L Bar Ranch to Become Wildlife Management Area

GRANTS, N.M. –

The “L Bar Ranch” outside of Grants, New Mexico has long been private property. New Mexico officials have announced that L Bar property has been purchased, and will become the largest state-owned recreational property in the state. Over 54,000 acres of land will be added to the existing wildlife management area. The site will build onto the El Malpais National Conservation Area, Cibola National Forest, and Continental Divide National Scenic Trail.

On June 2, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, US Senator Martin Heinrich, and NM House of Representative Appropriations Committee Chairman Nathan Small announced the acquisition of the L Bar Property and their excitement for the Cibola community.

L Bar Ranch

To purchase the lands, the State of New Mexico spent $34.1 million. With this acquisition, the New Mexico Game and Fish will take control of around 35,000 acres of land, they are expected to increase public access to the L Bar area.

The New Mexico Game Commission is expected to host a meeting where the public can provide input on the plans for L Bar Ranch, that meeting has not yet been announced.

Importance to History and Culture

The L Bar Ranch is close to Mount Taylor and the Zuni Mountains, it is a land of special cultural significance to Native American tribes in the Cibola County area, specifically the Pueblos of Acoma, Laguna, Zuni, and Hopi – all of these tribes have supported the acquisition of the L Bar property.

“The purchase of the L Bar Ranch was a unique and urgent opportunity to protect a 16,410-acre culturally significant and biologically-rich property on the eastern slopes of Mt. Taylor, located in northwest New Mexico from the threat of future development. We applaud the collaborative leadership of our elected leaders for meeting this moment, including Governor Lujan Grisham and U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich, as well as tribal leaders, the Trust for Public Land and New Mexico Department of Game and Fish for facilitating the agreement, and stakeholder groups that came together to protect this critical and vulnerable landscape,” said Theresa Pasqual, Board President for Conservation Voters New Mexico. “The permanent protection of the L Bar ranch will restore access to Tribes who have remained connected to these sacred lands, preserve biodiversity, promote greater habitat connectivity, ensure equitable access to public lands and support our outdoor recreation economy.”

Conservation is Key

The L Bar property has an estimated 3,000 archeological sites which have not been explored. The property ranges from 6,000 feet in the lowest valleys, to 9,000 feet on the highest mesas, it is ecologically an important zone because it is home to many species of big game. There will be few fences and barriers in the way to disturb the natural order of the land, as ecological preservation is a key part of the plan, and allowing big game like elk to roam freely without manmade constructs in their way.

“The addition of the L Bar properties will benefit current and future generations of New Mexico hunters. The expansion of the Marquez Wildlife Management Area not only protects the land for future generations but also allows NM residents more opportunities to hunt and pass-on sacred outdoor traditions.” said Jesse Deubel, New Mexico Wildlife Federation Executive Director. “As prime elk country, bringing the ranch into public hands will also ensure that critical wildlife corridors remain intact while providing local Pueblos with access to culturally significant areas.”

In 2011, State Senator George Munoz, who represents the western half of Cibola in the New Mexico State Senate, passed a bill making it so only New Mexico residents can hunt on State Wildlife Management Areas. The L Bar Ranch will be reserved for New Mexicans exclusively, with the State of New Mexico hoping that the development of L Bar will bring greater economic opportunity to the City of Grants, Village of Milan, and Cibola County as a whole.