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Opinion: 20 years of advocacy and support by The Frontera Land Alliance [1]

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Date: 2024-06-19  

By Marshall Carter-Tripp

In the summer of 2004, a small group of friends who lived near the Resler arroyo became concerned about plans to fill it with houses. They set up a working group to seek ways to conserve this beautiful canyon, which connected to the Rio Grande watershed.

Marshall Carter-Tripp

Then a donor came along, who paid for the purchase of the property. And so the Wakeem-Teschner Nature Preserve (Resler Canyon) came into existence, the first conservation success for The Frontera Land Alliance.

Frontera worked in the years that followed to find more funding, increase membership, and expand the staffing. They now have an executive director and three staff members who work on development/grants, open space preservation/management, and education. They are assisted by an 11-member board of directors, and by an advisory board whose members can help with specific issues as needed. In addition, Frontera has six very active committees that provide input to the board on various core issues that help the organization meet its mission.

Frontera now has three conservation easements – more than 1,400 acres, all managed as nature preserves – and is anxious and ready to offer help to local landowners who would like to protect their land with a conservation easement.

Trails have been developed to help residents and visitors get out in the mountain desert and appreciate its beauty. Frontera is offering educational programs through the El Paso region’s schools to help the younger generation learn about our part of the world and enjoy getting out and exploring it. And many informative explorations and talks are offered for all generations.

At Frontera’s inception, it joined the decades-long fight to preserve Castner Range and its 6,600 acres on the east side of the Franklin Mountains. Its efforts were rewarded in March 2023 when President Biden designated Castner as a National Monument – to be managed by the Army, the first such arrangement in nearly a century.

Many challenges remain. There is more open space to save, both near the mountains and along the river, as well as farms and ranches. And the city can benefit from partnerships with an organization as Frontera to publicize the joys and benefits of natural open spaces in our region. For example, Albuquerque has an Open Space Visitor Center.

In 2023, Frontera sponsored an exhibit opportunity for local artists and photographers to portray Natural Open Spaces at the International Museum of Archaeology, and in 2024 Frontera is sponsoring yet another opportunity at the International Museum of Art. This art show will highlight Castner Range. Entries continue to be accepted until the end of June for the July exhibit. We will have Family Day on Aug. 4. Be sure to come out and enjoy many hands-on activities from area nonprofits.

And then we’ll be celebrating Frontera’s first 20 years at a birthday party at Ardovino’s Desert Crossing from 5 to 8 p.m. Aug. 25, with dinner and entertainment. You can buy tickets at the Frontera website’s donation page, making sure that you mention the birthday dinner in notes.

Onward, now, to the next 20 years.

Marshall Carter-Tripp, a retired Foreign Service officer and political science professor, is a member of The Frontera Land Alliance Board of Directors.

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[1] Url: https://elpasomatters.org/2024/06/19/opinion-frontera-land-alliance-20th-anniversary-castner-range/

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