New Conservation Directions

By Dan Estabrook, Director of Philanthropy

The Nature Conservancy is best known as the organization that buys land to conserve it. And, for most of our history, that is just what we have done. But we can’t buy all the land available, and we certainly can't protect all of it single handedly. So in the mid-1980s, the Conservancy expanded its approach. Yes, we still purchase land, but it is no longer our only method of protection. Instead, it is part of a broader strategic plan that allows the Conservancy to preserve land and water more efficiently with lasting results.

Conservation by Design is a science-based four-step conservation process that sets priorities, develops strategies, takes action and measures results. Using Conservation by Design we identify the highest-priority places—landscapes and seascapes that, if managed appropriately, promise to conserve the world’s biodiversity forever. This approach emphasizes partnerships: working with communities, businesses, governments, other private organizations and people like you to decide how best to preserve land and water for future generations to use and enjoy. It means sharing our scientific expertise with others to get the job done. And it means purchasing land when appropriate. Below is a brief overview of some of the New Mexico projects where we are successfully applying Conservation by Design.

New Mexico Fire Initiative

Working with a variety of partners, the Conservancy is developing the scientific foundation for restoration of fire-adapted ecosystems in the Gila National Forest, the Jemez Mountains and other parts of the state. Through a five-year collaborative agreement, the Conservancy is providing scientific and technical support to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to help the agency restore natural fire regimes to New Mexico's wildlands. Using geographic information systems, ecological models, expert interviews and field data, the Conservancy will provide reference information that the BLM will use to prepare and implement fire management plans for the 12.8 million acres that it manages in the state. For the first time, the BLM will have comprehensive statewide information about the natural frequency and severity of fire, and about how decades of fire suppression have affected ecological systems. The Conservancy and the Gila National Forest have also jointly hired a new fire ecologist who is working with the forest staff to establish ecological restoration priorities and guidelines, and to identify opportunities for prescribed burns, wildland fire use, thinning of small diameter trees, and other rehabilitation practices. The Gila, already among the nation’s most progressive National Forests in restoring fire’s natural ecological role, will provide even greater leadership regionally and nationally thanks to the fire management innovations the Conservancy is helping to develop.

White Sands Missile Range

The Conservancy and Department of Army recently renewed their partnership to protect the extensive natural resources found on the 2.2 million-acre White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), the army’s largest land holding. WSMR supports 160 native grass species, more than 35 cacti species, 130 springs, undisturbed ponderosa pine forests and diverse wildlife. Our accomplishments there include the creation of WSMR’s first wildland fire management plan -- more than 70 fires have occurred in the past 15 years -- and the classification of more than 500 testing and training sites, important so that the government can better utilize existing locations while minimizing environmental degradation. Conservancy staff is also helping protect the endangered Todsen’s pennyroyal – a plant in the mint family – recently discovering three new populations.

Janos Grasslands (northern Mexico)

This 750,000-acre landscape is home to North America’s largest remaining black-tailed prairie dog population. Threats to these vast grasslands include urban development, agricultural conversion and overgrazing. Working closely with the Conservancy’s Mexico program, we have taken the lead in creating a multi-partner conservation plan, which includes educating landowners and their residents, monitoring of threatened grassland bird populations and building capacity of our Mexican partners to support long-term conservation and land acquisition. One of our most important conservation strategies involves advancing the designation of the Janos Grasslands by the Mexican government as a Biosphere Reserve. The Conservancy’s move into large-scale international conservation has mandated collaboration to get the job done.

These endeavors exemplify the new approaches we are using towards large-scale preservation at a scale that would not be possible employing only land acquisition.

While buying land remains a significant strategy, partnerships, collaboration, education and consultation are equally important. As The Nature Conservancy of New Mexico embarks on its next quarter-century, we will explore new approaches to conservation, and, with your support, save the Last Great Places on Earth at a scale unimaginable 25 years ago!