August 2022

One thing that unites us as a nation is land: Americans strongly support saving the open spaces they love. Since 2004, The Frontera Land Alliance has been doing just that for the people of west Texas. And now The Frontera Land Alliance announced it has renewed its land trust accreditation - proving once again that, as part of a network of over 450 accredited land trusts across the nation, it is committed to professional excellence and to maintaining the public's trust in its conservation work. "Renewing our accreditation shows The Frontera Land Alliance's ongoing commitment to permanent land conservation in west Texas," said Tina Crosby, Board President. "We are a stronger organization than ever for having gone through the rigorous accreditation renewal process. Our strength means that special places—such as Lost Dog and the Knapp Land Nature Preserve—will be protected forever, making El Paso an even greater place for us and our children."

To achieve renewed land-trust accreditation, The Frontera Land Alliance provided extensive documentation and was subject to a rigorous comprehensive third-party evaluation prior to achieving this distinction. The Land Trust Accreditation Commission awarded renewed accreditation, signifying its confidence that The Frontera Land Alliance’s lands will be protected forever. Accredited land trusts now steward almost 20 million acres in the United States.

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As you know from the extensive media coverage, the Under Secretary of the Army Gabe Camarillo visited El Paso at the invitation of Congresswoman Escobar. He was able to see all of Castner Range with a flyover. This was followed by a round table discussion. The round table was an opportunity for community representatives to share the significance of Castner Range, starting with our history and moving on to what we are confident will soon be our future. The Under Secretary stated that “the Army has a significant custodial role in terms of cleaning up unexploded ordnances such as those beneath the surface of Castner Range. We're absolutely committed to getting that done. As long as it takes, the Army will maintain responsibility for ensuring the area gets cleaned up."

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We are gearing up for a lot of events this fall, from leading a guided hike for the Fall Fiesta in collaboration with the Museum of Archeology, to hosting cleanups and trail work with dedicated volunteers, to being a guest speaker on September 25 at the UTEP Olli fall program. To learn more, check out our calendar: Events — Frontera Land Alliance

Frontera is in the midst of updating our 5-year strategic plan. The Frontera Board is dedicating a great deal of time and energy to looking at and considering the direction of our organization, all the while looking at the conservation needs in our community.

In addition to all the above, Frontera had the opportunity to be a guest speaker at the Coalition to Protect Americas National Parks where we shared why Castner Range becoming part of our public lands landscape is important to our community today and in the future.

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The Frontera Photo Contest is OPEN!!!

The deadline for submission is October 1, 2022!! If you wish to submit an image for consideration, please see these details: Art Release form . Submit photographs directly to info@fronteralandalliance.org! You can read the rules here.