The Health of State Trust Lands

Restoring the health of State Trust Lands has always been one of our top priorities.  We will reinstitute programs that include:

1. Asset Inventory
   A comprehensive, accurate and updated record of all resources and holdings on state trust land is crucial. Resources and holdings refer to not only flora, fauna and cultural resources but also commercial businesses, wells, mines, and renewable energy facilities.
2. Riparian and rangeland restoration
   This involves the removal of exotic species and returning native species to restore healthy native habit.
3. Contaminated Site Cleanup
   The identification and cleanup of illegal dump sites and sand, gravel and caliche pits.
4. Reducing Catastrophic Fire
   Reducing the number of trees, shrubs and brush in forests on Trust Lands, particularly in areas adjoining local communities – returning to healthy forests.
5. Monitoring and Cleanup
   We will again aggressively identify and work with the legislature and other organizations to provide funding to clean up leaking salt water disposal lines, oil spills, and ground water contamination.
6. Re-instituting a Ban on Animal Killing Contests and Rattle Snake “Roundups.”
   These contests are brutal and non-humane and are strictly for the profit and self-promotion of individuals hosting and participating in these destructive events. In fact, they are totally counterproductive in terms of science-based predator management, public health and holistic land management practices. They disrupt the health and stability of the natural world causing a loss of productivity and resilience of this fragile and naturally arid land.
7. Building a streamlined Decision Support System
   Refocus the development of a series of tools, including Geographical Information Systems (GIS), asset inventory and predictive algorithms designed to analyze proposed landscape treatment and aid in making decisions about complex issues.
8. Cougar and Bear Trapping on State Trust Lands
   Agricultural producers and urban residents with companion animals have a right to protect their animals from predation.  The problem with decisions made by the New Mexico Game and Fish Commission, regarding cougars and bears, is that the newly adopted policies are totally counterproductive in terms of scientific predator management, public health, and holistic land management practices. Past decisions disrupt the health and stability of the natural world causing a loss of productivity and resilience of this fragile and naturally arid land.  In addition, these Game and Fish methods  are extremely antiquated.   The good news is that we have developed more effective and humane methods of capturing and dealing with problem predators than cruel leg-hold traps and snares that can be very brutal and non-specific in their use.  Live traps have evolved greatly and are proven to be more effective and humane.  The live animals can be captured and evaluated for health and management purposes before being humanely released or euthanized.  The key is to check the traps regularly and be trained in the humane euthanasia of problem animals.  This also prevents damage to companion animals and people who may be recreating on public land.