HM 7 — HISPANICS, OUTDOOR RECREATION & PUBLIC LANDS

HOUSE MEMORIAL 7 55TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEWMEXICO - FIRST SESSION 2021 INTRODUCED BY Ambrose Castellano and Roger Montoya 6 8 10 A MEMORIAL RECOGNIZING HISPANICS ENJOYING CAMPING, HUNTING, AND THE OUTDOORS AND SUPPORTING A NEW MEXICO PUBLIC LANDS CONSERVATION LEADERSHIP COUNCIL TO HELP ELEVATE THE VITAL IMPORTANCE OF HISPANIC CULTURE, TRADITIONS AND PERSPECTIVES IN STRENGTHENING THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE CONSERVATION OF PUBLIC LANDS AND WATERS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

e9 t 17 w l n d 18 WHEREAS, New Mexico is rooted in a rich and multicultural = = 19 a l history, with forty-seven percent of the population having i a e r 20 Hispanic ancestry;

and a t m m 21 WHEREAS, Hispanics have a strong connection to the d r e 22 nation's diverse landscapes and practice centuries-old c e s k 23 traditions, such as fishing, hunting, farming, ranching and e a n b 24 wood, plant and piñon nut gathering, that require the u [ protection of public lands and waters;

and .219765.1 WHEREAS, the Hispano customs of caring for and cultivating the land responsibly and governing water for communities through acequias are foundational to New Mexican heritage;

and HM 7 Page 1 WHEREAS, querencia, or love for the land, is a deeply held value that connects southwestern Hispanics to a past, present and future sense of belonging and purpose, is a principle that prioritizes conservation for future generations and is a pillar of what the group Hispanics enjoying camping, hunting, and the outdoors, more commonly known as HECHO, is founded on;

and WHEREAS, HECHO was established in the southwest and was founded to empower Hispanic leaders to engage their communities e t 17 in the conservation of public lands;

and w l n d 18 WHEREAS, HECHO provides a platform for Hispanic voices to = = 19 a l be heard with respect to the protection of public lands, i a e r 20 healthy watersheds, clean air and robust wildlife habitats;

and a t m m 21 WHEREAS, HECHO, in working toward building a robust public d r e 22 lands conservation leadership council in New Mexico, encourages c e s k 23 everyone to join and support this effort and HECHO's mission;

e a n b 24 and u [ WHEREAS, there is a need for effective policies that .219765.1 - 2 - safeguard public lands for all;

HM 7 Page 2 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the importance of public participation of all New Mexicans, including Hispanic New Mexicans, in decisions and processes concerning public lands and waters be affirmed by the legislature;

and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislature express support for HECHO in the creation of a public lands conservation council of Hispanic leaders to build capacity and create a formalized network of Hispanic public lands leaders to increase participation and representation of Hispanics in such e t 17 matters;

and w l n d 18 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislature recognize the = = 19 a l important role that HECHO fills in ensuring that Hispanic i a e r 20 Americans and Hispano cultural and traditional uses of the land a t m m 21 are included in decisions about public lands and waters;

and d r e 22 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislature recognize c e s k 23 HECHO as a group that connects and unites Hispanic leaders to e a n b 24 engage their communities in the conservation of public lands u [ and waters and fosters strong, culturally rich communities .219765.1 - 3 - connected to nature and each other;

and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the governor, members of the New Mexico congressional delegation, the commissioner of public lands, HM 7 Page 3 the New Mexico state director of the federal bureau of land management, the director of the intermountain regional office of the United States national park service, the director of the department of game and fish, the southwest regional director of the United States fish and wildlife service and the regional forester of the southwestern regional office of the United States forest service.

-HM 47 -Page 144 169 e25 t 17 w l n d 18 = = 19 a l i a e r 20 a t m m 21 d r e 22 c e s k 23 e a n b 24 u [ .219765.1