Thursday, March 25, 2021 – Leaders from across the nation joined Thursday evening’s Clean Energy Economy and Justice Roundtable, calling for policy changes that would center the voices of Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities, while holding the administration accountable to implement these changes.
Read MoreFor generations, Hispanics have enjoyed a unique relationship with nature that connects us to our ancestors and fortifies the bond that we have with our community. Being able to practice these cultural traditions that depend on open spaces, is more critical than ever, and policy that includes Hispanic and Latinx values is especially urgent. For all of these reasons, Hispanic and Latinx leadership is invaluable in conservation legislation that is implemented and passed.
Read MoreRebecca Chavez-Houck (RCH): So, in reflecting on my experiences and my personal connection to the Grand Canyon, I looked at it through some of the different phases of my life. My first recollection of having visited the Grand Canyon was when my husband and I took our daughter on a trip there. I believe that I was expecting our second child and it was during the off season. It is kind of interesting how, when we think about our experiences in the outdoors and we think about going to different, amazing places, incredible places like the Grand Canyon, the experiences kind of fall together….
Read MoreJune 17, 2020 -- Today, HECHO is celebrating alongside countless others the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) by the U.S. Senate. An act of bipartisanship (73-25) marks a major milestone for full and consistent funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which protects and increases access to public lands and national parks, and addresses the significant maintenance backlog in our national parks.
Read MoreFor some, COVID-19 has changed our daily lives and how we interact with each other. For others, COVID-19 has made the impacts of existing societal, economic, and health disparities even worse. The truth is that we must navigate the unique challenges brought about during these uncertain and unprecedented times, and come out of this pandemic with a greater sense of how we are all connected.
As we hear stories about how community leaders are responding to the pandemic in thoughtful ways, we are hopeful that we will emerge from this in a better place. But that takes leadership and an understanding of our humanity. As an example, in Santa Fe County, NM, Commissioner Henry Roybal recognized the economic impact that solid waste disposal fees were having on some residents after seeing trash being dumped on the land. In response, he led a county effort to suspend solid waste disposal fees during the pandemic to reduce barriers for appropriate trash disposal.
Read MoreOn Thursday, December 5, 2019, the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (RAWA) was voted out of the House Natural Resources Committee and referred to the full House by a strong, bipartisan vote of 26-6! This is an important milestone for this crucial bill that would dedicate $1.3 billion annually to state-led wildlife conservation efforts and $97.5 million for tribal nations. We are proud to share in the success of a bill that, if made into law, would be the most significant investment in wildlife conservation in over 30 years. The bill now heads to the full House.
Read MoreWASHINGTON, D.C. (July 26, 2019) — A new management plan for the tiny areas that replaced the Bears Ears National Monument would risk the degradation and destruction of Native American historical and cultural artifacts, wildlife habitat, public health and public lands throughout southern Utah. The National Wildlife Federation and allies urged the Bureau of Land Management to reverse course before the cultural, historical and natural resources are irrevocably lost.
Read MoreThe passage of the Natural Resources Management Act is a historic win for our public lands, outdoor heritage, and conservation across the country, Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting and the Outdoors (HECHO) said today. HECHO urged the president to swiftly sign it into law.
Read MoreLately there has been a surge of state-based Outdoor Recreation Offices, and important coinciding efforts—namely equity funding in New Mexico and the Kids Outdoor Initiative in Utah, both supported by HECHO.
Earlier this month representatives from eight states signed off on a first-of-its kind agreement called the Confluence Accords, to unify and strengthen the outdoor industry voice on matters of public policy.
Read MoreIn honor of the LWCF, we asked some of our HECHO Board Members to share their favorite places that have benefited from the LWCF in this edition of Enjoying the Outdoors. Read on for their great tips on where to visit this holiday season and throughout the year.
Read MoreBy Arizona state Rep. Mark Cardenas, Utah state Rep. Rebecca Chavez-Houck and Nevada state Sen. Mo Denis
As state representatives of the Southwest, we are concerned about the future of our national monuments. Right now, both Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments are under attack, and the public has just a short window to weigh in.
Both of these monuments are in Utah, but they are vital to us all, as they safeguard our nation’s diverse history and cultural heritage. Our voices are part of the two-thirds of western voters, and 86 percent of Latino voters in the west, who say that reducing these monuments is a bad idea. We are proud to have public lands in our backyard — lands that belong to all of us.
Read MoreNovember is a spectacular time to be outdoors, and we are highlighting our recommendations for special bird watching events, urban fishing opportunities, ways to celebrate Native American Heritage Month, and tips for visiting Utah’s National Monuments during this beautiful fall season.
Read MoreWe love this time of year-- the changing colors of the leaves and the cooler temperatures make being outdoors that much more exciting. It’s a wonderful time to hike, bike, hunt, and fish on our beautiful public lands, and we wanted to start sharing around some of our favorite places to visit. We're starting with some adventures we like for October in Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah from Al, Rebecca, and Viviana, and we will be sending out new recommendations over the coming months.
We hope you like our "Enjoying the Outdoors" recommendations. If you are inspired, we invite you to share places you enjoy and would like to recommend to the HECHO community!
HECHO condemns yesterday's announcement by President Trump that he intends to roll back protections of more public lands than ever before in our history by reducing Utah’s Bears Ears National Monument by 85% and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument by half.
Read MoreRead what Utah State Representative and HECHO Board Member Rebecca Chavez-Houck had to say about President Trump's upcoming visit to Utah, and plans to shrink our beloved National Monuments. This article originally appeared as an op-ed in Utah's Deseret News on November 23, 2017.
Read MoreThroughout 2015, we interviewed each of our Advisory Board members and posted them on our blog to help our community get to know them. We discussed their upbringings, their experiences in the outdoors, their jobs, and more. Today we’re sharing snippets of their inspiring stories.
Read MoreMy dad really ingrained in us kids the importance of stewardship, and this was something I knew was a commitment. You reap from the land and you have to be good stewards for the land. At a young age I was aware of that importance.
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