[Editor's Note: This is likely to be a three-part series, with three panels reported on. In the interest of writing more quickly, the style will be name: paraphrase/quote what each panelist said in response to questions.]

By Mary Alice Murphy

Jeff Steinborn, New Mexico Senator, was master of ceremonies.

Steinborn:
Sixty communities and tribes are represented at the conference, and panelists represent nine western states. Recreation is a $9.9 billion industry in New Mexico, but it's the lowest of the western states around us. We are going to work hard, especially with the new state office of outdoor recreation, under director Axie Navas.

We celebrate 13 new wilderness areas in New Mexico, plus the wild and scenic designation. We can create the first wild and scenic area in southern New Mexico. Grant County, Silver City, Bayard and Hurley all approved the designation.

We will show short New Mexico True videos throughout the conference.

Silver City Mayor Ken Ladner:
I think of us as being part of the big family of New Mexico. Thank you for coming to Silver City.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham:
How incredible it is to piggyback on the legacy in this room. The outdoors is important, preserving our wild spaces is important, and they both have a huge economic impact on our state. I grew up in the New Mexico outdoors. Recently, I learned about cycling and different cycling paths. I went shopping for a road bike customized to fit someone 4-foot-10. I loved it. I bought my children and fiancé road bikes. We have traveled in New Mexico. I will try a mountain bike next. I was challenged to join a group in Santa Fe. There is joy in cycling around New Mexico. We have to have an organized government agency supporting you, which is why we created the Office of Outdoor Recreation.

We will gather ideas to beat Colorado. I'm competitive. We need to figure out with the new office how to tell everyone our stories. We will have a positive, spirited, kind, respectful sharing of our outdoors. There is no more sustainable way to build revenue than off of outdoor recreation.

Thank you to (U.S.) Senator (Martin) Heinrich, who was clear on the wildernesses and the wild and scenic designation. We need every single strategy. We are working on an equity fund for our outdoor recreation office.

Heinrich:
We have created more protected areas than since the Gila Wilderness was created. We have elevated White Sands from a monument to a national park. East of the Mississippi, no one knows what a monument is.

We are closer to making it happen. We put the White Sands national park into the defense authorization bill. White Sands will become our newest national park.

I'm looking forward to working with Axie Navas. I know the impact will be great. We want to grow the outdoor recreation sector the right way. The equity fund is good. We need everyone, every kid to be able to access public lands.

We are also working on the SOAR Act. It's a way the federal government handles permitting. I know what it's like to ask the Forest Service about a permit. Their reply can be: 'We're not going to get around to it this year' a month before kids are coming. The permitting process needs to be simple, transparent, as long as we protect the resource. We want to make sure our communities learn from one another, while growing jobs, looking toward future generations. I'm excited about what New Mexico will achieve in the coming years.

Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard:
I'm so happy to be back in my hometown. I'm the first woman Hispanic leader in public lands. (Lt. Gov.) Howie (Morales) and Gov. Lujan Grisham already have the commitment to use our resources for recreation. We have nine million acres of outdoor recreation opportunities. We will work with tribes, with acequias, with counties to talk about opportunities to work together. We have two announcements: We are open to adventure and we are creating the position of outdoor recreation specialist.

Fifth-grade kids have the opportunity to get free outdoor passes to follow Heinrich's fourth-graders of no child left indoors.

Another New Mexico True video went up on the screen.

Dave Simon, director of Albuquerque Parks and Recreation Department, served as moderator of the State Outdoor Recreation Resources discussion. Panelists included, Axie Navas, New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Division; Garcia Richard; Sarah Cottrell Propst, secretary of the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department; and Jen Schroer, secretary of the New Mexico Tourism Department.

Simon:
We had cyclists from 50 to 100 years old at the recent National Senior Games in Albuquerque. Fourteen thousand athletes came from all over the country and pumped almost $40 million into the economy. We have enormous opportunities in this state. We will have introductions and then pose questions to the panelists.

As you introduce yourself, whatl are the resources and opportunities our state offers and what are the local opportunities to work with these departments?

Navas:
We are the Outdoor Recreation Division. We are part of the New Mexico Economic Development Department. We are the connective tissue of all agencies and non-governmental entities. I've been doing a talking tour across the state and soliciting proposals for an outdoor recreation incubator. I believe strongly in this position.

Schroer:
We invite tourists and develop how to enhance the visitor experience. If people come here and have a wonderful time, they will come back. We want to make sure the experience of New Mexico True is what our visitors have. We have to build the capacity and then we can promote it.

Propst:
State parks are an important piece of the Department of Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources. Three-quarters of New Mexicans live within 40 miles of a state park. State parks get 5 million visitors annually. The Youth Conservation Corps is another part. It will administer an equity fund, which will provide a grant program. We want to power Hyde Memorial State Park with renewable energy. A lot of the state parks have friends' groups that volunteer.

Garcia Richard:
There are opportunities for reconnecting the state trust lands. We have links between every agency here on the panel. We want to make sure we do not duplicate efforts. People may only know state trust lands for hunting and fishing. I want to open them for hiking, cycling and birding. We are partners with the Audubon Society, raising funds for education. We are partnering with Lincoln County. We have 70 different species of birds at one state trust land, the Luera Mountains in Catron County. We are partnering with local communities. If you have a piece of state trust land, come to us. We'll help you develop foundational aspects. How important to do you see protected landscapes? In general, public lands are attracting visitors.

