Conservation investments will help economy and environment

The next few months are critical for New Mexico to make high-level spending decisions. While lawmakers rightly prioritize issues like education and crime, land and water conservation funding disproportionately suffers from a lack of investment. Now is the time for that to change.

With an influx in federal stimulus dollars and a state budget surplus predicted for the upcoming legislature, our leaders have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to put conservation dollars to work in impactful ways. Here are a few ways they can do that.

Officials should immediately fund infrastructure projects to support our outdoor recreation economy and create jobs. As shown by the success of the New Mexico Outdoor Economics Conference in Farmington, our communities are hungry for opportunities to showcase what makes them stand out. And with an abundance of beautiful landscapes, the Land of Enchantment has no shortage of places to visit.