Habitat Stamp Program

The New Mexico State Game Commission (SGC), under appropriate authorities, adopted NMAC 19.34.6, establishing the Public Land User Stamp. Funds collected through the sale of these stamps are used to plan, develop, and coordinate habitat conservation and rehabilitation projects on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) managed lands that benefit fish and wildlife populations. These efforts result from a partnership between the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF), the BLM, and the USFS.

Support wildlife conservation:
Click here to purchase a Habitat Stamp.

To reach the Citizen Advisory Committee or inquire on how to submit an application to be on the Committee, please email PublicLandUserStamp@dgf.nm.gov.

Citizen Advisory Committee Members

Lief Ahlm

Native New Mexican chili lover. Retired from New Mexico Department of Game and Fish in 2011 and then worked for 8 years at Vermejo Park Ranch. Fisheries / Wildlife Biologist with MS in Aquatic Biology. I have lived and traveled in all four quarters of the state.

Jeff Arterburn

Jeff Arterburn is an outdoorsman and conservationist who is passionate about fly fishing and our native Gila trout and Rio Grande Cutthroat trout. He started the Gila/Rio Grande Chapter of Trout Unlimited in Las Cruces NM and works on stream habitat restoration in watersheds impacted by fire. He recently retired after 32 years as a Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry at New Mexico State University leading research in cancer drug discovery and supports outreach and education to NM youths and college students.

James Cain

Originally from Tempe, Arizona, James Cain currently resides in Las Cruces where he works as research wildlife biologist leading studies on large mammal ecology in the southwestern U.S. In his spare time, James enjoys traveling, camping and hunting with his family.

Mark Cadwallader


Retired USFS and BLM. 34 year career in Rangeland Management, RX Fire, Wildlife Management, Partnership Coordinator, and wildland fire. Current Board member on the South Central Mountain Resource and Development Council.

Manuel L’esperance

Ron Loehman


Ron Loehman moved to Albuquerque with his family in 1982 to take a position as a research Scientist at Sandia National Laboratories. His interests in environmental issues, wetlands, cold water streams, riparian habitat, and fly fishing led him to become Conservation Chairman for New Mexico Trout (www.newmexicotrout.org) He and his wife own a 30-acre property on the lower Rio Guadalupe that they are restoring as native plant and wildlife habitat.

Mark Mattaini


Mark Mattaini is a lifetime hunter and angler, and a state board member in the New Mexico chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers. He spent his youth in Minnesota, then in rural Alaska for much of the 70s and 80s. Mark spent 25 years on faculty at Columbia University and the University of Illinois Chicago, focused on social welfare, community development, and systems science. He currently lives in Paguate Village, Laguna Pueblo, with his wife (a tribal member).

John Pearce

Art Vollmer

Upcoming Meetings

Current Project Presentations

Past Meetings

Documents

MONTH ACTIVITY
January (Public Meeting) CAC Orientation for new members. (If needed)
February/ March (Public Meeting) Annual update meeting to discuss currently funded projects and projects that are in development.
June New projects for CAC review are emailed to CAC members and uploaded to the website.
July (Public Meeting) Projects are presented to the public and CAC in public meeting(s).
August (Public Meeting) Annual CAC project prioritization meeting. CAC discussion on important landscapes, types of projects, and species of interest.
September Annual Report uploaded to the website and emailed to CAC.
Quarterly Notable status updates of prioritized projects will be emailed to CAC.
Ongoing Project opportunities are collaboratively developed between the agencies on an ongoing basis. As projects are finalized with IP Managers, they will be included in the next prioritization cycle.
Every Public Meeting CAC advice will be solicited at each public meeting.

Required Stamp Areas

Areas the Habitat Stamp is Required/Not-Required

Habitat Improvement Stamp or validation map for USFS and BLM lands and waters in New MexicoHabitat Stamp Cost: $10

A Habitat Stamp is required, in addition to the proper license, to fish, hunt, or trap on US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and US Forest Service (USFS) lands and waters in New Mexico. Please see the Current Year Hunting Rules and Information Booklet for complete definitions about Habitat Stamp Possession Rules.

Areas the Habitat Stamp is Required

The stamp is required on the following federal lands:

  •   Carson National Forest
  •   Cibola National Forest
  •   Coronado National Forest
  •   Gila National Forest
  •   Lincoln National Forest
  •   Santa Fe National Forest
  •   Kiowa National Grasslands
  •   All BLM properties (except those in Game Unit 28)

Areas the Habitat Stamp is Not Required

The stamp is not required on the following lands:

  •   County lakes, streams and properties
  •   Indian pueblos and reservations
  •   Municipal lakes, streams and properties
  •   NM Department of Game and Fish big game and waterfowl areas; and department fishing areas not located on USFS lands
  •   NM State School Trust lands
  •   Private lands
  •   US Army Corps of Engineer lakes and properties
  •   US Bureau of Reclamation lakes and properties
  •   US Fish and Wildlife Service refuges
  •   US military installations

The following lists point out some specific public areas where the stamp is not required.

Northwest New Mexico
  • Abiquiu Lake
  • Bluewater Lake
  • Cochiti Lake
  • Drains and ditches in Albuquerque area
  • El Vado Lake
  • Fenton Lake
  • Heron Lake
  • all other fishing and hunting areas in GMU 4
  • Jackson Lake
  • Jemez Canyon Dam
  • Lake Farmington
  • Los Alamos Reservoir
  • Manzano Lake
  • Morgan Lake
  • Navajo Lake
  • Ramah Lake
  • Tingley Beach
Northeast New Mexico
  • Charette Lakes
  • Cimarron River
  • Clayton Lake
  • Coyote Creek
  • Conchas Lake
  • Dry Cimarron
  • Eagle Nest Lake
  • Gallinas Ice Pond
  • Lake Alice
  • Lake Maloya
  • Maxwell Lake No. 13
  • McAllister Lake
  • Monastery Lake
  • Mora Campground on Pecos River
  • Morphy Lake
  • Pecos River (the parts within the Bert Clancy Fishing Area)
  • Rio Costilla downstream of Valle Vidal
  • Springer Lake
  • Storrie Lake
  • Tucumcari (or Ladd Gordon) Lake
  • Ute Lake
  • Villanueva State Park
  • White’s Peak
Southwest New Mexico
  • Bear Canyon Lake
  • Bill Evans Lake
  • Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
  • Burn Lake
  • Caballo Lake
  • Elephant Butte Lake
  • Escondida Lake
  • Glenwood Pond
  • Leasburg Dam
  • Mesilla Dam
  • Percha Dam
  • Rio Grande Pond
  • Sevillita National Wildlife Refuge
  • White Sands Missile Range
Southeast New Mexico
  • Alto Lake
  • Avalon Lake
  • Bataan
  • Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge
  • Black Lake
  • Bonito Lake
  • Bottomless Lakes
  • Brantley Lake
  • Carlsbad Municipal Lake
  • Cottonwood Creek
  • Eunice Lake
  • Felix River
  • Green Meadow Lake
  • Grindstone Lake
  • Jal Lake
  • Lake Van
  • Maddox Lake
  • Penasco River
  • Power Dam Lake
  • Rio Ruidoso
  • Santa Rosa Lake
  • Sumner Lake
  • Willow Lake