Sierra County numbers about 13,000 individuals, 8,000 of whom live in Truth or Consequences. The town has undergone transition in the last several years, with its economy now more oriented around water related recreation because of the presence of Caballo Lake and Elephant Butte Reservoir. Traditionally, it has not had a lot of social diversity, with the ranching lifestyle predominating. Differences in the two main perspectives, town and country, create tensions in community life. It is an older population. Increasingly, young people cannot afford to take over the agricultural operations of their parents. Lands are becoming more valuable for development than for ranching and farming. Elephant Butte becomes a large city on the weekends, with people coming in from all over, especially the urban areas to enjoy water recreation.

Truth or Consequences is struggling economically. People expressed concerns about the negative impacts of the drought and even wonder if the town can survive at all. Town leaders are trying to turn this around. Leaders are focused on light industry, an OHV Park and a River Walk Park as strategies for re-development that may involve BLM. Despite the widespread distrust of government, many people realize that they need to work with BLM and others in order to survive.

The city is interested in some annexation opportunities. It is interested in airport expansion, a transfer station, and industrial park site, which may have some water availability issues.

Ted Turner has bought two large ranches in this area, one of which was the Armendaris Ranch. He apparently has a biologist on staff and has introduced sheep and buffalo, with restoration as the goal. The joke around town is that he said, “I figured out that if I want to save the West, I have to buy it.” Some residents think he has been a good neighbor and is credited with starting a computer center for the town.

Local uses of BLM lands include hunting, target practice, horseback riding, OHV use and gold panning. The BLM host at Lake Valley said that most of their visitors are from out of town, but a good percentage comes from nearby or are visiting after being away for a while.

Citizen Issues

Ranchers “claim” the public land and even members of the public sometimes have the perception that ranchers own the land. Ranchers feel they are stewards but that some recreational intrusion destroys some of their efforts.

Signs are needed that convey land status to public land users.

Trash is a big issue.

Hunting

“Hunting here is good—turkey, dove, deer. The game animals seem to be managed well.”

“Around here, we hunt for food. It’s not recreation, it’s survival.”

Mining Claims

“My friends and I have mining claims up in the mountains. It gives us a good excuse to get up there. BLM treats us well. They give us personal attention and they are consistent. If we do what we say we are going to do, so do they. We worked with one gal who retired to get married and she introduced us to her replacement. He’s pretty good, too.”

Access. Residents are clear that they do not want public land areas closed off from access. Although the attempt to introduce big horn sheep in the Caballo Mountains apparently happened years ago, people still talk about it in angry terms.

“Once the big horn sheep were introduced into this area, and then that area was shut down.”

“One guy was killed in a cave and BLM shut the cave down. We go in these caves all the time and we know the risk is there. That’s why we do it. We don’t want the caves shut down.”

OHV Use

“People around here support all efforts BLM makes to keep people on designated trails.”

“We’d like to see OHV areas adjacent to State Parks. This would allow our parks to be used primarily for camping.” [Park Ranger, Elephant Butte]

“There should be parks and roads designated for OHV use. There is too much OHV abuse now.”

Environmental Conditions

“I talk to old Hispanic men whose fathers talked about the grasslands that were so healthy when they were young. The grasses are gone. It’s just creosote now. It would take such a huge effort to restore this area that it’s not even talked about.”

“If you talk with women around here, they say if the wind blows, expect a lot of dust in your house. There is nothing to hold the soil anymore. You go up on top past the airport and you see where prickly pear were. Prickly pears are a sign already of a stressed system, but when it was burned for cows in the ‘30s or ‘40s, nothing came back. Now there is nothing.”

“I hear Albuquerque is going to take 100,000 acre feet from the Rio Grande and treat it for drinking. That is disgusting. Who would ever drink that? There is so much heavy metal in the water, they tell us to eat fish from the lake only a couple times a month.”

“Overgrazing has changed the land over the years.”

“The low water this year is really hurting recreation.”

Community Development

“The city and businesses need land around the city for parks, industrial growth, wind generation and other alternative energy generation. We are also planning for mountain bike, walking and equestrian trails.” [Economic Development official]

“We want to develop more trails for senior citizens and need land for senior activity centers and parks.” [Office on Aging official]

BLM Image

“The major thing BLM is fighting is credibility. Most people just would not believe that they would want things differently, either with the community or with the land.”

Opportunities

The public should communicate with ranchers to identify public/private lands.

The Sheriff’s Posse and Back Country Horsemen may be leaders in some proposed projects. BLM should let them take the lead and play a supporting role.

BLM could sponsor a clean up day on the ranches, perhaps one per year. It would be an opportunity to bring recreational users together with ranchers in a positive encounter and to showcase the stewardship activities of both sets of people.

BLM needs to share responsibility in managing public lands and to communicate its commitment to do its part.

BLM could develop open space and parks for some areas which allow unrestricted OHV use.

New Mexico State University (NMSU) students could assist in some of the development work, such as identifying local needs and using GPS to mark trails, and so on.

Communication Strategy

Informal Networks/Key Contacts

Mary Jo Fahl

Sierra Soil and Water Conservation District

894-2232

She is very connected to the farming and ranching community.

Pat Jones, the Way Out West Arena, between Lake Valley and Hillsboro, is well connected to local activity; 895-5386. Tom Phillips connection.

Rick Carr from Winston is a business owner in TorC, is a board member of the Sierra County Electric Coop, owns the Winston store and is very interested in local stewardship efforts. Tom Phillips connection.

Pat Buls, Radium Springs area, has been involved in the Camino Real trail effort through the Back Country Horsemen Club. Tom Phillips connection.

Rolf Heisler, New Mexico State Parks Region 4 Manager; 894-7472, wants to coordinate with BLM around OHV opportunities. He provided the following list of individuals with interest in the BLM plan:

Bob Barns concerning mountain biking, 744-5365

Ray Kirkpatrick, New Mexico State Park Elephant Butte, 744-5421

Mayor Jim Rainey, 894-3915

Chamber of Commerce Director Julia Cooper

Charley Ward, Cabin Lease Lot Association, 744-5085

Tim Warell, Sports Adventure Marina, 744-5557

Larry Jeffery, Rock Canyon Marina, 744-5462

Carl Brown, Marina Del Sur, 744-5567

Chris Petty, Dam Site Marina, 744-5889

Tony Trujillo, 894-781 concerning OHV

Brent Tansey, 894-6661 concerning Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) needs and issues

Doc Lanford, 894-6661 concerning grazing issues

Lane Pack, Sierra County Economic Development Organization Administrator, 894-9061.

