4 Reasons the Bureau of Land Management Should Protect Otero Mesa

Public lands contain iconic landscapes that often become synonymous with a particular state, drawing locals and nonresidents alike to visit. In New Mexico, known as the “Land of Enchantment,” Otero Mesa is a breathtaking 1.2 million-acre expanse of rare and sensitive desert grasslands that are considered one of the most endangered ecosystems in North America.

Yet less than 2% of the landscape is protected. Otero Mesa lacks the strong, lasting protection it needs to build resilience against increasing temperatures and more than 20 years of oil and gas exploration. The Pew Charitable Trusts is part of a diverse coalition of conservation and outdoor advocates that are working with local elected officials, community members, and Tribal Nations to protect the Otero Mesa landscape.

Here are four reasons Otero Mesa should be protected:

1. Otero Mesa is an ecological hot spot.

Sara Bergthold New Mexico Wild

Otero Mesa hosts one of the state’s healthiest herds of pronghorn as well as the endangered aplomado falcon, black-tailed prairie dogs, and many other keystone species that enrich the grassland ecosystem. Likewise, rare plant species such as the Guadalupe mescalbean, the gray sibara, and the five-flower rockdaisy can be found among the grassland. In fact, the Chihuahuan Desert is one of the most biodiverse desert ecoregions in the world, with plant diversity second only to that of the Namib-Karoo deserts of southwestern Africa.

The vast, undisturbed nature of the desert grassland makes Otero Mesa an invaluable and critical piece of the regional ecosystem. According to The Climate Atlas, a tool developed by Conservation Science Partners, Otero Mesa ranks in the 82nd percentile for climatic stability relative to all BLM lands across the West. This suggests that the area will be stable to support existing ecological communities and may serve as a future climate refugium for species as they adapt to the effects of climate change.

2. The area provides economic benefits for state and local communities.

Courtesy of Ray Trejo

Otero Mesa is adjacent to protected areas such as the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument, Lincoln National Forest, and White Sands National Park. Providing protections would enhance visitors’ opportunity to explore the diverse and unique public lands across southern New Mexico and boost the strong outdoor recreation industry in the state. A 2022 report from the Bureau of Economic Analysis showed that outdoor recreation in New Mexico supported 28,000 jobs and generated $2.4 billion in total economic output.

3. Otero Mesa honors the history of Indigenous communities and encompasses significant cultural resources.

Sara Bergthold New Mexico Wild

Since time immemorial, many Indigenous Tribes, such as the Mescalero Apache Tribe and Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo, have stewarded the fragile landscape now called Otero Mesa. In turn, the land sustains Indigenous communities with medicinal plants, traditional foods, and building materials. Otero Mesa grants visitors rare insights into Indigenous history and culture with innumerable petroglyphs and natural rock shelters, dating to at least the Archaic period. In addition, the culture and heritage of Spaniards, Mexicans, Americans of European heritage, and the Ninth cavalry of the African American Buffalo Soldiers intersect on this historic landscape. These rare and irreplaceable cultural sites reinforce the need for long-term protection.

4. The land safeguards fresh water just below its surface.

Although Otero Mesa has an arid climate, located right below its surface is the Salt Basin aquifer, one of the largest untapped freshwater aquifers in the region. As water resources in the Southwest become more limited in the face of climate change, it is important to provide access to clean water for local communities, farmland, and wildlife. Ensuring that this significant water resource will be protected from the effects of extractive oil and gas drilling, rare earth mining, and other forms of development is a remarkable co-benefit of protecting Otero Mesa.

For more than 20 years, conservation and outdoor groups have advocated for the protection of Otero Mesa. Now is the time to finally secure this important, diverse landscape for the sake of future generations.

myrah rafi'ah beverly is a program associate with The Pew Charitable Trusts’ U.S. conservation project.