ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.—Wildlife migration corridors between New Mexico and Colorado will be identified and protected as part of an initiative announced Friday by the governors of both states.
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Gov. Bill Ritter of Colorado finalized a memorandum of understanding pledging to protect corridors used by elk, deer, pronghorn, bighorn sheep and other species.
“A rich wildlife heritage is one of the great treasures our states share and it must be protected,” Richardson said.
Ritter said the effort “should be part of our legacy.”
The agreement stems from an initiative by the Western Governors’ Association to identify and protect wildlife corridors across the West.
The WGA has said the issue is complicated because decision-makers must deal with unprecedented population growth, energy development and associated land-use impacts while working across federal, state, tribal and private lands.
The governors noted that wildlife has a significant economic benefit for New Mexico and Colorado because of hunting, fishing and tourism.
A 2006 national survey shows hunters, anglers and wildlife watchers spent $823 million in New Mexico and $3 billion in Colorado that year.
Jeremy Vesbach, executive director of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation, welcomed the project.
“There’s a threat of oil and gas drilling all along that border, existing oil and gas drilling, other kinds of energy development and housing developments.” he said. “There are all kinds of things that could complicate that.”
The agreement calls for the states to map key migration corridors, identify existing and potential land-use changes that could impact the corridors, and develop protection strategies.
Work begins next Friday when officials from both states plan to meet.
The states also plan to consult with the Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute tribes in Colorado and the Jicarilla Apache in New Mexico.
Louis Bacon, owner of Trinchera Ranch in southern Colorado, said he’s looking forward to working with the states on the project. At 172,000 acres, the ranch is one of the largest in that state.
Properties such as Trinchera will be important as the states seek areas that have not been subdivided or fragmented by rights of way or other infrastructure.
Officials hope to encourage conservation easements for large parcels of land to prevent subdivision and protect the corridors.
