On Memorial Day weekend, the traditional start to summer, thousands of New Mexicans are heading out to enjoy the sun, water and land of this enchanted place.
Many people live here just so they can head outdoors on a whim. They spend their free time hiking through forests, fishing in cold streams or sleeping under the stars. Taking a walk outside might be free, but gasoline for the car or truck, decent hiking shoes or a sleeping bag that keeps the cold out all cost money.
Not all of our neighbors have the means to enjoy outdoor activities to their fullest. Children can grow up in families that lack access to hiking, camping and fishing, those joys of life so many New Mexicans treasure.
That’s why the state Outdoor Equity Fund was created in the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. The brainchild of state Rep. Angelica Rubio, D-Las Cruces, the fund was designed to get kids outdoors and transform “the possibilities and accessibility for countless New Mexico youth.”
It’s a means of ensuring young people of all backgrounds can participate in activities that take them outside to appreciate the bounty of nature. The 2020 Outdoor Equity Fund awarded some $270,000 to 25 applicants across the state. Using COVID-19 safe practices, the groups were able to get 2,700 kids outside. Ranging from tribal groups to nonprofits to cities, grant recipients helped create opportunities for young people to find ways to appreciate the outdoors, aiming for the sorts of experiences that make a difference.
These groups do everything from taking kids fishing to engaging children in farming to teaching about the flora and fauna of an area.
One past recipient showed children the work of caring for an acequia, an important skill that is danger of being lost.
The fund provides enjoyment and education now, while at the same time planting ideas for the future.
A child who learns to love nature while hiking might become interested in a career in forest management or as a naturalist. Other children might grow up to become part of New Mexico’s growing outdoor recreation economy, whether it’s running a rafting company, working as guides or teaching others to fly fish.
Others might simply grow into adults with a deep appreciation of the natural world, one they pass on to their children. They develop respect for nature and science.
In a world where a climate crisis is unfolding, such knowledge benefits all of society.
Some 84 applicants competed during the first round of grants. But that was just the beginning — through June 30, groups are invited to apply for fiscal year 2022 grants.
During the pandemic year, people learned how crucial fresh air could be for others who were told to stay indoors and avoid social contact. With research showing the coronavirus is difficult to transmit outdoors, taking children into nature offers human contact with little risk of transmitting coronavirus.
Here’s to an adventurous life, one that begins in childhood. With New Mexico’s Outdoor Equity Fund, such possibilities can be available to all.
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