The Organ Mountains.

“Two life zones and the winding Rio Grande River support diverse plant and animal species and form critical wildlife linkages with protected lands to the east and west.”

Declared a national monument May 21st, 2014, the beloved mountain range was in danger of having that status removed by the Trump administration - specifically Interior Secretary Zinke - in 2017. The argument called for, “a broader set of activities in New Mexico’s Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks…”, which are in constant threat of Supporters of the monument rushed to protect the status, organizing online and in-person petitions all over the county. This piece was made in response to signing one of those petitions and was shown at Art Obscura Gallery later that summer.

As of now, the Organ Mountains retains its National Monument status, with ten new wilderness areas part of the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act of 2019, signed into law March 12th, 2019.

You can find more about the petition here and more about the Organ Mountain National Monument here.