Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** northern new mexico is experiencing…

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** northern new mexico is experiencing population growth, increasing popularity as an outdoor recreation destination, as well as warming trends and drought conditions due to climate change. This combination results in new pressures on our natural resources and big challenges for natural resource management, with potentially extreme consequences for local communities. At the same time, there is a shortage of professionals with climate change knowledge to fill natural resource management jobs locally and nationally. Listos is a new project that aims to increase communities' connection with natural resource management by supporting and preparing local youth for natural resource management professions. A collaboration between UNM-taos and new mexico highlands university, listos will build upon the northern new mexico climate change corp (CCC) andleadership in forestry training (LIFT) programs by expanding into regional high schools and enhancing accessibility and quality of education. The program will offer hands-on experiential education, leadership training and literacy support to train well-rounded and skilled graduates, able to compete for desirable natural resource management jobs locally and beyond. By supporting and empowering local youth to pursue natural resource management professions, listos aims to improve job pathways, increase participation by local communities, and provide natural resource management agencies with skilled professionals for managing local resources in the face of environmental and social challenges.