Youth Champions for Outdoor Equity & Big Wins for Small Businesses in NM

Dispatches from the NM Outdoor Recreation Division

ORD Newsletter | October 9, 2024

Dispatches from New Mexico's

Outdoor Recreation Division

In the Outdoor Recreation Division’s biweekly newsletter, find the latest on office and New Mexico’s outdoor recreation initiatives.

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Letter from the Marketing Coordinator

Hello readers! The past two weeks have been a whirlwind for our small team of four with a number of speaking engagements, site visits, and conferences across the state. We were grateful to convene in person at the annual Outdoor Economics Conference in Las Cruces and connect with outdoor recreation champions from all corners of the state.

Our third annual Adventure Pitch competition, in collaboration with CNM Ingenuity's ActivateNM , was an exciting way to end the first full day of the conference! Four finalists took center stage and delivered 5-minute pitches to our esteemed panel of judges, Whitney Potter Schwartz, Karina Armijo, Carrie Hamblen, and Brooke Montgomery. Congratulations to this year's winners!

First Place - Bee Clean Spot awarded $10,000

Second Place - OrcTech awarded $3,000

Third Place - ApiVera awarded $2,000

We closed out the conference with our sponsored Next Gen Youth panel, hosted by the incredible Sarah Candelaria, Executive Director of Nature Niños . Hayley Brown, Sofia Amato, Diana Salido, Brittany Gonzalez, and Lou Ervin shared personal stories about their experience in Outdoor Equity Fund programs and emphasized the need for more youth mentorship, career pathways in schools, gear libraries, and funding for programming to get youth excited and engaged in outdoor recreation and land stewardship. It was an honor to hear from these young voices.

Stay wild!

Michelle Simon

ORD Marketing & Outreach Coordinator

In Other News

2024 Fall Foliage Color Map: When is Peak Foliage?

Check out an animated map that shows the anticipated progression of fall colors across the U.S., based on foliage reports from Almanac readers.

View the Map

Federal Funds Allocated for Renovations to Albuquerque's Mesa Verde Park

The U.S. Department of the Interior announced that it is awarding the City of Albuquerque $1.3 million for a project that will make substantial upgrades to Mese Verde Park through funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund’s Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program (ORLP).

Read More

Upcoming Outdoor Recreation Conferences & Workshops

Forward Together: National Trails Workshop Nov 17-21, Tucson, AZ

LGBTQ Outdoor Summit - Nov 12-13, Estes Park, CO

Trail Highlight

Clayton Lake State Park Nature Trail & Dinosaur Trail

Clayton, New Mexico

Gáuigú (Kiowa), Nʉmʉnʉʉ Sookobitʉ (Comanche), hinono’eino’ biito’owu’ (Arapaho), Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute), Ndé Kónitsąąíí Gokíyaa (Lipan Apache), Jicarilla Apache Lands

About the Trail: Clayton Lake State Park features an easy 1.9-mile out-and-back trail along a stream through juniper and cottonwood groves, perfect for spotting birds and other wildlife, and a 1-mile out-and-back trail featuring fossilized dinosaur footprints. The park is great for boating, camping, fishing and picnicking.

Know before you go: There is a $5 entry fee per vehicle and toilets and group shelters with picnic tables. Visit the EMNRD website for more information.

Where to go after the hike: Head to Mock's Crossroads Coffee Mill for tasty boba, coffee, ice cream, and smoothies. Check out their menu for limited lunch selections and daily breakfast options.

Industry Careers

Outdoor Recreation Positions Throughout New Mexico

Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals is hiring a Training Specialist

Rocky Mountain Youth Corps is seeking an Upper Rio Grande Program Manager in Taos and has numerous other exciting job openings

San Juan College is looking for a Coordinator of Outdoor Recreation

Department of the Interior BLM is hiring a Wildland Firefighter in Santa Fe

The Mountain Center is seeking a Therapeutic Adventure Program Project Coordinator and looking to fill other exciting positions

SasquatchXc is seeking a Welder, Off-Road Trailer Assembler, Lead Off-Road Trailer Assembler, and a 12V Electrical Assembly Technician in Farmington

Bernalillo County is hiring a Recreation Assistants in Albuquerque and Sandia Park, NM

The City of Farmington is hiring an Assistant Parks Superintendent

Girl Scouts of New Mexico Trails is seeking to fill multiple positions

New Mexico Department of Game and Fish is recruiting a Game and Fish Warden (DGF #40869+) in Santa Fe

Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department seeks Law Enforcement Rangers at multiple parks

If you have outdoor recreation jobs you would like to add to our careers section, email them to ORD Marketing Outreach Coordinator, Michelle Simon .

Grant Roundup

Recreation Economy for Rural Communities program (RERC)

This program, a partnership between U.S. EPA, Northern Border Regional Commission, Appalachian Regional Commission, U.S. Forest Service, and (new) the Denali Commission, provides a planning team to help communities bring together residents and other stakeholders to decide on strategies and an action plan to grow the local outdoor recreation economy. The planning assistance process will take place over 8 to 12 months, with a focal point being a facilitated community workshop. At the workshop, participants will work together to identify a vision, goals, and specific actions to realize the locally set goals.

Deadline: October 16, 2024

Tribal Tourism Grant Program

Tribal organizations and governments can apply for up to $150k to fund Tribal tourism implementation projects that have an economic development focus to achieve substantial community benefits.

Deadline: October 25, 2024

Tourism Event, Facilities, and Attractions Grant Program (TEFA)

The Santa Fe County Community Development Department, in collaboration with the Santa Fe County Public Works Division, invites applications for…