Judie Gary, Sierra Joint Office on Aging, Executive Director

Butch Morgan, owner Morgan Marine Inc., 894-6986.

Gathering Places

Café Rio is a gathering place in Williamsburg, frequented by many local people actively visiting and sharing information.

Hillsboro General Store and Café is a place to communicate with people about what is going on in the area.

The Cuchillo Bar, although this place is not as busy as in years past.

Winston General Store, Rick and Tessa Carr; this would be a good communication spot for the people of Winston, Dusty, Chise, and Cloride.

Formal Groups

Back Country Horsemen

Communication Opportunities

BLM needs to “start fresh” with this community. BLM has never had a strong presence and residents have a perception that BLM does not care to work with local residents. A renewed effort in Truth or Consequences would reduce the fear of many about the role of government, generally, and that of BLM specifically. Hence, BLM should be active in opening doors for involvement.

BLM could work in a concerted fashion with city and county leaders to identify needs for utility corridors, communication sites, landfills, roads, and trails for bikes, OHV, horse riding, and open areas. In consultation with local residents and elected officials, BLM should plan on opening some new roads and closing others.

Let the Mayor, the county manager, and Sierra County Economic Development office (SCEDO) start and lead these efforts. Such a strategy will address the widespread fear of government and assure grounded support for new initiatives.

Reality check with the publics during the planning process, making sure that BLM understands local citizen issues.

The public participation process must involve more people, not just the squeaky wheels. Conduct community outreach so residents see beyond the negative image of BLM.

Meetings should not be held at the Community Center because it is oriented to hearings rather than cooperative problem-solving. Work with the mayor to find the most comfortable meeting spots. Considerations include the airport, Lake Valley school, Pine Knot, Hillsboro Community Center, the Veteran’s Center, the County Fairgrounds, the Marina, or parks. Check with Judie Gary at the Senior Center.

Meetings in Lake Valley can be held at the School House, which hosts monthly dances, weddings, and other social events, making it a positive location.

BLM could participate in Parade Day or Ralph Edwards Day. A rescued animal booth could be appropriate.

Encourage BLM personnel with responsibility in the area to find opportunities to participate not only as an agency “representative” but as a private citizen as well.

The Mescalero/Alamogordo Area

Community Assessment

Community Interests

This area is comprised of the Mescalero, Tularosa, Alamogordo communities and the surrounding rural areas. The military represents a strong presence in the community. Alamogordo had 35,582 people in the last census and Otero County had 62,298. Alamogordo was described as a military town, which has been the source of growth.

“I know at my church, it’s like you don’t get to know newcomers because you don’t know how long they are going to stay. It makes you careful.”

It is probably fair to say that the primary link of most residents with public land is with the U.S. Forest Service, especially Lincoln National Forest. It offers more attractive and cooler habitat than the lower elevation BLM lands. BLM lands are used more in the winter months.

The primary interests of the area related to the BLM plan are grazing and outdoor recreation, primarily off-highway vehicle (OHV) use, hunting, and mountain biking. A number of people, even those not connected to the sport, talked about the value of the Red Sands OHV area to the sport and to the community. It is an area that is actively used by local residents and visitors alike. The Tarantula 500 race has begun to attract many participants and stimulates economic benefits for the area.

“BLM lands here are used mostly for hunting.”

“There is a tendency to discount BLM lands here. Once in awhile, I hear people saying something like, ‘Oh, that’s just BLM land.’”

Officials of the Mescalero Apache Tribe voiced concerns related to opportunities for gathering tribal foods on BLM lands and the management of cultural resources.

Citizen Issues

Leadership in county government and civic organizations indicated that: they want to be active participants in the planning process; they want the BLM process to be coordinated with the Otero planning process which has currently re-started, and they want to be well informed as the planning proceeds. The County wants to participate as an official Cooperating Agency.

A variety of sportsmen from hunters, to OHV users, to mountain bikers expressed frustration at the loss of access to public lands. Many recreationists are angry because local ranchers portray themselves as owners of the land. One reason people want good maps is so they can point out to ranchers where they are at any given time and counter the myth perpetuated by ranchers that they are on private property. Typically, if the rancher is pressed he will acknowledge the land in question is leased, but the general relations between these two publics are not good. In addition, some sportsmen believe that ranchers directly gate public lands, build roads and divert water in actions for which they have no formal approval. The sportsmen believe it is illegal for the ranchers to put gates on BLM property and then restrict their access. Particular geographic areas mentioned include:

“It’s a disgrace that ranchers put up gates—they’re on government welfare as it is. Up Three Rivers is a place called Snake Tank that abuts the Mescalero Reservation. It now has a locked gate and it is leased to hunters. That is public land—they are making money off of a public resource.”

“BLM put up two cattle guards on the road at Three Rivers Ranch. In between the ranch has put up signs on BLM land that say ‘Ranch Elk.’ This area now has a lot of erosion. They have yelled and intimidated hunters including my friend’s 8 year old son a couple of years ago.’

“Ranchers have investments on their leased lands. Hunters often shoot stuff up and cause damage. It’s natural that ranchers want to keep them off.”

“___ and ___ are ranchers that get real mad at you and say, ‘This is my land,’ but it’s leased. These kind of attitudes have been around forever.”

Ranchers described vandalism and the dumping of trash by the presence of hunters and OHV users. They described these problems as long-lasting—that their parents had to deal with such problems also—and that the problems are cyclical. A few cows will get shot and that will be it for a few years. A water pipeline will get shot up but then things are quiet for awhile. Although these issues appear to be widespread, they seem to be considered as a necessary part of business. No one had concrete ideas for doing much to change the situation, recognizing that budget limitations of BLM prohibit higher levels of monitoring and enforcement.

“I see new piles of trash all the time. I try and find a name on an envelope and call the county sheriff. Sometimes, they are big piles. I have to bury the piles myself sometimes, couches, chairs, washing machines.”

“Some of the worst is gun shooting. Sometimes it’s dangerous. Sometimes they shoot pipelines. If I confront them, they say, ‘I’m on public land and I can do anything I want.’”

“What I want to know is why was the rancher to the north of me allowed to overgraze to where there is only bare dirt? Of course, the drought has put people on the edge of making it, but someone should have stopped him. He got rid of the cattle now, but it should have happened sooner.”

The OHV community was very appreciative of the Red Sands OHV area. One man said the area was “hot, ugly, and awesome.” It is an area that is actively used. The pattern users described is that they go upland to the Lincoln National Forest in summer when it is hot and they use Red Sands and the lowlands during the winter. The fire restrictions that are common on the National Forest in the summer greatly prohibit uses at times, but this seems to be accepted as a necessary condition. Local users reported that a fair percentage of OHV use in the area is from visitors who pull their rigs here for local riding.

