A parcel of land known as “Turkey Ridge” in southern New Mexico became part of a portfolio of land protected by the New Mexico Land Conservancy spanning over 800,000 acres across the state that includes White Sands Missile Range on March 25.
Protection of “Turkey Ridge” is a unique collaboration between NMLC, White Sands Missile Range, and the New Mexico State Land Office that puts 60,048 acres of land into a special conservation status that limits development for the next 75 years. This innovative conservation protection builds upon the “Chupadera Mesa” project which contained 60,082 acres the two organizations conserved in 2025—bringing the total acreage of connected land to over 120,000 acres.
"The protection of over 60,000 acres around Turkey Ridge marks a major milestone in our long-term vision to connect wildlife habitat and protect cultural resources across the greater White Sands ecoregion,” said Jonathan Hayden, Executive Director, New Mexico Land Conservancy.“Working with our partners at the state and Federal levels, we've now stitched together over 1.4 million acres of protected lands from the banks of the Rio Grande to White Sands National Park, and now up to Turkey Ridge and Chupadera Mesa."
“Conservation is a critical tool in the land management toolkit, and we have now protected the second largest area ever in New Mexico through an innovative conservation agreement,” said Commissioner Garcia Richard. “This agreement protects unique cultural resources and a landscape that provides habitat and connectivity for a wide variety of wildlife species. This also means our military will be able to continue its important training exercises at White Sands Missile Range without interference from development. Once again, here is proof that we can protect New Mexico’s special landscapes and still earn revenue for our public institutions. For me, conserving places like Chupadera Mesa is mission critical.”
The Environmental Division of the United States Army Garrison White Sands Missile Range was also a key collaborator in the successful conservation of “Turkey Ridge.”
"The execution of this second-phase, 60,000-acre easement is a landmark achievement for both the White Sands Missile Range REPI program and the New Mexico State Land Office,” said Brian Knight, Environmental Division Chief, USAG White Sands Missile Range. “This partnership is a premier example of how we can integrate critical military missions with state-level stewardship—safeguarding vital testing airspace while providing permanent protection for the cultural heritage and natural beauty of the Land of Enchantment. We are proud to work alongside the NMSLO and the New Mexico Land Conservancy to ensure the continued readiness of our national defense and the preservation of New Mexico's rich cultural heritage."
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s and the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish identify the “Turkey Ridge” parcel as containing crucial habitat, species of concern habitat, large natural areas, and terrestrial species of economic and recreational importance. Over 85 percent of the protected land consists of unfragmented habitat blocks, offering critical wildlife and migration corridors. “Turkey Ridge” also consists of productive rangeland with native grasslands and is an important part of the agricultural community in Torrance and Socorro Counties. The property’s soils sustain its function as productive ranchland while also contributing to the conservation of native grasslands and wildlife habitat.
Turkey Ridge lies within the traditional homelands of the Pueblo, Jumanos and Apache peoples. Despite histories of forced displacement, deep cultural, spiritual, and ecological connections to this land endure. This easement reflects a commitment to protecting not only the land itself, but also the histories and relationships it holds for Indigenous peoples. Turkey Ridge contains a wealth of archaeological resources, including a 30-room pueblo and numerous kivas, plazas, and lithic scatters. These sites are closely linked to the cultural history of the Salinas Pueblos, located just to the east and north at Gran Quivira, Abo, and Quarai. Puebloan communities in this region flourished through farming and trade, later disrupted by drought and Spanish colonization in the 1600s.
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