Upcoming events
Wildlife Wednesday: Free Speaker Series
Wildlife, Water, Landscape
Wildlife Wednesday is a free monthly speaker series held on the 2nd Wednesday.
Marble Brewery NE Heights, Albuquerque at 5:30pm
Speaker Details:
NEW MEXICO OFFICIAL DISCUSSES OPTIONS FOR HANDLING PRODUCED WATER FROM ENERGY BONANZA
Winter has failed to materialize across New Mexico. Record warm temperatures combined with minimal snowpack have water managers bracing for a bleak irrigation season and beyond.
But while much of New Mexico is parched, the Permian Basin, in the southeast corner of the state, is wrestling with the question of what to do with too much water.
Every day, the oil and gas industry pumps hundreds of millions of gallons of groundwater from the Permian Basin as a byproduct of energy production.
Current New Mexico regulations require energy companies to reinject this “produced water” from their operations back underground. There’s so much of the water that the industry faces the prospect of running out of places to put it.
Some in the energy industry are calling for developing state regulations to allow the treatment of the produced water for agricultural and other purposes. But some state regulators and environmental groups warn that adequate purification technology doesn’t yet exist for treating water on such a huge scale. They say that releasing it would pose an unacceptable environmental threat.
Zach Stoll, assistant director of the New Mexico Produced Water Research Consortium, will speak on the produced water issue at the New Mexico Wildlife Federation’s free “Wildlife Wednesday” presentation at 5:30 p.m., March 11, at the Marble Brewery NE Heights Taproom at 9904 Montgomery Blvd. in Albuquerque. For more information, click HERE.
State Game Commission Meeting - March 2026
The New Mexico Wildlife Federation will be present at the Department of Wildlife’s New Mexico State Game Commission Meeting in Albuquerque.
For more information about this meeting or other ways to participate, visit: https://wildlife.dgf.nm.gov/commission/meeting-agendas/
If you are interested in attending, here is the Zoom link to register.
new mexico outdoor festival and skills competition
New Mexico Wildlife Federation’s mission is rooted in collaboration. We work at the crossroads of conservation, culture, and community—uniting hunters, anglers, outdoor enthusiasts, land stewards, and advocates under one shared goal: to protect and celebrate the lands and wildlife that make New Mexico home. Now, we're excited to extend that spirit of connection with a brand-new event: The First Annual New Mexico Outdoor Festival and Skills Competition, coming April 2026 to the stunning Legacy Ranch.
This is more than just a festival—it’s a celebration of our state’s outdoor traditions, skills, and shared future. Whether you're an avid hunter, a weekend hiker, or simply someone who loves being outside, there’s something here for everyone. We're bringing together local communities, outdoor brands, conservation leaders, and families for a day of fun, learning, and connection—all in support of our mission to preserve the wild heart of New Mexico.
We invite participants, sponsors, vendors, and partners to join us in making this inaugural event a success. Your support will help us grow a legacy of conservation and outdoor celebration that will benefit generations to come.
Let’s come together and celebrate what makes New Mexico wild, beautiful, and uniquely ours.
See our full event page HERE!
Wildlife Wednesday: Free Speaker Series
Wildlife, Water, Landscape
Wildlife Wednesday is a free monthly speaker series held on the 2nd Wednesday.
Save the Date:
Marble Brewery NE Heights, Albuquerque at 5:30pm
Speaker Details to be announced.
Wildlife Wednesday: Free Speaker Series
Wildlife, Water, Landscape
Wildlife Wednesday is a free monthly speaker series held on the 2nd Wednesday.
Save the Date:
Marble Brewery NE Heights, Albuquerque at 5:30pm
Speaker Details to be announced.
State Game Commission Meeting - May 2026
The New Mexico Wildlife Federation will be present at the Department of Wildlife’s New Mexico State Game Commission Meeting in Deming.
For more information about this meeting or other ways to participate, visit: https://wildlife.dgf.nm.gov/commission/meeting-agendas/
If you are interested in attending, here is the Zoom link to register.
Wildlife Wednesday: Free Speaker Series
Wildlife, Water, Landscape
Wildlife Wednesday is a free monthly speaker series held on the 2nd Wednesday.