“It’s not common to go to other areas.”

“We’d like to see McGregor and White Sands opened for use, but I don’t suppose that’s going to happen.”

“Motorcycle sales are holding steady but ATV sales continue to climb.” [A couple stores said this]

“The desert race in February draws 250 riders.”

“The Tarantula Race brings in 500 participants.”

“We’d like a motocross track in this town. The only one is Sertoma in Tularosa but you can only ride that track one weekend a month.”

“Maps would really be nice. We get requests all the time and we don’t have much to give people. Generally, the ATV community wants areas that are accessible and designated.” [OHV Store]

“The Forest Service is starting to put two posts at the OHV trailheads. If your ATV fits through, you can use it on that trail. If it doesn’t fit, you can’t use it.”

Some OHV users were upset that six years ago BLM worked with them to designate the trails in Red Sands. Some users GPS’d over 200 miles of trails and created a map. With a grant from a New Mexico state office, signs were made but then somehow were lost. OHV people were very clear that they would still like to get Red Sands designated.

“BLM dropped the ball on that one. They never followed through to designate the trails. Well, I dropped the ball, too, because I got busy and ran out of time.”

“We paid thousands for archeological surveys and we got those clearances.”

“We have to get the trails official before some environmentalist finds an endangered species out there.”

Some residents worried about ATV damage.

“Four wheel drives do the worst damage. The ATV tires are wide so they don’t tear up as much.”

“With the Tularosa Watershed group, there is a rule that you stay on established roads. This gives me a chance to mention it if I see someone doing something they are not supposed to. Most people don’t understand erosion.” [Rancher]

“You can see damage at the turnoff to Tularosa Reservoir, including a lot of trash.”

“There’s no need for clean up. People are under pressure to keep it clean and they do.”

“I hate how the four wheel drives are tearing things up.”

“ATVs don’t hurt the land down here because it’s all sand. It’s up on the forest that they damage things.”

“Quad runners tear the devil out of the land. We just take the reports, but of course, BLM is too understaffed to do very much.” [Otero County Sheriff]

“Go up to Highway 82 and Florida near the Triple T store and it will be easy to see ATV damage. Or go up to Red Hills. At least at Red Sands there are some controls.”

“Most of the bad apples are hunters. Lots of them like ATVs to locate game or to haul game back after it is quartered. Both uses are illegal. If you are making tracks, it is illegal.” [OHV Store]

“There is no OHV education in this area.”

Mountain bikers have been working on trail areas, especially the Sabinata Flats near La Luz and the “Rails to Trails” project. The Sabinata Flats is very popular but is hampered by access problems. Access is from the south and apparently goes through parcels of private property. So far, people have not been stopped but they feel it is only a matter of time. They would like some help in creating more stable access.

“Sabinata Flats is so great but access to the farther reaches of that area is restricted by ranchers who are leasing their land. They will tell you it’s private but it’s leased.”

The Rails to Trails project is envisioned as a loop that would go from Alamogordo through the Fresno Canyon to Cloudcroft, south to Sunspot (Sacramento Peak) through Dog Canyon at Oliver Lee State Park and north back to Alamogordo. The trail from Alamogordo to Cloudcroft through Fresno Canyon is complete except for about 200 yards near the city’s pump house. Private lands deter bikers from getting to the dirt road that proceeds up the canyon. Many parts of this loop involve BLM lands that bikers want to have designated.

“If we can get through that one spot, we can get all the way up Fresno Canyon up to High Rolls.”

Mescalero Tribal concerns identified were these.

“On the desert we collect the mescal plant and yucca stems. We get the whole mescal plant, so sometimes there is damage, but we just take stems from the yucca. We use them for everyday food and also for puberty and other ceremonies. We go down to the Hueco Tanks in Texas. Are these plants on BLM lands? Is a permit required? When we are on military ground or the Forest Service, they escort us.”

“BLM does not tell us of projects [involving Cultural Resources] in a timely manner. We review 1000 requests a year, on the other hand, and we want to streamline that. Sometimes, the archeologist will just assume there is no interest and sign off too quickly. But sometimes it’s very important to us. If we could work together to be both more efficient and effective, that would be good for us.”

Orogrande Issues

“Why can’t I pick up arrowheads? It’s just Indian trash.”

“BLM helped Orogrande with its water system. We wouldn’t have made it otherwise.”

“James Christiensen, from BLM, was great help to us [for our water system].” [Orogrande resident]

“We’re getting a new water system by piping it in from Chaparral.”

Opportunities

Convene the many sportsmen with access issues and have them map out the spots with limitations, indicating the high priorities from a local standpoint. Communicate with affected ranchers and explore the prospects for collaborative solutions. Have all parties consider other alternatives and resources to resolve the issue.

Mail Otero County Commission the existing RMP for their review, thus signaling BLM intent to “keep them in the loop.”

Trash

“BLM should send someone out once a week to check this out but of course they don’t have the staff and they don’t work the weekends when the problem happens. The dump is pretty far away.”

Communication Strategy

Informal Networks/Key Contacts

Prairie Dawg Motorcycle Group

Monster Truck Group

Identify Sportmens’ Groups

Tularosa Watershed Group. They have had successful meetings throughout the area and have accomplished a number of projects valued locally. Apparently, they are less active now than in the past.

Military

Civilians may belong to above groups

Military bases have environmental staff who may help.

Sportsmen contacts related to stores were eager to be included in the planning process, and these are listed below.

For hunters:

Tularosa Community Ditch Corporation

Alamogordo Economic Development Council

Holloman Air Force Base

White Sands Missile Range

Communication Opportunities

Develop more broad-based networks contacts, incorporating user groups, military, sportsmen.

Identify a core group within BLM to maintain communication within this geographic area.

Send a letter to the Mescalero Tribal Chair, acknowledging concerns about plant gathering and cultural resources consultation. Invite their participation as a Cooperating Agency. Carbon copy the Natural Resources and the Historic Preservation offices.

Develop a current mailing list of formal groups, including Otero County, for notification once the planning process begins.

Dave’s Guns on Tenth Street recommended a suggestion box or a checklist at the counter for their customers. They believe such a method would be very successful.

For large public meetings, people recommended the Alamogordo Civic Center.

The Las Cruces Metro Area

Community Assessment

Community Interests

This section will primarily discuss the Las Cruces urban area in relation to BLM management but it does include some citizen issues in the farming area of the Rincon Valley.

