santa Fe Symphony Orchestra & Chorus
By making high-quality music education accessible to more than 2,000 young people each year, the Santa Fe Symphony Orchestra & Chorus is helping students build confidence, creativity, and community. Through lessons, ensembles, and school partnerships, the organization is inspiring the next generation of musicians across northern New Mexico.
El Rancho de Las Golondrinas
Through hands-on learning at New Mexico Heritage Days, El Rancho de Las Golondrinas helps thousands of students experience the state's history firsthand, creating meaningful connections across generations.
Chimayo Cultural Preservation Association
Each year, the Chimayo Cultural Preservation Association's San Isidro Day celebration brings neighbors of all ages together to honor Chimayó's acequia traditions through blessing the water, planting the community garden, and passing cultural knowledge from one generation to the next.
