New Mexico State Parks launches statewide survey; public responses due April 15

New Mexico State Parks Division launched a statewide public survey intended to update the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, the five-year SCORP that will guide parks, trails and outdoor recreation investments for 2027–2031, and the agency says responses are due April 15. State Parks and its partners note the SCORP update is required every five years for New Mexico to continue receiving federal Land and Water Conservation Fund support.

The Division is running two separate surveys: a public survey labeled "Public survey (for recreation site users)" and a second targeted survey labeled "Potential LWCF Applicants (Local & Tribal Governments)." KTSM and associated syndication copy report both surveys take approximately 7 to 10 minutes to complete, are available in English and Spanish, and close April 15, 2026. State Parks described the outreach objectives as identifying recreation needs in urban, rural and tribal communities, pinpointing gaps in access, safety and accessibility, determining priorities for improving existing parks or creating new opportunities, and understanding how New Mexicans use and value outdoor spaces.

Toby Velásquez, State Parks Division director, framed the survey as a community input tool: "From neighborhood parks to remote camping areas, New Mexico’s outdoor spaces are deeply tied to our quality of life," Velásquez said. "This survey gives communities a voice in deciding what matters most to them, whether that’s improving existing parks, expanding access in rural areas, protecting natural and cultural resources, or creating new outdoor opportunities."

The federal Land and Water Conservation Fund remains central to the effort: State Parks materials and reporting note LWCF is a federal grant program that "has helped pay for more than 1,200 outdoor recreation and conservation projects across New Mexico since 1968." Officials say keeping the SCORP current maintains the state's eligibility for LWCF grant cycles that local governments and tribal entities use to fund parks and outdoor projects.

State-level park planning and management also tie into the SCORP process. The Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department posts that each state park carries a five-year management plan required under 19.5.3 NMAC; those plans document park history, conditions and a five-year capital improvements plan. The EMNRD listings include parks such as Eagle Nest Lake, Elephant Butte Lake, Oliver Lee Memorial, and Rockhound State Park and note feasibility work like the Broad Canyon Feasibility Study.

A local image cited in coverage shows a sign at Eagle Nest Lake State Park advising anglers to remove all northern pike caught there and notes fishing is allowed only from lake banks due to unsafe ice conditions; the photo credit is JOHN T. DENNE / Taos News (file DSC_1654w.jpg). KTSM's reporting indicates the surveys are accessible via links labeled for public users and potential LWCF applicants, though the reporting did not include direct URLs. State Parks and EMNRD materials say park management plans in progress will be posted when available, and the agency has set April 15 as the cutoff for public input that will feed into the SCORP process guiding 2027–2031 investments.