The Las Cruces Metro Area is a term that refers to the increased urbanization in the Las Cruces area and the steadily growing population. The population of Dona Ana County tripled in the last three decades. Traditionally, it has been known for being cheap to live but with low wages. Jobs are perceived to be limited so even with a cheaper cost of living, it can be hard to make ends meet. In recent years, it has become a city in which affordable housing is increasingly rare as prices continue upwards. Local residents believe that many retirees are moving to the area, although a City Planner stated that retirees only make up 13% of the population. Old timers, especially long standing Hispanic families tend to view recent changes as negative, reflecting the loss of traditional ways to modern ones. They mourn the loss of the old ways. New Anglo residents tend to be from states like Michigan and Wisconsin, and they have little experience with the land. Mexican immigrants, because they come from an area with little environmental controls, are seen to be litterers and less sensitive to environmental quality. For them, despite the marginal economy, this area seems good.

“You might call it poor around here, but if you coming from the south, it’s the Garden of Eden.”

The military presence is very strong in the area despite the general reduction in the number of personnel in the area. White Sands Missile Range, for example, has declined from 7,000 to 3,000 personnel in recent years.

Mesilla, or Old Mesilla, is one of the oldest areas of New Mexico. Its extant plaza hosts many tourist shops that draw people from around the nation. The shopkeepers presented the picture that many tourists are routed to Mesilla through El Paso and through family connections. Many are older, more affluent visitors, but many often visit public lands. The typical visitor is an older couple in an RV who stays in the area for several days and engages in a variety of activities, often including public lands.

Linear recreation is an interest that has come into sharper focus in recent years. A variety of outdoor users, from four-wheel drive to ATV, to mountain bikers, like the opportunity to go a long way or even in a long loop to enjoy their sport. The City has begun a policy to foster “linear parks”—long but narrow, as a way to respond to this interest.

A number of residents talked about wanting to integrate trails on public lands with those developed by the City.

Sportsmen want better access to public lands and many had complaints of specific areas that have become inaccessible because of gates. They want grassland restoration and the overgrazing problems addressed, including forbs left for wildlife. The drought apparently has exacerbated forage conditions, with some areas reportedly looking like a “moonscape” with a total loss of vegetation.

There is widespread community interest in land acquisition to foster high quality recreation opportunities and to permit city expansion. Some people are concerned about the wisdom of land acquisition but it is a subject of wide discussion.

Citizen Issues

Planning and City Growth. The city has been growing to the east and the northeast and a variety of BLM parcels have become of interest, especially north of Dripping Spring Road. The area around the airport has BLM lands of interest to the city as well.

“If lands just open up, growth is going to be helter skelter. It must be incremental and linked to responsible growth in some specific ways.”

“Develop the river as an asset.”

“The University has lots of land contiguous with BLM and we are undertaking a visioning/planning process. Shouldn’t these efforts be coordinated?” [University official]

“Coordinate land disposal with local communities. Make sure that the city, ETZ and county are aware and included. Sometimes acquisitions are not handled well. An example is Soledad Canyon. This site was beyond the ETZ. Acquisitions should be next to existing development, not leapfrog.”

“Any developer must correspond to MPO [Metropolitan Planning Organization] and ETZ [Extra Territorial Zone] requirements. These provisions will assure that planning will happen.”

“You must do a Master Plan. The ETZ is ineffective. It’s not good at the long term. The board basically plays a yes/no function related to rezoning. It’s too late by then. Developers have invested in their plan and they don’t want to change it much. The County has a long range plan but it is too general.”

“I hate what’s going on behind A Mountain near the Organs. The viewshed is going to be ruined. There has got to be a better way to deal with urban expansion. We need a buffer 2-3 miles out.”

“BLM signs off too quickly on some of these projects. They make assumptions about what will fly but sometimes they’re wrong. That proposed tower on A Mountain is a good example. BLM signed off on a FONSI [Finding of No Significant Impact] but they didn’t check it out carefully.”

“The city should buy BLM land so the cost savings can foster affordable housing.”

Acquisition for Recreation Urban Interface

“The local BLM has done a great job on set asides, They acquired land in the Organs, for example, and consolidated block into a recreation area. We need more of that.”

Access

“BLM needs to enhance access in prime hunting areas, where it is being rapidly lost.”

“Mountain public access is a problem.”

Mountain Biking. Mountain bikers expressed great enthusiasm for the two areas developed by BLM for their use, one of which is on Robledo Mountain.

“Mountain bikers love an area in the Dona Anas north of town east of the freeway. We’d like to develop something like Albuquerque has—dedicated to bikes, nice trails and so on.”

“The Sierra Vista Bike Trail is great for the area. We were surprised by it, but it’s great.”

“There is talk now of connecting A Mountain to Franklin State Park in Texas. The county commissioner wants to connect a trail from the Farm and Ranch Museum to Dripping Springs. Residents were polled out there and most wanted the road narrow but bike path put in.”

OHV Use

“OHV use needs more enforcement. It’s already policy that you can’t get off established trails, but enforcement is not adequate. More roads are getting created all the time.”

“There is a pattern to this. Some guy goes off on his own but leaves tracks. The next guy sees it and does the same thing. Pretty soon there is a new road. Right now you get a slap on the wrist if anything.”

“We need a comprehensive map that shows existing roads and trails so that people know where they can and can’t go.”

“Identify private land that is blocking access to public land. I know one place where a guy owns a small parcel and he blocked his road. Another road is needed. This is getting common.”

“We’d like to become more of a partner with BLM. More would get done if we could improve the working relationship.” [Four by four group members]

“I would like to see increased education and media publications about Tread Lightly on public and private land. BLM needs to increase law enforcement personnel out on the public land. The laws are there but no personnel to enforce them. Most riders are responsible but those select few ruin it for everybody.”

“Extreme trails are growing in popularity and are needed around here. If there were 12 trails, then they could be rotated, reducing the impact to them. One trail I have in mind is Coyote Canyon in Otero County.”

“We could partner with BLM and improve the stewardship in some areas in return for greater trail development. We could repair livestock pipelines by sleeving them, put in erosion structures, and so on.”

“Two very successful cleanups have been the Dona Ana Mountains and Robledo Mountain. There is great opportunity here.”

“We would like to see more trails constructed for four wheel drives. Areas we are interested in are located in the Robledos and on Tunuco Mountains. The revenue generated into the Las Cruces economy during the Chile Challenge is in excess of $1 million dollars.” [Four Wheel drive club members]

“How can BLM help us handle the ATV problem? The designated area, ‘Aden’ on the West Mesa is good.”

