Key Stretch of New Mexico’s Pecos River Protected

We’re proud to share that The Conservation Fund has secured a critical piece of New Mexico’s natural heritage by preserving 240 acres along the Pecos River in southeastern New Mexico. The land will be managed for future protection by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), as a critical connector between isolated blocks of protected public lands, helping stitch together a fragmented landscape into a cohesive conservation corridor.  

This conservation project is more than a simple land purchase — it’s a powerful move to safeguard biodiversity, enhance public recreation, and strengthen the resilience of a unique desert-river ecosystem. 

The Pecos River is one of the most important waterways in the Southwest. Originating in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of northern New Mexico, it winds its way southward through arid landscapes before eventually joining the Rio Grande — a lifeline for communities and ecosystems on its way to the Gulf of Mexico. The river serves as a year-round source of freshwater in an otherwise water-scarce region, supporting native plant life, migratory birds, and aquatic species such as catfish, bass, and sunfish. It is also home to the resilient Longnose Gar — a native species often referred to as a ‘living fossil’ with ancestors that date back over 100 million years.