Page 8 - FINAL fall 2014 magazine

By Lucas Herndon

Photos from Friends of Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks

The Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks, located by Las Cruces, New Mexico, constitute nearly 500,000 acres of pristine
Chihuahuan high desert, over 9,000 feet above sea level at the peaks of the Organ Mountains. It is a unique
monument made up of four distinct units, all of which contain historic resources dating from the Paleozoic era to
testing grounds used by Apollo astronauts. There are significant American Indian resources from many different
times and tribal movements, as well as evidence of both Spanish and American colonial exploration. All four areas
also support a multitude of distinctive desert flora and fauna.

In May of this year, President Obama used his community desires and who understands the
authority under the Antiquities Act to designate the importance of protecting the cultural resources for
Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument. which the monument was designated while also

We at the Friends of the Organ Mountains-Desert trying to accommodate their multi-use mandate.
Peaks are elated to have been a part of the process for
over two years, joining many great local and national Now that the
groups who had been working on protection for our
active campaign has
desert landscapes for over a decade.
reached its success-
The Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National ful conclusion, we
Monument joins some of America’s greatest land- have been transi-
scapes within the tioning to work

National Conser- more closely with
vation Lands, the the BLM on interim Petroglyph within the National
Monument
newest system of management goals
land management and strategies before the long process of implement-
in the country. ing a more permanent Resource Management Plan or
The National Con- RMP.

servation Lands Additionally, we have been working with an
differ from the
Full fossil skeleton of giant ground enthusiastic group of city officials, the Las Cruces
sloth discovered in Organ Mountains- National Parks Green Chamber of Commerce and representatives
Desert Peaks in the 1920s System or National from the community on a simple informational bro-
Forests in many chure. This brochure can be used by the Convention
ways, mostly because they are largely managed by
and Visitors Bureau to highlight the easiest and safest
the Bureau of Land Management. We are fortunate to
recreation areas for tourists and members of the
have a local BLM office who is very responsive to
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