Eastern New Mexico Named In New Sentinel Landscape Partnership

CLOVIS, NM (May 15, 2024) –  Today, the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership, comprised of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of Defense (DOD), and Department of the Interior (DOI), announced the designation of five new sentinel landscapes, including one in New Mexico called the Eastern New Mexico Sentinel Landscape.

In these landscapes, natural and working lands thrive alongside military installations and ranges. The partnership is excited to welcome these new landscapes and support its partners’ work to mitigate climate change impacts and improve sustainable land and water management practices around military installations.

The 2024 sentinel landscape designations include:

• Eastern New Mexico Sentinel Landscape, New Mexico
• Great Salt Lake Sentinel Landscape, Utah
• Hawaiʻi Sentinel Landscape, Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, and Hawaiʻi Island
• Kittatinny Ridge Sentinel Landscape, Pennsylvania
• Mojave Desert Sentinel Landscape, California.

The Eastern New Mexico Sentinel Landscape, covering over 2.4 million acres, is anchored by Cannon Air Force Base and Melrose Air Force Range. These installations provide training and testing opportunities for the 27th Special Operations Wing, 26th Special Tactics Squadron, and 43rd Intelligence Squadron. The landscape boundary overlaps with the Ogallala Aquifer, the sole source of domestic water for Cannon Air Force Base and its surrounding communities.

Partners are focused on:

• Safeguarding water supplies.
• Sustaining installation and community resilience to the impacts of intensive agriculture and climate change.
• Enhancing wildlife habitats by promoting grasslands and restoring playas.
• Protecting working agricultural lands and advancing innovations for sustainable farming.
• Building community partnerships through education and training.

Mayor Mike Morris emphasized the importance of water conservation and the partnership with Cannon Air Force Base, stating, “Our partnership with Cannon Air Force Base is essential for ensuring the sustainability of our water resources. By working together, we can implement effective strategies for water conservation, benefiting both our community and the military installation. I want to extend my sincere gratitude to the Ogallala Water Authority Board for their dedication to managing and protecting our precious water sources.”

The Sentinel Landscapes Partnership is a coalition of Federal agencies, state and local governments, and non-governmental organizations that work with willing landowners and land managers to advance sustainable land use practices around military installations and ranges. Founded in 2013 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of Defense (DOD), and Department of the Interior (DOI), the partnership’s mission is to strengthen military readiness, conserve natural resources, bolster agricultural and forestry economies, increase public access to outdoor recreation, and enhance resilience to climate change.

From FY 2012 through FY 2022, projects across sentinel landscapes have attracted approximately $335 million in USDA funds, $233 million in DOD funds, $92 million in DOI funds, $341 million in state funds, $26 million in local funds, and $142 million in private funds. These contributions have permanently protected 677,100 acres of land through FY 2022 and enrolled over 4.4 million acres of land in financial and technical assistance programs in FY 2022 alone.

Each sentinel landscape varies significantly with respect to its local priorities, engagement, and accomplishments. To find out more about individual sentinel landscapes, please visit: https://sentinellandscapes.org/explore/.

Download the Press Release, here.