It’s not everyday we get to see a Latinx family enjoying an adventure outdoors. In partnership with the National Wildlife Federation, HECHO collaborated to host an advanced screening of Dora and the Lost City of Gold across New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah.
Read MoreThe Village of Pecos, City of Española, and Town of Taos council members unanimously approved resolutions this week supporting the protection of wildlife corridors in the Upper Rio Grande region. The resolutions also urge Congress to support the Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act of 2019 that would serve to protect wildlife corridors nationally. Pecos, Española, and Taos join Rio Arriba, San Miguel, and Santa Fe Counties in passing wildlife corridor resolutions this summer.
Read MoreI’m 25 and I live in Phoenix, Arizona. Growing up one thing my mom would refuse to have in our house was cable. She didn’t want us to be sitting in front of the TV and not enjoying playing outside. We could afford the cable, but she said no. Every time I look back on that, I’m grateful because it made me love the outdoors. I used to live right by a park and I remember always going there growing up. As soon as we hit the park there was a hill. The first thing I would do is run up that hill and every single time I felt a complete sense of freedom.
Read MoreWatch this special greeting from Eva Longoria and Eugenio Derbez from the film Dora and the Lost City of Gold, which will debut in theaters on August 9.
Explore the Outdoors Like Dora & Join HECHO!
Read MoreRIO ARRIBA COUNTY, NM – Today members of the Rio Arriba County Commission unanimously approved a resolution in support of the protection of wildlife corridors in the Upper Rio Grande Region. The resolution also urges Congress to support the Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act that would protect wildlife corridors nationally.
Read MoreThe Santa Fe and San Miguel County Commissions on Tuesday both unanimously endorsed resolutions in support of protecting wildlife corridors in the upper Rio Grande Basin. The resolutions also urge Congress to support pending legislation to protect wildlife corridors nationwide.
"Passing the Wildlife Migration Corridor Resolutions at this level sets a precedent, showing communities that our traditions, culture, and uses of these lands are valuable," Ulibarri said. "With so many barriers to migration patterns like highways and other urbanizing development, these corridors ensure the protection of genetic diversity, and the continuation of species.”
Read MoreMy family has been hunting for generations in New Mexico. It has been a tradition that we have participated in year after year, and one that has bonded each of my family members.
I started hunting at 8 years old by tagging along with my father and uncles, and eventually began to hunt small game like squirrels and rabbits. I look back on these memories fondly, remembering how I first learned to walk quietly, use my senses of sight and smell, reading tracks, and learning the ways of my prey. Later I learned to safely carry and fire my hunting rifle, my grandfather’s old Remington Rollingblock.
Read MoreI was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. Colorado is such an outdoorsy place, but I grew up with limited means. We lived in a housing project and often relied on government assistance. My mother was a single mom who worked as a janitor. Even though the mountains were only 20 minutes away, we rarely went because when you’re poor, even buying the gas to get there is an extreme effort.
Read MoreMany of us here carry a sense that we are connected to the land. Even many of those who live in town have family connections with land nearby. Many people spend time out of town “at the ranch”.
Las Vegas is situated at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range. They are the very last of the Rockies if you follow them down from north to south. We have many acres of National Forest including Carson, Santa Fe, and Pecos. Growing up I’d go backpacking or camping with girlfriends, or we’d go out in the winter with our snowboards and enjoy the snow. I had this feeling that this wild land of the communal forest was my own. A lot of people have those types of strong connections to the land here.
Read MoreThe favorite activity that my father and I shared was fishing. Fishing taught us patience and respect, not easy lessons for my rambunctious siblings and myself. When we would catch something too small to eat we would always throw it back. I’ll never forget the first fish my baby brother finally caught. It was a tiny Bluegill no bigger than the length of my index finger and certainly nothing that was going to feed anyone. Beaming with pride from this seminal experience he threw it in the freezer instead of throwing it back into the lake. My dad lit into my wide-eyed little brother. With the frankness signature of a Marine-Corps drill sergeant he informed us that we don’t waste. If we kill we eat and when we eat, we use as much of the animal as possible.