“I live by the Las Cruces Flood Control Dam and we have enormous problems with ATV. No one group has enough resources, so getting everyone involved is the way to go.”

“We don’t like that two roads were closed on Robledo Mountain, particularly the Wolf and the Guardian. It looks like the Southwest 4X4 Club is going to take this issue to the 10^th Circuit Court of Appeals.” [Local OHV user]

Grazing

“I hate grazing. I am a frequent visitor to Baylor Pass. We should turn that area into an NCA [National Conservation Area] so that we can write our own management plan.”

“Overgrazing has happened for years. When Ted Turner said at NMSU that grazing in the desert was stupid, ranchers threatened to remove funding from the university. Creosote is now so dominant that it would be really difficult to get grasses back.”

More enforcement of laws and regulations

Luna County is concerned that Dona Ana County is lacking a weed program.

Everybody wants less trash and better signage.

Land clean up

Better protection of significant resources, for example, the Butterfield Trail

The closure of the NMSU land base north of town will increase the demand on BLM lands.

Rincon Valley Issues

“I am concerned about the sand and gravel operation south of Hatch next to I-25 on private land. It’s an eyesore. These are necessary but should be located to minimize visual impacts.”

“We want to explore the use of BLM land for community facilities here, such as a teen center and college branch. We’ve worked hard to foster interest in these facilities.” [Hatch area residents]

“If we could get public land near town, we’d have an opportunity to build a community facility.” [Garfield resident]

“The valley is landlocked and arable land is not available for development. BLM land near town would offer an opportunity for development.” [Arrey residents]

“Make sure that public lands are not closed off to ATV use. Having people stay on the trails is OK.”

“Who pays for fences on public lands and who maintains roads on public lands?”

“The Association has a right of way on BLM lands for a road and out water tank. There is a lot of trash getting dumped out on that road. We have to clean it up too often.” [Garfield Water Association official]

“The signing to get to Ft. Cummings is presently inadequate to guide the public to the fort.” [Ft. Seldon State Park officials]

Opportunities

Growth

Foster a multi-jurisdictional Master Plan approach to land disposal in the Las Cruces area. BLM should not rely on existing structures, such as the ETZ, to make this happen because most people thought existing structures are simply inadequate. Rather, a non profit group or some other third party could facilitate a regional effort in which BLM is one player. To build such a coalition will require some time and presents a challenge in fitting such a process into the formal time line of the BLM planning process.

Access

“We could help out. I am very familiar with my favorite spots. I could sit with a map and tell you guys where these areas are. I know the roads. Other people know other areas well. Between us, we could map it out.”

Visitation

Develop a strategy that makes use of Mesilla as a gateway for visitors to public lands in the Las Cruces area. In terms of routing visitors to certain locations or education of visitors about public land etiquette and ecology, Mesilla represents a resource.

BLM could create a Women in the Outdoors program. Currently, the nearest program is at Fort Bliss.

BLM in conjunction with citizen groups could get a message on bottles and cans, “Don’t trash your public lands.”

Communication Strategy

Informal Networks/Key Contacts

Mark Leisher, mountain bike activist (NMSU), 646-1148.

Other resources to bring to bear on the growth and planning question include the following groups and individuals:

Center for Sustainable Research, NMSU

Jack Wright, Geography Department, NMSU

Rincon Valley contacts include:

Communication Opportunities

Many outdoorsmen are not part of organized groups and share a value for individualism. Strategies to reach these people might include:

· Proactive BLM outreach through the news media, PSAs, etc.

· Game and Fish through hunting licenses

· The front desk people could be conversational with visitors to understand patterns and preferences better.

· We could establish a presence at the Visitor Center.

· Contact with the sporting goods stores, ATV stores and others could generate contacts within this population.

BLM could re-institute outdoor education in local classrooms, Earth Day, and the regional “State” fair.

Work with New Mexico Department of Game and Fish to incorporate public land information into Hunter Safety programs.

BLM could regularly attend public land user group meetings, as listed above.

BLM could do articles in magazines devoted to off road use, hunting, New Mexico, mountain biking, and other interests.

BLM could capitalize on the role of Mesilla in accommodating visitors and routing them to public lands. For education about safety and land use, we well as recreation opportunities, shopkeepers could play a role.

The South Valley

Community Assessment

Community Interests

Anthony, Chaparral, Chamberino are colonias which are oriented to community development. Begun as settlement locations for indigent immigrants, the area had cheap land and no infrastructure. As the areas developed, common problems, such as contaminated cesspools, have sometimes worsened, leading to focused efforts to develop community infrastructure. The interests in these communities regarding BLM involve BLM relations—people either are not aware of the presence of BLM lands nearby or they have had negative experiences with BLM in the past. Residents are also concerned about access. Most importantly, residents and leaders are interested in BLM land for community expansion for parks, schools, and other public purposes, but many do know the process to make R&PP leases a reality.

Many people are now in 3^rd and 4^th generation families strongly oriented to extended family life. They tend not to go to meetings and many don’t read. Generally, they are concerned in recent years that their traditional gathering activities on public lands have been limited.

There are two large landholding companies that own most of the land in Chaparral, each with their own water system. John Colquitt owns land on the east and Alex Wright on the west. Mr. Wright’s mother, the late Delores Wright, was a legislator and a benefactor to the community, donating land for the new park that was recently dedicated in her name. The park has tennis courts, a skateboard park, an education center and lots of grass. A number of residents expressed their pride in the park.

Chaparral is land locked. The Bowen Cattle Company owns huge tracts of land to the south. Fort Bliss is on the north, there is a small parcel of state land, and the rest appears to be BLM land.

There is active discussion in town about incorporation as a village. Some people oppose the move because of higher taxes that come with incorporation, while others want incorporation in order to provide paving, street lighting and other amenities. The community is said to be growing very rapidly. Workers go to Anthony, El Paso, and work at many of the chili factories nearby. Commercial areas in Chaparral are scattered along Main Street and County Line Drive and most are Mexican oriented—panaderias, markets, meat market, gas stores, pizza and a grocery. At least twelve churches are in the area, almost all with Spanish language signs.

“When I moved here four years ago, there were 3 homes near me, now there are 130.” [Chaparral]

“We need pavement, street lights. There are not enough votes because many are immigrants. People say there are 20,000 here but only 6-700 vote in the elections. We don’t have sewer.”

“Nobody gets together and leads. They are so involved with their own lives. Many people move out right away. They keep coming and going.”

“I am an old lady and my husband died a while ago. I’m moving somewhere else where I can get better services.”

