WildernessProtection - New Mexico Wilderness Alliance

Fighting for Otero MesaSWECby Trisha LondonSince coming into the fold of theNew Mexico Wilderness Alliance, asthe southern representative and organizerin Las Cruces, I have gottento know my colleagues with whomI share offi ce space in the SouthWest Environmental Center (SWEC.)Speaking as one who’s fairly new toorganizing, it’s been the greatest privilegefor me to be in the company ofpeople that are so professional andpassionate about their work. TheCenter is a grassroots, non-profitadvocacy group formed by its ExecutiveDirector, Kevin Bixby in 1992.For twelve years, Bixby’s dedicatedefforts have madeSWEC Las Cruces’s primary conservationgroup. It’s a group that isvery grounded in the community andreally reflects the community itself.In August of 2003, Bixby firstacquired funding to hire an organizerfor the Center. As fortune had it,Jim Steitz a public lands activist fromUtah, was intrigued by the potentialof the “Otero Mesa” issue. Jim recallswanting to come to New Mexico totake an active role in the campaign“because it looked like an issue thatwas ripe for a revolution”. Accordingto Executive Director of the NewMexico Wilderness Alliance (NMWA),Stephen Capra, “Steitz and Bixbyhave literally kept the momentum ofthe Otero Mesa Campaign movingforward since the climax event in Januaryat the Kimo Theater in Albuquerque.”They are active participants onthe “Otero Mesa Coalition”, a coaliltionconsisting of representativesfrom national conservation groupslike the Wilderness Society, NationalWildlife Federation, Sierra Club andothers who lend critical expertiseand support to the campaign. Bixbyand Steitz make such a great teamin part because they complementone another so well. A great balanceis struck with Bixby’s eloquenceand statesman qualities and Steitz’senthusiastic talents as a professionalrabble-rouser. Steitz has organizedintensively since coming on boardthe SWEC in numerous ways forOtero Mesa, including demonstratingat Steve Pearce’s Las Cruces Offi ce,phone-banking and letter writingcampaigns, as well as door to doorleafleting, and constant petitioningand tabling. Jim has effectively keptcitizens informed, nonstop, on thelatest developments and their implicationsregarding Otero Mesa.SWEC’s dedication to the OteroMesa issue has kept it center stagein the Las Cruces area. My ownfirst couple of weeks on the job forNMWA would fi nd me participatingin Jim’s “March and Street Theater”(for Otero Mesa) on the local Bureauof Land Management, where 20 of usmarched, carried signs and chantedall the way along the two mile walkthrough town to the BLM’s offi ce!When I asked Jim what Otero Mesameans to him, he replied: “OteroMesa is a symbol of everything that iseither right or wrong in our society. Asgoes Otero Mesa, so goes our society,for better or for worse.” As I ponderover our present state of affairs, Icouldn’t agree more. If , as individualswithin society, we can’t have heartsbig enough to let other communitiesof life and land persist in their authenticstate and continue to evolve, howthen will we tolerate one another, asthe challenge of having “meaning andquality” in our lives increases in directcorrelation with our own numbers?That Jim loves the work he does forwild places is an understatement, inmy opinion. His energy and enthusiasmfor protecting our irreplaceablelandscapes is contagious. He alsoshared some wisdom that is helpfulto those of us who face the challengeof unceasing threats to ourmost precious places: “An organizerhas a bird’s-eye-view of progressivethought and feeling. There’s far moreenergy and distress out there thananyone can imagine----and for thesake of our movement, it is essentialthat citizens sometimes ‘take onthe faith’ that their efforts do have animpact, even if it’s not perceptible tothem.”The SouthwestEnvironmental Center275 North Downtown Mall,Las Cruces, NM 88005(505) 522-5552swec@zianet.comTo the question of, ‘Why shouldsomeone care what happens toOtero Mesa if they never even seeit or go there?’, Jim responded that,“It’s beneficial to the human soul toknow there’s something beyond thestreet lights and noise of the city.The knowledge that we’ve taken fullcontrol of everything is not compatiblewith the human spirit. Mysteryand wildness are necessary for oursanity.”Needless to say, I’m thrilled andhonored to know dedicated peoplelike Jim and Kevin who are on thefront lines fighting for Otero Mesaalong with the NMWA. We wouldn’tget far in our efforts for wild placeswithout the commitment and passionof individuals like them. If you wantto get in touch with Kevin or Jim, theycan be reached at 505-522-5552. Oryou can drop into the Center and say“hello” or just enjoy the great nativefish aquarium, there. Also, volunteersare a critical component of this importantwork and always needed! TheCenter is located next to the DowntownMall in Las Cruces.A hearty thanks! to our Wildlands Painted! 2004 Sponsors:Prairie DogPals202 Central Avenue, SE • Suite 301 • Albuquerque, NM 87102El Dorado SquareJuan Tabo & MontgomeryComfort Shoes for Men & WomenStore HoursM-F 10–5:30 Sat. 10 – 5Phone 296-1645Opening next door in Sept.Sole’y BirkenstockThe Prairie Dogs in the greater Albuquerquearea are Gunnisons, one of the five species(genus Cynomys) of stout, short-legged,terrestrial squirrels, named for their bark-like call.Prairie Dog Pals is a non-profit 501(C)3organization dedicated to the preservationof Prairie Dogs in Albuquerque. Our goal is topreserve natural native prairie dog habitatsin appropriate areas.We help care for urban prairie dogs throughsupplemental feeding in barren areas and byrelocation for preservation and populationcontrol. We also provide information andeducation about Prairie Dogs to the public.For more information, please visitwww.PrairieDogPals.orgor call 505/296-1937Second toSun8100 Wyoming Blvd. NEAlbuquerque NM 87113505-856-2600Page 14 Summer 2004