Contact: Mark Allison, mark@nmwild.org, 505-239-0906
Joey Keefe, joey@nmwild.org, 505-259-4471
ALBUQUERQUE, NM (January 11, 2018) – New Mexico Wild is calling on members of the public to help document the federal government shutdown’s impact on the conditions on New Mexico’s public lands and wild places. Additionally, New Mexico Wild has launched a government shutdown website the public can use as a resource to stay up-to-date on how the shutdown is affecting New Mexico’s public lands.
Individuals are encouraged to post photos and updates on public lands they visit to social media using the hashtag #OpenNMLands. The posts should also tag @nmwilderness on Facebook and Instagram and @nmwild on Twitter. New Mexico Wild will use the images and testimonies submitted to update the public on the conditions of public lands throughout the shutdown. Individuals who do not use social media may email their photos and stories to news@nmwild.org.
Some public lands in New Mexico remain open during the shutdown, yet those that are managed by federal agencies such as the National Parks Service and the Bureau of Land Management are severely understaffed due to employee furloughs, meaning the agencies cannot provide the usual level of service and oversight.
