Protecting public lands is good for business and our kids

I am blessed to call New Mexico, “the Land of Enchantment,” my home. What makes it special is the clean air, grand vistas, river gorges, towering mountain ranges, and expanses of desert – and the fact that much of this grandeur belongs to the American public as part of our national system of public lands. 

In addition to being a New Mexico resident and raising my family here, I also own and operate a local rafting company. So my love of the land extends to earning my living by helping people enjoy western public lands and rivers.   

{mosads}I am fortunate that my representatives in the United States Congress – Sens. Tom Udall (D) and Martin Heinrich (D) and Rep. Ben Ray Lujan (D) – appreciate the many values of our western public lands for our region’s residents and visitors.

This is why I applauded when President Obama, at the urging of these leaders, designated the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument in May 2013, thus protecting the Rio Grande Gorge and the Taos Plateau that it slices its way through.  

Following Obama’s announcement last week that he was designating Browns Canyon in south-central Colorado as a National Monument, including the Arkansas River between Buena Vista and Salida, I am applauding again. 

This picturesque region has been a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts and thrill-seekers for generations. The canyon presents a multitude of recreational opportunities, including rafting, hiking, hunting, fishing, backpacking, rock climbing, and horseback riding. 

Protecting Browns Canyon is also good for business, not only for Colorado, but for outdoor outfitters and guide companies throughout the West, including here in northern New Mexico. 

Browns Canyon’s diverse recreational opportunities support nearby businesses and buoy the economies of surrounding communities. In fact, commercial rafting on the Arkansas River alone brings in roughly $55 million for the local economy. 

In New Mexico, we understand that protected public lands also mean more visitors, tourism dollars, and jobs in New Mexico.  When lands are protected and outdoor businesses flourish at Browns Canyon, it lifts all boats in our industry and strengthens the outdoor economy by raising the profile of the entire region. 

Business owners like me cannot survive without a consistent flow of visitors and the protected public lands that attract them, which is why I believe it is so important to permanently protect Browns Canyon and other places throughout the West.  

For years, Browns Canyon and its supporters waited and waited for Congress to act.  Sadly, nothing happened despite strong public support for protecting the area including the Colorado and Arkansas River Outfitters Associations, sportsmen and veterans groups, local business owners, local elected officials, and the 77 percent of Colorado voters polled who supported protection of Browns Canyon. 

Thankfully, Obama acted while Congress dragged its feet and used his authority under the Antiquities Act—as did 15 presidents before him, both Republican and Democrat—to establish Browns Canyon National Monument.  

Protecting places that tell America’s story, whether it is about nature or history, whether those places are large or small, has been one of the president’s strengths.  These actions also ensure that our children will have places to experience and learn about their natural and cultural heritage, something that is seemingly harder to do in the age of smart phones, video games and Internet connectivity.   

I applaud President Obama’s leadership and his recognition that there are huge economic, cultural and conservation benefits to protecting public lands for the enjoyment of present and future generations of Americans.

Miller is the owner-operator of New Wave Rafting in Embudo, New Mexico.