Socioeconomic Strategy Workshops

The BLM conducted two in-person socioeconomic workshops to discuss regional economic  conditions, trends, and strategies with interested parties. The objective was to gather local knowledge and understanding of important economic and social issues, to help more fully characterize existing conditions that are relevant to BLM management in the Monument. The presentation provided at the in-person Socioeconomic Workshops on July 17 and 18, 2023 is available for download by clicking the link below:

• Socioeconomic Strategy Workshop Presentation

The workshops were held at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, New Mexico.

The workshops included a brief presentation of current socioeconomic data followed by group discussion. Content presented was the same at each workshop. A summary of workshop information will also be made available for those who were unable to participate.

Issues discussed at the workshops include, but are not limited to:

1. How social and economic conditions have changed in the past decades

2. The current social and economic conditions in the planning area

3. The current role of BLM-administered lands and resources in the local economy

4. Visions for the future of the regional economy and for local communities, and the role  of public lands and federal resources in this vision

The information collected during these workshops will provide a foundation for socioeconomic analysis during development of the OMDPNM RMP/EIS.

Third-party neutral facilitators from Environmental Management and Planning Solutions, Inc. (EMPSi) were contracted to facilitate the workshops. Representatives from the BLM were in attendance, and EMPSi will document and summarize the information gained from workshops.