STATE News:
SANTA FE — New Mexico Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard has announced that she has partnered with the United States Department of Defense and the New Mexico Land Conservancy for the second time to protect an additional 60,000 acres of state trust land covering portions of Socorro and Torrance Counties in the White Sands region known as Turkey Ridge from future large developments.
The State Land Office received $3.2 million to benefit public education and other institutions under the agreement.
In January 2025, Commissioner Garcia Richard, the Department of Defense, and the Land Conservancy entered an accompanying agreement to protect over 60,000 acres at the adjacent Chupadera Mesa, earning $2.8 million for public institutions.
In all, the two phases of the agreement now protect more than 120,000 contiguous acres—making it the second-largest area protected with a conservation easement in New Mexico.
“Conservation is a critical tool in the land management toolkit, and we have now protected the second largest area ever in New Mexico through an innovative conservation agreement,” Commissioner Garcia Richard said. “This agreement protects unique cultural resources and a landscape that provides habitat and connectivity for a wide variety of wildlife species. This also means our military will be able to continue its important training exercises at White Sands Missile Range without interference from development. Once again, here is proof that we can protect New Mexico’s special landscapes and still earn revenue for our public institutions. For me, conserving places like Chupadera Mesa is mission critical.”
In addition to protecting cultural and biological resources, the agreement helps the Department of Defense with military readiness, preventing future large developments that might inhibit the Department’s testing and training missions at the nearby White Sands Missile Range. The agreement is for a period of 75 years.
The agreement—known as a Land Use Restriction or Condition (LURC)—does not affect current grazing leases on the land, preserving the agricultural values of the region moving forward.
The Turkey Ridge and Chupadera Mesa areas have been occupied by various peoples for centuries and include many historical and cultural sites dating as early as the Pueblo III period (1100-1300 A.D.) The landscape supports diverse wildlife and a vibrant ecosystem, and acts as a migratory corridor providing connectivity for several species.
In addition to the agreement to protect Turkey Ridge and Chupadera Mesa, during her administration Commissioner Garcia Richard has issued executive orders to protect over 5,000 acres of state land on the Caja del Rio plateau and over 2,500 acres in the Upper Pecos watershed. She also reissued an executive order in 2023 that protects over 70,000 acres of state land from new oil and gas development in the Greater Chaco region through 2043.
Quotes from Department of Defense, New Mexico Land Conservancy:
“The protection of over 60,000 acres around Turkey Ridge marks a major milestone in our long-term vision to connect wildlife habitat and protect cultural resources across the greater White Sands ecoregion. Working with our partners at the state and Federal levels, we’ve now stitched together over 1.4 million acres of protected lands from the banks of the Rio Grande to White Sands National Park, and now up to Turkey Ridge and Chupadera Mesa.” –Jonathan Hayden, Executive Director, New Mexico Land Conservancy
“The execution of this second-phase, 60,000-acre easement is a landmark achievement for both the White Sands Missile Range REPI program and the New Mexico State Land Office. This partnership is a premier example of how we can integrate critical military missions with state-level stewardship—safeguarding vital testing airspace while providing permanent protection for the cultural heritage and natural beauty of the Land of Enchantment. We are proud to work alongside the NMSLO and the New Mexico Land Conservancy to ensure the continued readiness of our national defense and the preservation of New Mexico’s rich cultural heritage.” –Brian Knight, Environmental Division Chief, USAG White Sands Missile Range