New Mexico is the fourth most biodiverse state in the country, but prolonged drought, high wildfire risk, decreased snowpack, and longer, hotter summers are straining habitats and water supplies. As the impacts of climate change progress, we need to think creatively and use every tool at our disposal to weather these challenges.
New Mexico’s at-risk bird species are generally concentrated in riparian areas and forests. These habitats are also places that, when protected and restored, can store carbon and absorb greenhouse gases, as well as provide more reliable water supplies—for people and birds.
Nature-based solutions are actions we can take to make those areas as healthy and resilient as possible. Nature-based solutions are a way to mitigate the impacts of a changing climate in addition to policies like reducing industrial carbon emissions and promoting renewable energy build-out.
The report found that nature-based solutions “support job creation, strengthen rural economies, and reduce long-term infrastructure and disaster recovery costs. By functioning as critical infrastructure, nature-based solutions provide essential services such as water storage, erosion control, and flood mitigation while also delivering broader co-benefits for biodiversity, recreation, public health, and community well-being.”
In New Mexico, we already have many state programs that can fund and implement nature-based solutions. These include programs Audubon Southwest has directly advocated for such as the New Mexico Environment Department’s River Stewardship Program, which provides grants to private entities to restore riparian habitat along rivers throughout the state.
It also includes work done by the Soil and Water Conservation Districts to improve soil health and reduce soil erosion. It includes the state’s efforts to prevent wildfires through responsible forest thinning and forest health projects, and the Audubon Conservation Ranching Program, which helps private landowners implement bird-friendly practices by planting and restoring native grasses, among other activities.
In the upcoming legislative session, which begins in January 2027, Audubon Southwest will be advocating for increased funds to state programs working on nature-based solutions and will continue to work on deepening our partnerships with state agencies who can also help implement this critical work on the ground.
By boosting the available funding resources and deploying more nature-based solutions throughout the state, we can help birds, other wildlife, communities, and businesses throughout New Mexico thrive.