Community institutions do not appear numerous in Chaparral. The Chaparral Community Health Council formed in recent years and was successful in creating a health clinic in the area. A network of people comprised mainly of older women organized to create the Chaparral Multi-Purpose Center, which serves meals a few days a week. Informal caretaking predominates as a survival mechanism in an area where people are said to come and go quickly.

“When someone is in trouble, a jar for donations goes up in the markets and we help that way.”

Anthony is a colonia that began 20 years ago as migrant settlement began occurring in the area. Anthony is very progressive. They built 800 units of housing all self help where the people themselves have helped build the homes. They’ve built some subdivisions and have had help from the sanitation district. The Anthony Water and Sanitation District is the focal point of government in the community and has successfully mobilized the community on a number of issues. Anthony did a community-based visioning process and did an economic plan with the help of Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance. There are 40 local people on a steering committee for this plan. The community is seeking land for affordable housing with accessibility to utilities. Two parcels are of interest, one by the community college and the other by the sanitation district. They are also interested in land for a sports complex.

Tierra del Sol is a non profit organization providing affordable housing and community building. They know the community issues with Hispanic people in the South Valley and can be active partners with BLM regarding land tenure questions.

Significantly, local leadership tried to work with BLM in the late 1980s to acquire land but was unable to get sufficient support. That issue has been embedded in the community all these years and has led people to not attempt further relationship. Leadership was very grateful for BLM visits during the current effort and it seems that just their ability to tell their story has allowed them to look at possibilities for a renewed relationship with the agency.

“We tried to get a five acre site for a camp in the late ‘80s. It was to be a temporary camp for workers and their families. We had everybody lined up—the National Guard, the Governor, the Mexican consulate, Congressional help, Bishop Ramirez. We never got the permit and I’ve never felt good about BLM after that.”

“Has BLM been a partner in community building? Maybe in the past they didn’t need to. But now, things are changing. Will they join us at the table on economic development? Now we’re at the point where we need to identify lands.” [Anthony Sanitation District official]

Many people said that they did not know BLM lands were near their communities, nor did they believe that residents made use of these lands.

“People around here don’t use public lands. They just stick to their farming.” [Mesquite, common]

“What is BLM?” [Chaparral Feed Store]

“I didn’t know it was public land around here. No one uses it as far as I know.” [Chaparral, common]

Citizen Issues

Vehicular access. Where are the designated routes? Access is getting more restricted, according to local perception.

People want to gather aggregate material (rocks, sand and gravel) for personal use. This has been a traditional use of public lands by Hispanic people.

Another traditional gathering activity is dead and downed mesquite for barbeque and other cooking uses. People either don’t know that permitting is required, or they don’t get one in any case because of language barriers and inconvenience.

Residents want land for community development and support services.

“We need land for a school site. There is public land behind the truck stop that gets trashed. We do regular clean ups. It needs a fence. How could we get that land for the school?” [Del Cerro Community Center, Mesquite]

“We want to get a 40 acres site in the Anthony area for housing and a sports complex.” [Tierra del Sol Housing Corporation]

“What we need is a good planner to work with Anthony. The northwest portion of Anthony where it intersects Las Palmas. Maybe we can get a student to help us plan. We need a master plan. We have a joint venture with NMSU on policy institute to do service learning, baseline mapping. We already have a focus group and an economic study.” [Community leader]

“We don’t understand the process and how to deal with obtaining BLM land. About a year ago they gave us a folder and said, ‘here.’ Most of the time, BLM is aloof. Who’s going to do the feasibility study for the best use of the land? The Sanitation District could be the legal authority. The county says it’s OK if we put it together.”

“Anthony has come a long way. It was a poor community and is now at the point of being able to talk about economic development. We want BLM to recognize Anthony Water and Sanitation District as a local public body and to recognize that we have been through a planning process for economic development through MVEDA. We can’t sit and wait for things to happen for us. We need to set the stage for when we can do things. We need to acquire lands.” [Sanitation District official]

Cultural Resources

“We have interest in any activity which may impact historical or cultural resources particularly associated with the Jornada Mogollon culture.” [Isleta del Sur Tribal representative]

Opportunities

Engage in an education campaign to inform people of BLM’s presence and the values of the resources that BLM manages. Undertake a needs assessment to determine the ways in which BLM could assist community development.

Facilitate the R&PP leasing process for these communities. This opportunity will require an active effort by BLM because of the inexperience of local people. Foster mini-planning sessions to evaluate community needs for schools, parks, and open space.

Eliminate or streamline the permitting process related to mesquite. Because the resource is so widespread, and because its use will foster grassland restoration, encourage local residents to make use of mesquite for household and even commercial (charcoal) use.

If permits are necessary for mineral materials and/or mesquite gathering, streamline the permitting process and make it more convenient. Explore the use of water association offices as a permitting site because they are respected community institutions and people regularly go there to pay their bills.

Use local churches for disseminating information.

It is an ideal time to approach Anthony and lend assistance to its community development efforts. This is an empowered community that knows where it is going. Its economic development plan is nearly in place and parcels are identified for affordable housing development. It is clear that leadership needs bridging into BLM processes to work effectively with the agency.

Communication Strategy

Informal Networks/Key Contacts

Rosemary Birch (Chaparral Multi Purpose Center)

Senior Center (Anthony)

Sunland Park mayor

Pat Benegas, Anthony Water and Sanitation District

Gloria Gonzales, Gadsden School District

Art Teraso, city manager in La Union

Mrs. Brown, Red Rooster Café, Anthony

Gathering Places

Chaparral Multi-Purpose Center

Chaparral stores

Red Rooster Café, Anthony, Mrs. Brown is active with the Chamber of Commerce and organizes the Leap Year Festival every four years which attracts people from around the country.

Formal Groups

Chaparral Community Health Council

317 McCombs Rd.

Chaparral, NM 88021

Chaparral Multi Purpose Center

190 County Line Drive

Chaparral, NM 88021

Chaparral Community Development Association

Rose Garcia

Tierra del Sol Housing Corporation

1990 E. Lohman Avenue

Las Curces, NM 88991

541-0477

Pat Benegas

Anthony New Mexico Water and Sanitation District

1750 Fourth

Anthony, NM 88021

882-3922

Anthony Chamber of Commerce

882-5677

Communication Opportunities

Local Spanish radio and TV, especially Channel 26 in El Paso

Churches

The branch campus of Dona Ana College in Anthony is a good meeting place, as is the Catholic Churches in Anthony and Chamberino.

