April 6th, 2026 — The Outdoor Recreation Division of the Economic Development Department of New Mexico is investing nearly $6 million to build and enhance more than 355 miles of trails and support 288 jobs across 21 counties.

Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps, Otero County, $98,183: Outdoor Recreation Trail+ Grant

Develops community-led trail systems in partnership with the Mescalero Apache Tribe to support health, safety, and connection to nature for youth, families, and elders.

"In harmony with local values, the Mescalero Apache community plans to establish well-designed trail systems guided by a locally hired coordinator who will facilitate community involvement, asses trail needs, and serve as liaison among different organizations associated with the initiative. By engaging all segments of the community, from youth to elders, to identify a suitable location for trail development and ascertain their desires regarding trail utilization and design, a cohesive vision for a safe, accessible, diversified, and sustainable trail network will be developed. The finalized plan positions the project for successful grant application for future trail building, by presenting a coherent trail blueprint grounded in community priorities, and showcasing preparedness for construction."

April 1, 2026 — Congratulations to the second round of FY26 Outdoor Equity Fund recipients! The Outdoor Recreation Division is proud to support these programs that are improving equitable access to New Mexico’s great outdoors and connecting youth to meaningful career pathways.

Conservation Legacy, $40,000, Cibola County: Recruits Indigenous young adults to lead Acoma, Diné, and Isleta hiking clubs, providing paid leadership experience while guiding youth through multi-week sessions that reconnect them to ancestral lands, culture, and local land management knowledge.

From Las Vegas, NM and presently residing in Albuquerque, Isaiah Garcia currently serves as the Urban and Community Forestry Coordinator with the Ancestral Lands Albuquerque office.

His day to day includes working with several crews from Albuquerque, Zuni, Acoma, and/or Gallup to "cultivate access to open spaces by establishing native plants and trees, remove invasive species, and do trail work." In addition to the conservation focused work, he coordinates with partners—including federal and state agencies, local government, private owners and growers— as well as local plant nurseries to supply plants, shrubs, trees and seeds.

DENVER - With Colorado facing an urgent need for proactive forest management, The Colorado Strategic Wildfire Action Program (COSWAP) announced its largest Workforce Development grant investment to date. A total of $6.9 million has been awarded to 24 projects across the state for strategic wildfire mitigation and training in partnership with the Colorado Youth Corps Association and Department of Corrections’ State Inmate Wildland Fire Team (SWIFT) crew.

• La Plata County Cross-Boundary Work ($412,875): This project is a collaborative effort between the Southwest Conservation Corps and COSWAP’s newest partnership with the Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps to bridge the gap between the San Juan National Forest and the Durango Hills subdivision to build fire resiliency across both public and private property boundaries.

Over the past two years, the project included construction of 52 Post-Assisted Log Structures (PALS), made entirely of natural materials, which allow water to permeate the nearby flood plain and restore habitat for native species. Native youth crews from the Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps and Southwest Conservation Corps, alongside local volunteers, also planted more than 600 culturally-significant plants – including willow, sage, mint, cattails, chokecherries, buffalo berries, cottonwood, and sumac – and seeded 2 acres of eroded land along the river corridor.

These outcomes were made possible by a unique collaboration between Trees, Water, and, people, Montezuma Land Conservancy (MLC), Ute Mountain Ute Tribe (UMUT), and other local partners that facilitated restoration and Tribal access along private stretches of the Mancos River. As well as increasing availability of culturally-significant plant species, the project supports the Ute Mountain Tribe’s access to their ancestral lands.

Tiana Cachini’s service with the Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps (ALCC) stands as a powerful example of how Corps programs and national service can elevate Indigenous voices, strengthen cultural representation, and contribute to lasting, community-centered conservation outcomes. As the Indigenous Mapping and Research Individual Placement supporting Canyons of the Ancients National Monument (CANM) and Native Lands, National Trails (NLNT), Tiana combined technical skill-building with deep cultural responsibility to produce work that will shape how tribal histories are respectfully shared for years to come.

Deandra Jones wraps barbed wire around trees in the Chuska Mountains, places sardines and glazed doughnuts in the center of a square-shaped collection site, then sprays commercial liquid called Bear Lure that smells sweet and fishy. When black bears arrive to investigate the scents, they brush against the wire and leave behind hair samples containing their DNA.