Save the Date:
Marble Brewery NE Heights, Albuquerque at 5:30pm
Speaker Details to be announced.
State Game Commission Meeting - June 2026
The New Mexico Wildlife Federation will be present at the Department of Wildlife’s New Mexico State Game Commission Meeting in Portales.
For more information about this meeting or other ways to participate, visit: https://wildlife.dgf.nm.gov/commission/meeting-agendas/
If you are interested in attending, here is the Zoom link to register.
State Game Commission Meeting - August 2026
The New Mexico Wildlife Federation will be present at the Department of Wildlife’s New Mexico State Game Commission Meeting in Las Vegas.
For more information about this meeting or other ways to participate, visit: https://wildlife.dgf.nm.gov/commission/meeting-agendas/
If you are interested in attending, here is the Zoom link to register.
State Game Commission Meeting - November 2026
The New Mexico Wildlife Federation will be present at the Department of Wildlife’s New Mexico State Game Commission Meeting in Las Cruces.
For more information about this meeting or other ways to participate, visit: https://wildlife.dgf.nm.gov/commission/meeting-agendas/
If you are interested in attending, here is the Zoom link to register.
Wildlife Wednesday Free Event: Exploring the Fungi that Sustain the Rio Grande Bosque
Rich Wagner, an ecologist at the nonprofit Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program, has made extensive study of the fungi that have evolved alongside cottonwoods and other native plants in the Rio Grande Bosque. He will present a talk on his work Feb. 11 through the New Mexico Wildlife Federation’s “Wildlife Wednesday” series.
Up until the last century or so, the Middle Rio Grande flooded every spring. The vast river flows watered cottonwoods and other plants and left fresh sediments when the waters finally receded in summer. Of course, that’s no longer the case.
A series of dams along the Rio Grande now captures spring runoff and releases it slowly to meet the needs of cities and agricultural users.
Every drop of water in the river these days is spoken for. Only the existence of the endangered Rio Grande Silvery Minnow and a few other endangered species account for keeping minimal summertime flows in the Middle Rio Grande, which nonetheless occasionally runs completely dry.
That stark change in river flows coupled with the wholesale invasion of nonnative plant species such as salt cedar and Russian olive have created challenging conditions for cottonwoods and other native plant species. All that, in addition to widespread development, has resulted in loss of wildlife habitat.
While it’s easy to see such changes on the surface, Wagner’s research shows that disturbances in the bosque also hurt the fungi that coexist with and help sustain plant roots in the soil. In working to replant areas, he said it’s important to add soil from undisturbed areas of the bosque that still retain the essential native fungi. For more information, click HERE.
Wildlife Wednesday:Hibernation & Torpor
While human beings get to reach for a wool blanket when nights get cooler in the fall, many other animals rely on the ability to slow down their metabolism to conserve energy. From the tiniest hummingbird to the largest bear, a wide spectrum of creatures rely on torpor and hibernation to get through lean, cold times.
Shayne Halter, a graduate student at the University of New Mexico, will speak on how animals use torpor and hibernation. He’s the featured speaker at the New Mexico Wildlife Federation’s free “Wildlife Wednesday” presentation for September.
Halter’s talk will start at 5:30 p.m., Sept. 10, at Marble Brewery’s Northeast Heights Taproom, at 9904 Montgomery, Blvd., NE, Albuquerque.
Wildlife Wednesday: March 2025
March 12, 2025: Join the New Mexico Wildlife Federation to learn about our wildlife, their habitats, and other topics each month from local conservation experts.
Advocacy Day: Camo at the Capitol
March 7, 2025: The New Mexico Wildlife Federation hosts Camo at the Capitol – a day of advocacy on behalf of the interests of public lands, waters, and wildlife and all New Mexicans who enjoy these spaces. If you are a hunter, angler, hiker, or other outdoor enthusiast, join us.
Wildlife Wednesday: February 2025
The NMWF is pleased to present Jason Kerkmans speaking on stream access in New Mexico. Kerkmans’s free 'Wildlife Wednesday' presentation starts at 5:30 p.m., Feb. 12, at Marble Brewery’s Northeast Heights Taproom, at 9904 Montgomery Blvd., NE, Albuquerque.