Las Trampas Land Grant Enters into MOU with Forest Service
Las Trampas Land Grant President Juan López and Carson National Forest Supervisor James Duran signed a memorandum of understanding on July 15, 2026, creating a framework to work collaboratively on projects within the land grant’s former common land, which is now located within national forest boundaries.
The MOU focuses on cooperation, coordination and co-stewardship on current and future projects of mutual interest and for historical and traditional uses, including irrigation, timber management and maintaining cultural access.
“This is the beginning of a new history for our land grant,” López said. “We are once again starting to meet the grant’s original intent.”
“Today is about taking a big step forward together to bring more responsive decision-making to the community,” Duran added. “It brings people closer to their traditional lands and uses while adding to the area’s rural prosperity with a new facility that will receive wood from area active forest management projects.”
Duran’s first action under the MOU was to sign a special use permit, allowing the land grant to use a 12-acre plot for processing wood products being harvested from hazardous fuels mitigation and forest and watershed health projects. The site will primarily be used to support the need for increasing wood utilization by bringing in much needed infrastructure for producing heating pellets and rough lumber processing. Other types of wood processing may be added in the future.
Media Coverage
Taos News — “Trampas Land Grant signs cooperative agreement with feds“
Santa Fe New Mexican — “Earth, Wind and Fire: Land grant, national forest ink deal to allow wood processing“
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