2016 ANNUAL REPORT
President’s Message In 2016, the New Mexico Wildlife Federation built upon major administrative modernization and membership initiatives begun the year before and expanded its public outreach efforts in several innovative directions. After bringing NMWF membership in 2015 to more than 16,000 through our offer of free memberships to long-time supporters, we emailed the same proposal to virtually every hunting and fishing license-buyer throughout our state in 2016. By year’s end, some 83,000 hunters, anglers, and trappers were part of the oldest and now inarguably the largest sportsmen’s and sportswomen’s organization in New Mexico. Those kinds of numbers helped us get the attention of law and policy makers when we advocated for or against legislation or rules that affect our hunting, fishing, wildlife, wildlife habitat, and watersheds. NMWF continues to be the leading voice for sportsmen and wildlife in the Legislature and before the State Game Commission, lobbying full-time in every legislative session and participating in every Commission meeting. Looking beyond raw numbers, NMWF launched programs to reach out to and engage additional groups and organizations outside the sphere of our more traditional membership and supporters. These efforts specifically targeted veterans, Latinos, Native Americans, at-risk youth and the faith community. Activities included outdoor events, fishing, and rafting trips. These excursions often included hands-on sessions that brought water quality, habitat and fish and wildlife management to life for teens who’d hardly ever left urban environments. Goals for these programs included simply getting kids and veterans and their families outdoors for a good time, of course, but have more far-reaching motives such as inspiring teens to be future conservation leaders and bringing new adults into the conservation community. We see these organizations, youth groups and individuals as important partners in growing coalitions that will be
increasingly critical in keeping public lands in public hands and breaking down the growing barriers to recreational access to public lands and public waters. Those threats to our public lands and wildlife resources issues not only aren’t going away, they’re growing in number and intensity. Together, larger and more diverse wildlife advocacy partners can bring the breadth and depth to hold those threats at bay, and bringing those partners in will continue as an NMWF goal into 2017 and beyond.
Sincerely, John Crenshaw NMWF Board President
Our Work Both within the New Mexico Wildlife Federation and in our work across the West, 2016 was a big year. Our new mobile-friendly and easy-to-navigate website was launched, and we added five experienced staff members to continue expanding our work across the state. We kicked the year off with a bang by traveling to the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in January to stand up to armed extremists who took over the refuge and blocked the public from entering. Public lands belong to everyone and an assault on any public lands is an assault on all public lands. Our trip to Oregon set the tone for our work for the rest of the year - we refused to back down to any attack on our public lands. Our work protecting public lands took many forms, from working with elected officials to support public lands resolutions to educating the public about threats to access to connecting more people with the outdoors, we kept the issue of protecting public lands at the forefront. NMWF staff also attended every meeting of the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Commission to stand up for the rights and interests of sportsmen and women. Highlights: • Locked out report: NMWF reached out to its members to document instances where they had been locked out of lands they should have access to. The report includes locations of instances and our assessment of how some of these issues can be addressed. NMWF continues to work with the Game and Fish Department to make public lands more accessible. • Passing public lands resolutions in Santa Fe, Doña Ana, Taos, and Bernalillo Counties stating support for keeping public lands in public hands. • Rally at the Roundhouse for public lands with over 400 people in attendance.
Legislative Work: • With the work of Senator William Soules, NMWF got SM 11 “NM Public Lands Legacy, in Recognition” passed. This memorial honors our public lands heritage and benefits. • Got HB 149, “Big Game Depredation Damages & Compensation” tabled which would have required the Game and Fish Department to make cash payments to persons with claims of damage to their private property by big game animals. This bill would have almost certainly violated the New Mexico Constitution’s anti-donation clause. • With the support of NMWF, the Legislature approved the Department of Game and Fish budget $40.35 million operating budget for the 2016-17 fiscal year. • NMWF helped kill SB 294, “Private Hunting Land Sales Gross Receipts,” which would have waived gross receipts taxes on money landowners make from the sale of access to private land for hunting and fishing. Ranchers currently control distribution of half of the elk licenses issued in New Mexico, including unit-wide elk licenses that are valid on both private and public land.
Our Events The New Mexico Wildlife Federation got more New Mexicans out on their public lands than ever before in 2016. By introducing young people of all backgrounds to hunting, fishing, and the outdoors now, we are cultivating the next generation of conservationists. Many of our events focused on getting disadvantaged youth outdoors to experience the transformative power of nature. The New Mexico Wildlife Federation was excited to partner with the Santa Fe Indian School and the Pueblo Pathways Project, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, Las Cumbres, the United States Forest Service, and many other partners to connect more youth with the outdoors.
