ALBUQUERQUE – Hispanic ranchers in New Mexico are asking President Donald Trump and top federal officials to ensure the latest round of forest management planning considers traditional values and land uses that date back centuries.
The Northern New Mexico Stockman’s Association contends local managers have been unwilling to address their concerns about a proposed management plan for the Carson National Forest.
They’re pushing for the president to intervene, citing a long history in which they claim the federal government has ignored the property rights of Hispanic ranchers in the Southwest.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said in a recent letter to the ranchers that forests in New Mexico have acknowledged the region’s unique history and its traditional and cultural ways of life.
Meetings about the plan are scheduled for the coming weeks.
