SM 3 — BEAVER POPULATION & MANAGEMENT PLAN

SENATE MEMORIAL 3 57THTH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEWMEXICONEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSIONSESSIO, 2025 INTRODUCED BY Peter Wirth and Carrie Hamblen 6This 8document 10may Aincorporate MEMORIALamendments RECOGNIZINGproposed THEby WATERSHEDa HEALTHcommittee, BENEFITSbut OFnot NORTHyet AMERICANadopted, BEAVERas POPULATIONS;well as amendments that have been adopted during the current legislative session.

REQUESTINGThe RECOMMENDATIONSdocument FORis Aa STATEWIDEtool BEAVERto MANAGEMENTshow PLAN.amendments in context and cannot be used for the purpose of adding amendments to legislation.

15h WHEREAS,A NewMEMORIAL Mexicog haso ant aridhr climateRECOGNIZING thatTHE isWATERSHED typifiedHEALTH byBENEFITS longOF periodsNORTH ofAMERICAN limitedg precipitation interspersed by e ti 17k infrequentBEAVER heavyPOPULATIONS; rainfalls or sudden snowmelts that are w l n d 18 difficult for soil to absorb, leading to harmful runoff;

andREQUESTING =RECOMMENDATIONS =FOR 19A aSTATEWIDE lh WHEREAS,r the scarcity of water has made the considered use i as eBEAVER rMANAGEMENT 20PLAN. and conservation of water resources a foundational element in a t m m 21 both New Mexico's culture and its economy;

andh d, rt, e 22u WHEREAS,g fore centuries,b l e e h WHEREAS, New Mexico'sMexico communitieshas havean carid climate that is typified n d d i = = o h by long periods of limited precipitation interspersed by l ] b ,d i a º e sinfrequent kheavy 23rainfalls basedor theirsudden livelihoodssnowmelts andthat manyare culturalr traditionsi on= r t e w d m a n bo 24difficult irrigatedfor agriculture;soil to absorb, leading to harmful runoff;

and ud [m WHEREAS,: New Mexico's rugged landscapes, containing .229951.2 diverse populations of wildlife, have attracted generations of hunters and nature enthusiasts and are among the key attractions for the state's tourism industry;

b e d s º o t n = .229951.2AIC March 10, 2025 (4:27pm) s k m e e a n e d r e l u [ A d WHEREAS, the scarcity of water has made the considered use and conservation of water resources a foundational element in both New Mexico's culture and its economy;

and WHEREAS, for centuries, New Mexico's communities have based their livelihoods and many cultural traditions on irrigated agriculture;

and WHEREAS, New Mexico's rugged landscapes, containing diverse populations of wildlife, have attracted generations of hunters and nature enthusiasts and are among the key attractions for the state's tourism industry;

and h WHEREAS, watershed health and restoration efforts u » r typically require coordination among private businesses and t h g e l i organizations, as well as local, state, tribal and federal h r i s agencies;

and h , e h WHEREAS, numerous state agencies participate in ongoing t u g e b l e e , gh watershed restoration efforts;

and n d d i = = o h WHEREAS, the dams, ponds and associated wetlands created el t] 17b ,d i a º r by the North American beaver are known to increase ground water we lr n= t e w d 18m a n o percolation, which raises local ground water tables and =d =m 19: a l storage;

andb ir a e rt 20º WHEREAS,o beavert damsn and= ponds.229951.2AIC andMarch their10, associated2025 a(4:27pm) ts mk m 21e wetlands- attenuate2 erosion,- instreame silta loadingn ande other d r e 22l harmfulu effects[ associatedA withd heavystorage; rainfalls and sudden c e s k 23 snowmelts;

and e a n b 24 WHEREAS, beaver dams and ponds and their associated wetlands actattenuate aserosion, uinstream [silt contaminantloading sinks and filters,other enhancingharmful downstreameffects waterassociated .229951.2with -heavy 2rainfalls -and quality;sudden snowmelts;

and WHEREAS, beaver ponds and their associated wetlands act as contaminant sinks and filters, enhancing downstream water quality;

and h WHEREAS, New Mexico would benefit from a strategic plan u » r for statewide beaver management designed to capture the full t h g e l i watershed benefits of beaver populations and minimize conflicts h r i s with other land uses, such as agriculture and the development h , e h of transportation infrastructure;

and t u g e b l e e , gh WHEREAS, the state of Utah adopted a statewide beaver n d d i = = o h management plan developed in a process that involved a wide el t] 17b ,d i a º r range of public and private landowners, users and managers;

we lr n= t e w d 18m a n o NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE =d = 19 a l OF NEW MEXICO that the department of game and fish, the i a e r 20 forestry division of the energy, minerals and natural resources a t m m: 21 department and the state land office be requested to develop d r e 22 recommendations jointly on how New Mexico may proceed to c e s k 23 develop a statewide beaver management plan.

Theb r e at º o t n b= 24.229951.2AIC recommendationsMarch should10, include2025 which(4:27pm) agencys shouldk takem thee - 3 - e a n e d r e l u [ leadA roled forOF development,NEW whichMEXICO stakeholderthat groupsthe shoulddepartment of game and fish, the forestry division of the energy, minerals and natural resources department SRCº , the New Mexico department of agriculture, the department of environment»SRC and the state land office be .229951.2requested -to 3develop -recommendations includedjointly SCONCº, in theconsultation developmentwith representatives from soil and awater timeconservation linedistricts, acequia associations, farmers and budget;ranchers,»SCONC on how New Mexico may proceed to develop a statewide beaver management plan.

andThe BErecommendations ITshould FURTHERinclude RESOLVEDwhich thatagency theshould departmenttake of game and fish, the forestrylead divisionrole offor thedevelopment, energy,which mineralsSCONCº andother»SCONC naturalstakeholder resourcesgroups departmentshould and the state land office be requestedincluded toin present their recommendations jointly to the appropriatedevelopment interimand committeea ortime committeesline byand Octoberbudget; 1, 2025;

and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copiesthe department of thisgame memorialand befish, transmittedthe toforestry division of the directorenergy, minerals and natural resources department SRCº , the New Mexico department of agriculture, the department of gameenvironment»SRC and fish, the secretarystate ofh energy,land mineralsoffice andbe naturalrequested resources,to thepresent commissionertheir ofrecommendations publicu lands» andr jointly to the co-chairsappropriate ofinterim thecommittee Newor Mexicocommittees legislativeby council.t h g e l i October 1, 2025;

-and 4h -r 14i 16s BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be h , e h transmitted to the director of the department of game and fish, t 17u wg e b l e e , gh the secretary of energy, minerals and natural resources, the n d 18d i = = 19o ah SRCº director of the New Mexico department of agriculture, the l ] b ,d i a eº r 20secretary aof tenvironment, mthe»SRC mcommissioner 21of dpublic rlands e 22r c= t e sw kd 23m e a n bo 24and uthe [co-chairs .229951.2of the New Mexico legislative council d m :

b r e t º o t n = .229951.2AIC March 10, 2025 (4:27pm) s k m e - 4 - e a n e d r e l u [ A d