Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Nat’l Monument at one year

For residents of and visitors to Doña Ana County, New Mexico, May is one of the best times to take a hike through the sites of the new Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument as the wildflowers bloom and to enjoy the sunset against the jagged peaks glowing a magical red and orange. That’s why it is so fitting that the monument was established in May, giving us the opportunity to celebrate its birthday when it is arguably at its most striking.

As we mark the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks on May 21, having a major national monument on our doorstep means more than preserving the unspoiled and rugged beauty of these treasured public lands. According to a recent survey of local businesses conducted by the Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce, the monument is helping to boost local businesses.

{mosads}In the year following the monument’s establishment, and despite the fact that the BLM’s signage and planning for the monument’s management and visitation is not yet complete, local businesses are expressing optimism about the monument’s growing impact.  Thirty-two percent of local businesses surveyed are deploying marketing resources and taking action to leverage the monument for the benefit of their businesses and the local economy.

In addition, 65 percent of businesses surveyed have fielded questions from customers about the Organ Mountains-Deserts Peak National Monument, which underscores the growing excitement about the monument and it’s potential.

To build on the monument as a community selling point, the Las Cruces Green Chamber features the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks in its marketing efforts targeting Americans seeking an attractive place to retire. With so many Americans now seeking active, outdoor lifestyles in retirement, Las Cruces has a lot to offer – most notably, our new national monument –and a burgeoning retiree community who support our local economy and are civically active.

The designation of our new monument was the result of more than a decade of tireless work by Doña Ana County residents from all walks of life, including religious leaders, tribal leaders, traditional Hispanic communities, small business owners, sportsmen, veterans, and other concerned citizens.

Thankfully those voices were heard. With the help and leadership of Sens. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and retired Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), we made the case to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell and President Obama, who ultimately used his authority under the Antiquities Act to establish the monument after several attempts to get a bill through Congress.

Together, we made history.

But we are now living in a time when the creation of future monuments may be just that: history.

There is a movement afoot in Congress to limit presidential authority to use the Antiquities Act to designate national monuments. This law has been around more than 100 years and used by both Republican and Democratic presidents to protect public lands that are uniquely American and help tell our nation’s story. Without it, we might not be able to enjoy places like the Grand Canyon, Carlsbad Caverns, and Olympic national parks as we do today.

Imagine if we had to fight to protect these places without the Antiquities Act. I’m sure many of them could have been marred by development or sold to the highest bidder.

That’s why, as we celebrate our monument’s anniversary, we also recognize that the hard work to protect our public lands and the economic benefits they provide for our communities will continue. As we celebrate the gifts that the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument provides for our community and future generations, New Mexicans and other Americans will continue to support the efforts by Udall and Heinrich and others in Congress to defend the Antiquities Act and make sure our monument is not counted amongst the last national monuments to be designated by a president.

Hamblen is the executive director of the Las Cruces (NM) Chapter of the New Mexico Green Chamber of Commerce.