Rancher gives feds first dibs on New Mexican paradise

In the summer, one of America's biggest elk herds roams on the property

April 18, 1998
Web posted at: 2:41 p.m. EDT (1841 GMT)

SANDOVAL COUNTY, New Mexico (CNN) -- With suburban sprawl gobbling up many vast open spaces throughout the United States, the U.S. government is hoping to salvage a piece of paradise in fast-growing New Mexico.

Baca Ranch is a developer's dream: 150 square miles, or 95,000 acres (38,000 hectares), of undeveloped territory.

The ranch's owner wants to preserve the land, so the U.S. Forest Service has been given the first opportunity to buy it.

"It's such a special place ... when people see it they want it to be available for the public," Denise McCaig of the Forest Service told CNN.

The government still doesn't know the ranch's exact price tag, but estimates range from $75 million to twice that.

Scenic wonders of the 95,000-acre Boca Ranch

Theoretically, the money is already on hand in the land and water conservation fund, which holds royalties from offshore oil drilling. Congress is considering a measure that could put the purchasing process in motion.

Poll: What do you think this expanse of New Mexico land should be used for? National Preserve Luxury Resort Theme Park Housing

"Working with the federal government isn't always ... a joy," McCaig said. "So we appreciate their patience and their willingness to work with us, willingness to give us the first shot."

Andrew Dunigan's father bought the ranch in the 1960s, and was never interested in developing it.

"I think he vowed that he wanted to not only protect this land, but try to restore it in a way," Dunigan told CNN.

CNN's Natalie Pawelski tours the New Mexican land the goverment hopes to buy

His father spent years in a court battle to get rid of a logging company that held a 99-year lease on the property. From the air, you can see logging roads still cutting paths across many areas of the ranch.

"As a child, I recall the sounds of chain saws and trucks rolling out of here with logs on it, and it was very disturbing," Dunigan recalled.

The rim of the valley is the edge of a giant volcano that blew up more than a million years ago

Despite man's intrusion, nature has prevailed at Baca.

The rim of the valley is actually the edge of a giant volcano that blew up more than a million years ago. The volcano collapsed, creating a crater 15 miles wide and more than a half-mile deep.

In the summer, Baca Ranch is home to one of the nation's largest elk herds. The headwaters of two rivers, in addition to world-class trout streams, are also located there.

If the Forest Service purchases the ranch, it will likely continue to allow some logging and grazing, officials said. The rest of the land would be opened up for cross-country skiing, hiking and other recreational activities.

Correspondent Natalie Pawelski contributed to this report.

Related sites:

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• U.S. Forest Service
• The Santa Fe New Mexican
  • Senate amendments bog down support for Baca Ranch purchase

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