Location: central New Mexico

Roads and sprawling development are eating away at the New Mexico Highlands--the last sanctuaries for black bears, mountain lions, and bighorn sheep. The linkage of natural habitat between the Sandia and Manzano Mountains east of Albuquerque is all but completely severed by Interstate 40, one of the busiest expressways in the West. Six lanes of highway, plus a two-lane frontage road, create a formidable barrier to animals. Roadkill of bears, mountain lions, and other wildlife is a growing problem. Without immediate conservation action, this critical connection may be permanently lost.

Private Landowner Participation
Private landowners within Wildlands Network planning areas are encouraged to participate in voluntary actions to protect wildlife linkages and native species. Such voluntary actions may include taking advantage of federal and state programs that pay landowners for conservation of their lands; voluntary sale or donation of conservation easements to land trusts or conservancies; changes in management to protect ecological property values; or through voluntary sale or donation of land to conservation buyers.