Some of my Conservation Passions
Mule Deer Foundation
I was recently selected to be the Mule Deer Foundation Tri-County Chapter Chair which covers Dona Ana and Otero Counties of New Mexico and El Paso county of Texas. Covering three counties in two states will be a fun and rewarding challenge to get sportsmen and women involved with the mission of preserving mule deer habitat. We held our 2nd annual banquet in February with over 135 guests! The plans are in the works for next year’s banquet with a goal of 160 attendees. The best part of doing a fundraising banquet like this with the Mule Deer foundation is that a percentage of what we raised stays with the chapter to support habitat improvement projects such as water sources for mule deer and other wildlife in the area. the guests who attend our banquet can rest assured that a portion of their donation stay with the community! I was fortunate enough to see one of the projects take place at the Adams Ranch in west Texas which boarders Big Bend State Park. Several MDF chapters were represented with volunteers, and other organizations such as Texas Big Horn Society, Borderlands Research Institute for Natural Resource Management, Dallas Safari Club and Texas Parks and Wildlife contributed time and labor to the project. This is the very first permanent water guzzler installed by MDF in the state of TX. the second guzzler will be installed on the same ranch later this fall. I have traveled to the Midland and Pecos County Chapter banquets to meet with fellow chapter chairs and volunteers to learn what works for them to engage sportsmen and women in their respective communities and how to make out chapter more successful. getting to meet Mr. Deer himself, Larry Weishuhn, was a honor. He is a very humble and appreciative man of volunteers who are working hard for wildlife and habitat conservation. Was very nice to hear someone of that caliber and experience thank ME for the work I do for sportsmen and women.
New Mexico Wildlife Federation
I have been on the board of Directors now for over a year and am the youngest and the only woman on the board. I am glad to represent the younger generation of conservationists and women who are increasingly getting involved with outdoor activities. our board is composed of several sportsmen from across the state and help to support the NMWF mission of working to ensure the future of wildlife, their habitats and hunters rights to land and hunting/fishing opportunities continues. The federation was founded by Aldo Leopold in 1914 and as our centennial gets underway, plans for our annual banquet honoring Mr. Leopold and his work is scheduled to take place August 16th in Albuquerque, NM. I am enthusiastic working with this group to be the voice for a younger generation and promote wildlife conservation in a scientific manner including the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation.
–Colleen Richardson
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Love you Colleen!