This vast acreage of unprotected volcanic plateau plays a critical role in connecting a vital wildlife corridor that runs along the Upper Rio Grande Watershed from Colorado through New Mexico.
The Caja del Rio also remains highly ecologically intact and has a high degree of climate resilience.
Due to its high ecological stability and climate resilience, parts of Caja del Rio are among the top 20% of unprotected BLM and Forest Service lands with the highest conservation value in the lower 48 U.S. states.
Snapshot of The Climate Atlas showing a rough outline of the Caja del Rio area (dotted black), plus the “Composite Model” layer which indicates the importance of an area across a range of six conservation objectives, including ecological/biodiversity and climate indicators.