That lesson struck a nerve with me much deeper than just my love of fishing or nature. Spending time with my father in the outdoors was a masterclass in respect. I’ve carried that respect with me from the lush forests of Northern Michigan to my arid home in Southern Colorado. I’ve tried to embody it everyday as an adult, as a mom, as a teacher and now as a State Legislator.
Read MoreI was born and raised in Pecos, New Mexico, where my family has been for several generations. I grew up eating deer meat and trout. Nature is what sustained me growing up. My father was a hunter and a fisherman, and we depended on that for our food source. We’d gather berries and pick piñon in the fall. Food gathering has always been really important to my family.
I still share the tradition of picking berries and making jelly with my family. My daughter asks me why we’re doing it since we still have leftover jelly from last year, but I tell her it’s about remembering grandma and her recipes and continuing the tradition. I want to teach my kids and grandkids about the foods that are edible in this area and how to identify them. That’s something that’s been part of my upbringing and something that’s always been important to me.
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 MoreOnce you get up there the treeline stops – you can see Sedona, all of Flagstaff, and the view from the back of the mountain is unreal. Breathtaking.
On the way down, a storm rolled in so for the last hour or two I was walking in the rain. People say, “oh man,” but honestly it was the most peace I’ve ever had. I totally got drenched it was so peaceful. The clouds rolled in and that’s all you hear is just the rain. That was one of the better hikes I’ve had in a long time. The last mile or two it really started coming down so I picked up the pace. But the rain actually ended the hike really well.
Read MoreI always went fishing with my grandfather and my uncles, Bernave Arellano and Virgil Lopez, who taught me how to catch trout. Both of my uncles were very respectful of the land and understood that it was important to leave it better than you found it.
Growing up in Salt Lake City, I always enjoyed the outdoors. The air felt so good to breathe and it seemed like the opportunities were endless. We were rather poor. My mother raised four kids by herself. We didn’t have a car for much of the time. When we got on the train to visit relatives, I always looked out the window at the open range where you could run fast and feel free.
Back then, my family hunted deer and elk. It’s important to realize that hunting and fishing are fun, but the best reason is to hunt to put food on the table. This is true for most Latinos. My family made jerky from the meat of the animals they killed. They would smoke the fish that we caught. Today, my relatives living in small towns in the Southwest still hunt for subsistence. A lot of these towns are food deserts and don’t have access to the best grocery stores. But through fishing and hunting you can still feed your family with good nutrition.
Read MoreIn late November, our mission and our passion came together when HECHO Advisory Board Members from Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah flew to Washington D.C. to speak directly to their members of Congress on the importance of protecting our shared public lands by reauthorizing the Land Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).
Read MoreEarly last year, the National Wildlife Federation formed a strategic partnership with HECHO (Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors). The conservation group provides an effective voice for communities that traditionally have been underrepresented on matters relating to the environment. “HECHO is a national leader on public lands issues, and NWF is proud to have such a powerful partner to advance our collective conservation priorities,” says NWF Regional Executive Director Brian Kurzel.
Read MoreThe land has always been our life. Our dedication is to the land. We’ve always depended on the land to survive. My family were farmers and ranchers. I spent most of my summers with my grandfather, and I continue his traditions. We own pieces of land, but I don’t feel like they’re ours, only ours to take care of while were here.
Read MoreLiz Archuleta, HECHO spokesperson said, “It is personally rewarding to see the community out here discovering their sense of adventure or renewing their connection to the land. I hope that by experiencing all that nature has to offer, we can help people understand the importance and urgency to protect and conserve our public lands and waterways. We used this opportunity to educate community members on the importance of permanent reauthorization of the Land Water Conservation Fund that is used to build and maintain parks and trails with no cost to taxpayers.”
Read MoreHispanics Enjoying Camping Hunting and the Outdoors (HECHO) was joined by the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Vice President, Monica Villalobos on November 14, 2018 at the Murdock Community Center in Flagstaff for a presentation of DATOS 2018. The report highlights “Elements of a Healthy Community.” Villalobos provided an overview of the state of Latinos in Arizona and key facts on climate change views.
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