Your voice needed: Protect this New Mexico landscape

Environment Update

New Year, New Conservation Challenges—and Opportunities This year could be huge for conservation. Preparing for the potential start of seabed mining, using airborne eDNA to detect and monitor species, and expanding coastal wetland protections are just a few issues on the horizon. HIGHLIGHTS, CONCERNS Speak Up: Protect These Public Lands From Development President Joe Biden recently proposed a 20-year ban on new oil and gas leasing around the Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico. Let Interior Secretary Deb Haaland know you support these protections! TAKE ACTION New Galápagos Protections Announced This month, Ecuador issued a decree conserving key areas between the Galápagos Marine Reserve and the Costa Rican maritime border—a win for marine species, coastal communities, and more. CONSERVATION WIN FACT OF THE MATTER 11,583 square miles Total area of ocean covered by Ecuador's new marine protections Connecticut Announces New Estuarine Reserve Connecticut was one of only two coastal U.S. states without a national estuarine research reserve—until now. The new reserve will help us better understand climate impacts, assess the value of estuaries, and more. GOOD NEWS This Expert Stands Up for Puerto Rico's Waters Marine reserves cover more than a fifth of Puerto Rico's waters. The Nature Conservancy's Alberto Mercado is working to help ensure that they're effective. EXPERT Q&A QUOTE OF NOTE "I fight every day just to contribute the equivalent of a grain of sand to conserve our natural resources." Alberto Mercado, The Nature Conservancy IN THE MEDIA Ecuador Expands Protections Around Galápagos, Creating "A New Highway" for Sea Life THE WASHINGTON POST Funding Imbalance and the National Parks NATIONAL PARKS TRAVELER