The El Paso Urban Area

Community Assessment

Community Interests

“El Paso is nothing like the rest of Texas. It relates more to Mexico. El Paso has an independent, democratic streak that sets it apart from the rest of Texas. The New Mexico/Texas border is very pronounced, marking off very different areas.” [University professor]

Organized recreation user groups tend to have a history with LCFO, with some degree of ongoing communication. Dispersed users, however, like target shooters, tend not to have direct connection with BLM.

A few residents at visitor locations in El Paso said that El Pasoans do not go to Las Cruces for public land recreation, but are more likely to go to Ruidoso, Silver City and Elephant Butte. What they do go to Las Cruces for is shopping in Mesilla.

Most people did not distinguish between BLM, National Park Service and Forest Service lands.

Citizen Issues

“We are interested in Christo Rey Mountain and I think BLM owns part of it. There are dinosaur tracks at the bottom of the mountain, but America Brick has just bought out Jobe Cement and I’m worried they will destroy the tracks that are on private land. I’ve made calls to BLM’s paleontologist, Pat Hester.” [BLM confirmed that the land had been transferred to the Archdiocese of Las Cruces under an R&PP lease.]

“I take my family to Dripping Springs.” [Restaurant owner active in public land issues]

“We want to link trails between Franklin Mountain State Park and Las Cruces. The State Park is OK for now but we are losing a lot of trails to developers. I know the other bikers—we all talk. We’d love to work on this.” {Crazy Cat Cyclery, El Paso]

“We need wilderness areas to bring connectivity to these different areas we want to preserve. Otero Mesa has some interest from El Paso. Without our intervention, the oil and gas activity would have been much worse.” [Environmental activist]

“BLM needs to have some degree of master planning, not just sprawl. It’s not enough to turn it over and walk away. BLM needs to be proactive in encouraging or enforcing responsible growth master plans.”

“We talk with BLM about hooking up the trails and the planning is important. But it’s hard to get the resources to do the work. It would help if we had some BLM maps, brochures and information about BLM sites because people ask a lot of questions and we don’t know what to tell them all the time about hunting, etc.” [Park Manager, Franklin Mountain State Park]

Opportunities

At this point, more concerted outreach and communication are necessary in order to identify actionable opportunities.

Communication Strategy

Informal Networks/Key Contacts

Robert Ardovino, Ardovino’s Crossing Restaurant; 505-590-0653.

Sarah Schlanger (505-438-7400, 7341), New Mexico State Office of the BLM NMSO is the El Camino de Tierra Adentro coordinator. She provided the following key names for the El Paso area:

Gary Williams, El Paso Community Foundation

Mayor Jesus Reuben Segura, Sunland Park

Ardovino, Ardovino’s Crossing (Restaurant), Sunland Park – has helped pull meetings together, cell: (505) 383-8485

George Turok, El Paso Community College regarding trails (915) 831-2396

Ray Quezada, War Chief, Ysleta Del Sur

Sandy Geiger, Open Space Initiative, can contact Mark Dorian (markd@utep.edu) in El Paso who is with a running club and runs the Sierra Vista Trail.

Ray Sierra, Park Manager, Franklin Mountain State Park

Mark Dorian, Terry Sunday, Eagle’s Museum in Santa Theresa (Sierra Club); (925) 584-9301; Sunday@zianet.com.

Phil Goodell, UTEP, Geology Dept: goodell@geo.utep.edu

Dr. Mark Thomson, Curator and Museum of Archaeology

Ridgewalkers – Charlie: 915-755-7789, or Bill 915-867-0152

http://www.ridgewalkers.onestop.net

Chamizal Superintendent

Master Naturalist Program of TX - Marianne, can call Lois, Texas Parks & Wildlife, (915) 774-9603.

Oscar Maestas, Texas Forest Service

The State Park rangers say horse people are desperately looking for back country. We should call Jim Bowen, rancher, about the horseback riders His lead Cowboy is Bruce. (915) 821-2255.

Fort. Bliss Special Services Office – the military guys go there to get tents, backpacks, etc. There are a lot of hikers and bikers there. They need maps, also.

Other names from Mark Hakkila are:

Jon Hansen, sportsman; (915) 584-4219

Bill Ramsey -- El Paso 4WD Club; (915) 584-8762

Dennis “Doc” Mabry

Gathering Places

The University is a gathering place for people who are active on public lands. La Dolce Vita Coffee Shop is one such place.

Ardovino’s Crossing (Restaurant) in Sunland Park is run by an outdoor enthusiast involved in public land issues.

Waldo’s – turn N at Lee Trevino, 2^nd light at left – tack shop

Kirk’s Gun Shop on Yarborough. “Everyone” goes there.

Formal Groups

Crazy Cat Cyclery

Robery, owner

2625-B N. Mesa

El Paso, Texas

(915) 577-9666

The Scouts of the El Paso area are said to be active in New Mexico public lands. (915) 533-8482. For Eagle Scouts, call Cynthia Batkin, (915) 833-2472.

Trinity First United Methodist Church groups actively use New Mexico public lands.

New Mexico Wilderness Alliance has members in El Paso

Bike clubs

Ducks Unlimited

Sierra Club

El Paso Gun Club

Ysleta Gun Club

Ft. Bliss Gun Club

Communication Opportunities

Work through existing clubs.

Get a good set of BLM maps for Franklin Mountain State Park.

Places to have meetings in El Paso: Senior Center on Byron; Border Patrol Museum; Sheriff’s Office; University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP).

JKA Recommendations For Collaborative

Community-Based Land Use Planning

A Social Ecology Approach

This section identifies the necessary steps to develop a collaborative, community-based approach to land use planning. The seven steps are not sequential to be done in order but are process steps designed to foster engagement with the community.

1. Engage in the Discovery Process in each of the five geographic areas identified as most relevant for the planning process:

Truth or Consequences

Alamogordo/Mescalero

The Las Cruces Metro Area

The South Valley

The El Paso Urban Area

Ideally, discovery is finished when the same names and the same information keeps coming up. If you are unable to do this step thoroughly, at least do it some. The personal attention of this step really gets around the community and builds an understanding that BLM cares and is listening. This step engages the informal levels of the community through networks and gathering places. Identify network caretakers when possible.

2. Initiate a round of contacts with the formal, organized groups, identifying their management concerns, informing them of the planning process and timeline, and identifying the most appropriate mechanisms to maintain communication.

3. Determine key contacts for each geographic area. The list does not have to be exhaustive nor does it have to be especially long. Not only should different interests be represented but people should be selected based on their ability to get the word out in a trusting way. Network communicators are good in this capacity.

