The Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department’s (EMNRD) State Parks Division announced the release of the 2021-2026 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) for New Mexico.
The SCORP was created with the involvement of local, state, and federal organizations, outdoor recreation businesses, non-profit organizations, and interested public citizens, according to a report.
It offers suggestions to guide outdoor recreation providers in achieving a shared vision for the outdoor resources in New Mexico and identifies the economic benefits of outdoor recreation to the state and the country.
The SCORP is reviewed annually. The updates are required by the federal government for the state and permit New Mexico to continue to receive federal funds through the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
“Not only does the SCORP open the door to millions of dollars of federal money for New Mexico, it highlights the importance of outdoor recreation as an enjoyable economic and cultural resource,” said EMNRD Cabinet Secretary Sarah Cottrell Propst.
He also said that the state is blessed with opportunities for outdoor recreation and that SCORP demonstrates its “potential impact for economic growth.”
The 2021-2026 SCORP includes:
- State and national outdoor recreation trends and corresponding economic impacts;
- An inventory of the state’s outdoor recreation resources and guidance on how best to protect them;
- A vision for better integration of outdoor education into the state’s recreation and;
- A listing of the state’s priorities for awarding federal funds from the Land and Water Conservation Fund to local communities.
To learn more about the SCORP and download a copy of the final report, go to https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/spd/statewide-comprehensive-outdoor-recreation-plan-scorp/.
This article originally appeared on Deming Headlight.