Annual Report 3 - New Mexico - Energy, Minerals and Natural ...

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Photo by: New Mexico State Parks Division
Summer fun at
Elephant Butte Lake
State Park Park.
ENERGY, MINERALS AND NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT
and funds from the “Kids to Parks”
transportation program (a voluntary
check-off option on the New Mexico
Personal Income Tax form).
State Parks worked with diverse partners
on the four main components of the
OCP: teacher training/curriculum
development, transportation grants,
educational materials for students, and
service learning. In addition to teacher
training, State Parks staff taught an
extremely successful course that certified
32 new Interpretive Guides that included
staff from the division and other local,
state, and tribal agencies. State Parks
completed two years of independent
evaluation of the OCP. On a 10-point
scale, teachers gave the OCP a 9.7 rating
for improved academic achievement and a 9.5 rating for meeting state standards.
The education program completed significant signage and exhibit projects. State Parks completed the first phase
of a large interpretive trail signage project at Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park, with 72 interpretive signs
installed along the animal exhibits trail. The project received an award for outstanding wayside exhibits from the
National Association for Interpretation. State Park staff designed and installed new exhibits for Vietnam Veterans
Memorial State Park; designed and installed interpretive trail signs at Fenton Lake State Park and; green energy
interpretive signs at Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park and Pancho Villa State Park.
State Parks was honored by the International Dark Sky Association, which designated Clayton Lake State Park as an
“International Dark Sky Park” (only the 4th such designation in the U.S.).
State Parks completed cultural and natural resource evaluations for nearly 100 projects, ensuring compliance with
environmental protection laws. State Parks also established its first-ever formal natural resources policy to provide
protection and management strategies for park resources. The cultural resources program provided training for the
Statewide Sitewatch Program, cultivating volunteers to monitor significant cultural resources in state parks.
The resources program developed important partnerships and received assistance from other agencies and volunteers.
For example, State Parks signed an agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and received full-time
assistance from a federal staff person to complete resource protection projects along the lower Rio Grande. Natural