Commentary: Two dozen outdoors, community, youth, environmental and wildlife-protection groups will join Wednesday at the Roundhouse for lobbying trainings for citizens, a protest urging Gov. Martinez to stop blocking efforts to save the endangered gray wolf and a press conference to highlight legislation to protect coyotes and stop trapping on public lands.
The event is free and open to the public, which is invited to:
attend a lobbying training to learn how to communicate with legislators and then find and speak to their representatives;
hear from legislators, including Rep. Derrick Lente, sponsor of a memorial to ask the BLM to protect the sacred and treasured lands around Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Sens. Jeff Steinborn and Mark Moores, co-sponsors of legislation to outlaw coyote-killing contests, and others are invited to speak; and
Meet with representatives from dozens of conservation organizations.
Conservation and wildlife-protection organizations and others will have tables around the rotunda. At noon, advocates and legislators will speak at a press conference focusing on legislation to ban coyote-killing contests, outlaw trapping on public lands and protect our water and lands. At 1 p.m. participants will march out to a protest outside to advocate for more wolf releases into the wild to protect dwindling numbers of endangered Mexican grey wolves. There will also be lobbying trainings, the opportunity to visit with legislators throughout the day, and live educational animals.
What: Water, Wildlands and Wildlife Day
Where: Roundhouse (State Capitol), 490 Old Santa Fe Trail, Santa Fe
When: Wednesday, Feb. 8
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Displays on the main floor East Lobby and West Lobby; meet and learn about environmental protection in New Mexico; Visit with legislators and attend committee hearings
10:30 a.m.: Lobby training; check in at Sierra Club table
12 p.m.: Press Conference about legislation -- including coyote-killing contests, protecting greater Chaco Canyon from oil and gas fracking, trapping on public lands, and water protections
1 p.m.: Howling Mad Protest of Gov. Martinez's policies regarding our endangered Mexican wolves outside the Roundhouse (participants will march out of press conference to the protest).
2 p.m.: Lobby training — check in at Sierra Club table
The Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter has more than 7,000 members in New Mexico whose mission is to explore, enjoy and protect the planet.