Highlights: • Turkey Pancake Breakfast: Our spring and summer calendar kicked off with a celebration of the beginning of turkey season. We camped at the Terrero Campground with students from the Pueblo Pathways Project and woke up Saturday morning to turkey hunt and enjoy a pancake breakfast made by Julian Gonzalez. Lots of people turned up to grab pancakes, talk turkey hunting, and learn more about our public lands work. • Sportsmen and Women’s Meetings: Throughout the year we met up with hunters and anglers in Albuquerque and Santa Fe to talk turkey hunting, elk hunting, fishing, and public lands. Our meetings are key places to meet members and discuss the issues that matter to the outdoor enthusiasts of New Mexico. • Rafting with Congressional leaders: In July we took students from Taos Pueblo, Santa Fe, Jemez, and Albuquerque on a rafting trip on the Rio Grande with Senator Martin Heinrich and Representatives Ben Ray Lujan and Michelle Lujan Grisham. It was a beautiful day to enjoy our public lands, and the students had a great time connecting with their elected officials. • Rafting the Rio Chama: In August more students got the opportunity to raft, this time with Santa Fe City Councilor Peter Ives in Northern New Mexico. RiverSource joined us to teach students about water quality and conservation. • Valles Caldera Campout: To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, we hosted a campout in the Valles Caldera National Monument. Friday night, families joined us in the park to camp and watch a national parks documentary and make s’mores. The next morning, the New Mexico Youth Conservation Foundation, the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, Trout Unlimited, and New Mexico Trout gave lessons on archery hunting, fly-tying, and fly fishing in the Caldera. • After School Program at Santa Ana Pueblo: Beginning in the fall of 2016, NMWF began working with the after school program of the health and wellness center at the Santa Ana Pueblo. We
taught a wide-ranging age group how to tie flies, identify animal tracks, and how to make a cloud in a bottle. • Hero’s Day: As NMWF began ramping up veteran outreach, we held a fishing day in Rio Grande del Norte National Monument to honor our veterans, first responders, and their families. We gave fly fishing tips and handed out prizes from generous local establishments. • Black Friday Opt Outside Hike: As our outreach in Southern New Mexico ramped up, we were excited to host our first “Opt Outside” hike with Latino Outdoors and Friends of the Organ Mountains Desert Peaks on Black Friday. Started by outdoor retailer REI, the day encourages people to get outside on Black Friday instead of hit the stores - and opt outside they did! Over 60 people showed up to hike Soledad Canyon in the Organ Mountains Desert Peaks National Monument.
Financials Support
1%
Grants: $738,445 Donations: $8,931
99%
Total 2016 support: $747,376
Revenue
Contracts: $12,000 Membership: $17,973 Cell Phone Tower Lease: $11,069
8%
64%
11% 7% 4% 0% 6% 0%
Advertising: $5,935 Other income: $223 Investment Income: $97 Interest: $8,630 Gain/Loss Disposal Asset: -$551 Satisfaction of Program Restrictions: $101,662
Total 2016 revenue: $157,038 Total 2016 revenue and support: $904,414
Financials Expenses 6% 12%
Management & General: $129,551 Program: $903,601 Fundraising: $73,247
82%
Total 2016 expenses: $1,106,399
Our Supporters
Foundations and Organizations: Fidelity Charitable Conservation Lands Foundation Western Conservation Foundation PEW Charitable Trusts Turner Foundation Los Alamos National Labs Foundation Dallas Foundation National Environmental Education Foundation Wellspring Foundation National Wildlife Federation WELC United States Forest Service
Donors: Lori L Berry William Bramble John Crenshaw Zane Dohner Steve Henry Marguerite Hoffman Thomas Lentz Peter Lupsha John McCawley Mario Mejia Susan Torres Gordon VeneKlasen William Wilder Blair Wolf
Our Staff Garrett Vene Klasen Executive Director
Andrew Black Director of Community Relations and Education
Todd Leahy Deputy Director
Wendy Sandidge Finance Coordinator
Sophie Shemas Public Lands Fellow
Susan Torres Communications Director
Gabe Vasquez Southern NM Outreach Coordinator
Board of Directors President John Crenshaw Vice President Bennet Brown Treasurer William Bramble Secretary Michael Murphy Directors at Large Jason Amaro Jim Bates Don Faraone Steve Henry Bruce Wilder Blair Wolf Odes Armijo-Caster John McCawley JoAnn Melchor
Our Mission
To educate and inspire New Mexicans to conserve public landscapes, watersheds, and wildlife for our children’s future.
6100 Seagull Street NE Suite B-105 Albuquerque, NM 87109 www.nmwildlife.org www.facebook.com/nmwildlife www.twitter.com/nmwildlife