Schroer:
With the designation, it helps in marketing experiences visitors want. We want to protect, so we are growing in a sustainable way. We are proactive in managing capacity.

Garcia Richard:
Utah and Montana, as well as New Mexico, offer opportunities for gateway communities like we have right here in Silver City. Designation is the opportunity to develop around the experience. I see them as opportunities.

Navas:
The public lands and infrastructure are the key to thinking about protection. A lot of recreationists are coming here, but they want to see the lands protected.

Propst:
When people come to state and national parks, they know what the experience is. You know what you're going to get.

Simon:
Let's go a step deeper in the relationship. What are the easier steps to promote New Mexico?

Schroer:
Every destination has outdoor recreation assets. The best way is to partner with a local tourism promotion entity. They know what people come to the area to experience. They also have robust websites. Partner with the destination marking organizations. It's our business sector that complements the outdoor recreational experiences. Collaborate at the local level.

Propst:
An example of collaboration is Clayton State Park. It is on state trust land, and people can camp, fish, boat, but they may be missing the dinosaur tracks. They contacted us and asked if they could change their name. We are determining how to rename the park in an accurate way.

Garcia Richard:
Partnering is the way to go. I call out the National Park Service. They have a great plan for trails and recreation. That's another partnership.

Simon:
What are the easy steps to promote? Touch on the digital space.

Navas:
I come from digital journalism. There are ways to get into organic searches through storytelling. You get a broader audience and can piggyback on other events. Start at the local level, with what things the community has.

Simon:
What is the future focus? Talk about the greatest challenges and opportunities. Get help from elected officials on local and state levels.

Navas:
We have a big opportunity in this room and natural resources we want to play on. Outdoor recreation has been splintered. Put our differences aside. We have to promote motorized, non-motorized, hikers and bikers. We have to think of it as a holistic powerhouse.

Schroer:
As we grow, we have to be true to New Mexico. We have something unique here. We want to preserve the experience. Stay true to what we are as New Mexico and celebrate the experiences. They are our competitive advantage. Tie them into events and things, explore. Hold true and build out the experiences. Be mindful of capacity. Make sure you have enough bathrooms and parking. We need to position New Mexico. We are open to businesses that want to build businesses to grow and expand, but we have to keep a balance.

Propst:
We are in the infrastructure business. Bathrooms, running water, we are in the business of expanding state parks. Mesilla Valley State Park is back in the fold. Pecos was funded. We are expanding programs and outdoor classrooms. We will be posting a marketing position. With the YCC, we are looking ahead at the possibility with an equity fund.

Garcia Richard:
How excited I am to listen to Axie. Our No. 1 challenge is the multi-use conflict. We have 8 million acres of agricultural allotments. We have to partner with those already protecting the lands. We have to make sure they are comfortable with liability, with increased usership. The trust lands are supposed to make money, but they are for everyone.

Simon:
These agencies do need financial support. We need to work together to help them. There are needs for investment and support.

One more question: How do we protect and keep New Mexico unique and beautiful? We have to consider sustainability.

Navas:
We have to think proactively about overuse and infrastructure. We must build a foundation to keep outdoor recreation sustainable.

Schroer:
There are few that are at capacity year-round. We are not beyond capacity. We need to fix the infrastructure issues. We must grow in a thoughtful way New Mexico True. We know our state is not dry and barren, but I get questions, such as: 'Can I drink the water? Do I need a passport.' We can learn from others' mistakes.

Propst:
The more inclusive, the more sustainable state parks, we want to lead by example.

Garcia Richard:
Planning ahead, being sustainable. In Colorado and Utah, they talk about loving the land to death. We need to set a capacity for cattle; we need a cap for humans. We have to ensure search and rescue is viable.

The forum opened to questions from the audience:

I'm the mayor of Farmington. What projects do you see us being able to do?

Propst:
Connect with the YCC. They can give you a granular answer. Laying out rules for the equity fund, see if there is space in the rules for what you need. There will be micro-grants. Do small things.

Sarah Wood:
Sign up. We are rebooting the equity fund.

A man asked:
What about electric charging stations? Automakers are supposed to be making only electric cars within five year.

Propst:
We are starting with the interstate highways at regular intervals to have charging stations. We are looking at MOUs with deeper level roads. We need more charging stations in cities to cater to the regular running around, as well as around the state. We are retrofitting public buildings, with solar and electric charging stations. It's an emerging area.

A man:
If we start focusing on our parks and whether there are enough restrooms and what resources there are, what do you want to do, create a method to find out online? Within my department, we are challenged by oil and gas or mineral development.

Propst:
The Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources department doesn't do leasing of land. The governor has directed us to reduce methane emissions, so we are working on regulations. We want to reduce the waste of other resources we use. We have learned from Colorado, that is an important sector of our economy. We need better data.

Garcia Richard:
We always talk about outdoor recreation as a quality of life issue. We have to diversify. We know oil and gas are finite, so we have to ensure that there are other prongs as diversification. We are going to deliberately address methane emissions and remediating sites.

A man from Raton:
It sounds like you are marketing toward individuals. Is there any focus on outdoor recreation businesses?

Navas:
We are in the New Mexico Economic Department for a reason. Yes, we are also about nurturing new businesses. We will work with businesses that are already here. We want to steal from Colorado and California.

The next article will address the panel discussing the outdoor marketing toolkit.