4. Make sure that ongoing management attention is given to emerging citizen issues, rather than relying on the planning process to eventually address the issue. Include a focus on what is possible to address now.

5. Ensure that “traditional” public involvement methods are carried out, usually a round of public meetings with adequate notices. This assures that some people who are missed by informal contact will not feel left out and so that everyone has a chance to participate. These features pertain to formal meetings:

The number of these meetings is a function of available resources but be aware that residents do not often cross their geographic boundaries. JKA recommends that the process begin widely, that is, in each of the 5 targeted human geographic areas.

Solicit the advice of network contacts as to the most favorable meeting location, day and time.

Bilingual or Spanish-only meetings will be necessary.

Ask your local contacts to help get the word out about the meetings, as well as to help develop the agenda. The more there is citizen “ownership” of the agenda, the better. Remember, residents often feel that government meetings are stacked with an overflowing agenda, and that the agency is driving the process to some predetermined outcome. Open Houses are a way to counter this tendency, offering a more relaxed ambiance. Citizen presentations can also be arranged that “share the load” with your partners.

Use staff judiciously so as not to wear them out. Not all specialists have to attend all meetings.

Encourage staff to go early or stay late to the meetings in order to make a new contact from the network list, to visit a gathering place, or to converse informally before or after the meeting. Prior to public meetings, gathering places are often crowded with people going to the meeting who are talking over scenarios that are likely at the meeting.

Engage promptly in whatever follow-up is necessary. If someone is promised maps or more information or answer to a technical question, try to complete the cycle quickly.

6. Keep issues linked to specific individuals who have voiced them. If attempts are made to resolve issues without ongoing consultation with the issue holders, surprise and possible disruption are still possible. If the language of the planning team has a lot of “they” words without direct knowledge of who “they” is, it should serve as a warning that fieldwork is required.

7. Deliberate ways to integrate informal processes with the formal planning process. It is not enough just to get “input” and then complete the plan in isolation. Ways to keep your contacts “in the loop” throughout the process is important and reliance on the occasional public meeting is not adequate. At the minimum, important times for citizen contact and discussion during the following times:

Issue Scoping: Good listening;
Alternative Development: Residents begin to understand the BLM process; a visioning process with active community members can serve to bring positive aspects into alternative development. Residents can also be linked by now to their regional counterparts, developing a “big picture” orientation that gets people beyond a single-issue focus. When citizens from the Sonoita Valley Planning Partnership were invited to a steak fry by residents in the Phoenix Field Office planning area, local residents became enthusiastic about their role in the planning process. They finally got where the whole thing was going.
Analysis: Citizens can be part of analysis by determining what will be analyzed, who will analyze, how analysis will be conducted and how results will be interpreted. In this way, the scientific process is brought into collaboration as well. Citizens should not be surprised.
Mitigation Development: Have citizens participate in thinking how to enhance the positive effects of BLM decision-making and reduce the negative.

Guidelines for Collaborative Relationships

Stay grounded. Citizen contact is not a one-time effort. Once the time has been spent making the front-end connections, it does not take much to stay in touch with people with an occasional phone call or a visit to a gathering spot.

Close the loop. Do not open doors with citizens that you cannot close. Respect the integrity of beginnings and endings. Even if people don’t get what they want, the time you take to make the connection with them will keep the relationship going.

Resolve issues as you go. Pick “low hanging fruit” of issues whose resolution will build successful, trusting relationships. Issue resolution sustains citizen interest in the land use planning process.

Create partnerships as part of the plan. The question should always be, “How can I turn this over to others?”

BLM efforts in each geographic area do not have to be exhaustive. Choose the ones that make the best use of your resources, that can create the most positive effects in the community, and that most enhance the quality of the resource.

Find a means that fits your office culture of creating “Institutional Memory,” so that, over time, the office develops a systematic understanding of the community. Worksheets on networks and on citizen issues are two such monitoring devices. Brief journal entries per each geographic area can keep track of the information on emerging issues learned over coffee earlier in the day.

Sustaining Citizen Relationships

Return citizen phone calls within 24 hours.

Reassigned employees should introduce their replacements to key contacts and the community on a face-to-face basis.

Be able to distinguish themes from issues when interacting so that you stay grounded to the real interests in the community.

Listen for talk that is participatory and sharing and distinguish it from talk that is exclusionary and demanding.

Take the opportunity of community activities to help destroy myths and develop relationships.

Get known at informal levels as well as with formal groups. Identify and make use of gathering places.

Know the rumor systems so that you can work with them. Have a process to check your own sources of knowledge and data.

Stay focused on what the land needs and what the communities need, not the personalities involved. Do not agree or disagree when someone makes a statement about a “personality” or eventually you will be associated with a particular faction.

Know the history and geography of a local area. Learn and use local place names.

[1] Kent, James A. and Kevin Preister, “Methods for the Development of Human Geographic Boundaries and Their Uses”, in partial completion of Cooperative Agreement No. 1422-P850-A8-0015 between James Kent Associates and the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Task Order No. 001, 2000.

Preliminary Assessment of Community Interests and

Presented by

Enhancing Productive Harmony between Human and Natural Environments

Preliminary Assessment of Community Interests and

The Las Cruces Field Office Planning Area

Preliminary Assessment of Community Interests and

Background

The community assessment section for each geographic area reports on:

1. Citizen interests related to public land

2. Citizen issues about public land management, and

3. Opportunities identified by residents to improve public land management.

The assessment was preliminary, designed only to provide early guidance to the planning process. It is augmented in this report by a communication strategy for each area that covers the following topics:

The Truth or Consequences Area

Community Assessment

Community Interests

Opportunities

Communication Strategy

Gathering Places

Formal Groups

Communication Opportunities

The Mescalero/Alamogordo Area

Community Assessment

Community Interests

Citizen Issues

Opportunities

Communication Strategy

Gathering Places

Formal Groups

Communication Opportunities

The Las Cruces Metro Area

Community Assessment

Community Interests

Opportunities

Communication Strategy

Gathering Places

Formal Groups

New Mexico Wilderness Alliance

Communication Opportunities

BLM could do articles in magazines devoted to off road use, hunting, New Mexico, mountain biking, and other interests.

Community Assessment

Community Interests

Opportunities

Communication Strategy

Gathering Places

Formal Groups

Communication Opportunities

The El Paso Urban Area

Community Assessment

Community Interests

Citizen Issues

Opportunities

Communication Strategy

Informal Networks/Key Contacts

Gathering Places

Formal Groups

Communication Opportunities

A Social Ecology Approach

Guidelines for Collaborative Relationships