COMMENTARY:
Every year, thousands of young people in southern New Mexico step onto public lands for the very first time through Friends of the Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks. For some, it’s their first hike. For others, it’s learning how to ride a bike on a trail, completing a long walk through the desert, or discovering what it feels like to accomplish something they didn’t think they could do.
What we see, over and over again, is confidence.
Through our Moving Montañas program, Friends of the Organ Mountains introduces youth and families to the Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument and other public lands across Doña Ana County. We work with fourth graders on guided hikes, run after-school clubs for middle and high school students, host camps during school breaks, and offer family bike programs on weekends. Altogether, we serve roughly 2,000 young people each year.
When young people spend time outdoors—away from screens, outside of school walls, and surrounded by peers and trusted adults—they build relationships and a sense of community that is increasingly rare. They learn teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving. They discover new interests and, often, new futures.
We regularly hear from students who leave our programs inspired to pursue careers in conservation, biology, plant and animal sciences, or education. Others want to give back by becoming teachers or running after-school programs like the ones that shaped them. Even when the pathway isn’t directly tied to outdoor recreation, the lesson sticks: their community matters, and they have a role in supporting it.
That is stewardship in action.
Programs like ours are made possible through the New Mexico Outdoor Equity Fund (OEF), one of the most forward-thinking investments our state has made in youth, public health, and conservation. Since its creation, OEF has helped tens of thousands of young people across New Mexico access outdoor experiences they otherwise wouldn’t have—particularly youth from rural, Tribal, and historically underserved communities.
Demand for these programs has grown rapidly. In just the past four years, outdoor after-school and enrichment programs have expanded statewide as families and schools look for safe, healthy, and meaningful opportunities for young people. The Outdoor Equity Fund has proven to be sustainable, effective, and widely supported by communities.
Yet funding has not kept pace with need.
Each year, more high-quality programs apply to OEF than can be funded. This isn’t because the programs lack merit—it’s because the fund is oversubscribed. Organizations are ready to expand, deepen mentorship opportunities, and develop workforce pathways like internships, but without adequate funding, those plans remain out of reach.
During this 30-day legislative session, lawmakers have a clear opportunity to respond. A one-time special appropriation of $4 million for the Outdoor Equity Fund in FY27 would help meet growing demand, stabilize existing programs, and allow organizations to plan responsibly for the future.
This is an investment that has already proven its value in communities across New Mexico.
If we want a future where young people care for our land, support one another, and step into leadership with confidence, we must invest in the experiences that shape them early on.
The return on this investment—healthier youth, stronger communities, and the next generation of land stewards—is well worth it.
Patrick Nolan is the executive director for Friends of the Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks, a proud steering committee member of the Coalition for Outdoor Equity Fund New Mexico, a statewide movement that secures public sustainable, recurring funding for the New Mexico Outdoor Equity Fund, supporting equitable outdoor access for all youth in New Mexico — today and for generations to come.
Patrick Nolan's opinions are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of KRWG Public Media or NMSU.