A few miles south of Durango on a parcel of Florida Mesa land overlooking the Animas River, a landowner is using an increasingly popular land conservation technique to ensure a viable long-term business, combining water-efficient farming with programs to help veterans groups and at-risk youths connect with nature and find healing. Jennifer Thurston, founding owner of DSM Land, said creating a conservation easement for privately-owned land does not mean you have to shut down your business and find another way to make a living. "You are not altering your operations by any means at all," Thurston pointed out. " .
Climate change, pollution, effects from oil and gas drilling and a strong concern for protecting drinking water are just some of the issues New Mexicans cited as top concerns in a new conservation poll. The Land of Enchantment was one of eight western states in which residents were asked about issues and policies related to the outdoors. The "State of the Rockies" poll has been conducted by Colorado College for the past 13 years. .