Participants, from left to right:

Rebecca Montoya, Adjutant Secretary, NM Dept. of Transportation
Dr. Bruce Thompson, Director, NM Department of Game and Fish
Governor Bill Richardson
Keith Perry, Deputy Director, NM Motor Vehicle Division
Rhonda Faught, Secretary of Transportation
Renee Rice-McClure, Wildlife West, with Verbena, mule deer fawn orphaned by wildlife-vehicle collision
(in front: two Wild Friends students, unidentified)

Students, from left to right:

Audrey Forrest, Madison Middle School
Anne Schuster, Madison MS
Governor Bill Richardson
Shakara Lucero, Jefferson MS
Brenda Nunez, Highland High School
Lance Garcia, Highland HS

• 2006 Bill to Ban Computer Hunting Passed! New Mexico is now one of 21 states to ban the practice of hunting animals with computers. Confused? Read New Mexico's new ban on computer assisted hunting in Bill 157
  

• 2005 Bill to study increasing penalties for killing game did not pass. House Joint Memorial 18: We didn't quite make it this year but we shall return.
  
  
• 2004 Wildlife Crossing Memorial: The House Joint Memorial 21 --We almost squeaked through-- we came so close! 2004 House Joint Memorial 21 -- made it all the way to the final vote but time ran out and the legislature had to adjourn before the last vote could be taken
  
  
• 2003 State Butterfly-- Congratulations Wild Friends, it passed!  The Hairstreak is now our State Butterfly!
  
  
• 2003 Memorial to Reduce Wildlife-Vehicle accidents: Thanks for House Joint Memorial 3.
  
  
• Read Other Student-Initiated Legislation over the last 11 years
  • In 2002, the Butterfly Memorial
  • In 2001, the Wildlife Violator Compact Bill
  • In 2000, Wildlife Violator Compact Memorial (English, Spanish)
  • In 1999, the Wild Animal Cruelty Prevention Memorial.
  • In 1998, the State Whooping Crane Day. 
  • In 1997, the Anti-poaching Bill
  • In 1996, the Anti-Poaching Memorial. 
  • In 1995, the Common Ground Memorial
    
    

Watch Wild Friends Videos!
The Great Tree in the Bosque
Dolores Gonzales Elementary School play, by Wild Friends After-School Program!  

You need Real Player 8 or later to view any of these videos --
click here for free self-installing download)

Wild Friends: Who we are...
Wild Friends are a network of students, teachers and mentors who support wildlife and seek common-ground solutions to wildlife issues. We are active in New Mexico, and we welcome connections with others across the USA and in other countries. Wild Friends take a pledge to protect the wild creatures among us. 

Here are the kinds of things we do and have done! We invite you to try these activities related to wildlife and civics. A Wild Friends team can help your group or classroom get started on any of these activities.

• Visit your state representative or senator - or invite them to visit you.
• Conduct an imaginary legislative debate about an issue you care about. 
• Draft legislation and find out about laws and then write one (from Chapter 3 of the Wild Friends How-To Manual).
• Take a field trip, camping trip or a hike with a nature interpreter. 
• Invite wildlife and environmental educators to make a presentation to your school 
• Write letters -- a lawmaker who gets two or three letters and/or phone calls will pay extra attention to an issue! 
• Interview wildlife professionals. 
• Interview newspaper editors and reporters.
• Interview someone whose job sounds interesting to you -- Click here for a sample Wild Jobs Informational Interview. 
• Make your own community radio announcements and television programs (many communities have public access television stations where you can have free time and help.) 
• Write a play or put on a puppet show -- click here for Wild Friends' play about Whooping Cranes! 
• Create and perform original dances based on wild animals 
• Make and display posters for your school, Earth Day, environmental fairs and other events. 
• Take a field trip to your state legislature (this is very important!) 
• Testify before a legislative committee.  You  CAN do this!  Know what you're going to say, keep your comments brief and use notes.  Legislators really do want to hear what you have to say.
• See our activity sheet and summer fun ideas!

Click here for a PHOTO GALLERY of Wild Friends activities!

	Wild Friends members get:
1.	Individual membership cards to emphasize their connection with other Wild Friends.
2.	Inspired about actively working on behalf of wildlife and joining with others who care about wildlife.
3.	Educated about local, national and international issues.
4.	Informed about how to make real changes to protect wildlife.
5.	Opportunities to call, write or speak to lawmakers about their concerns and to have an impact on the legal system.

	Wild Friends members give:
1.	Commitment to environmental and wildlife topics according to their own concerns and interests.
2.	Time according to their own schedules.

	Wild Friends members can:
1.	Select their own club projects.
2.	Find out about what wildlife needs protecting in their own community.
3.	Research a wildlife topic of their choosing.
4.	Invite speakers to their clubs and classrooms.
5.	Call, write or visit lawmakers, newspaper editors and others.
6.	Help write real legislation.

Cool Wildlife Lynx: Click below to travel to some great places!
	New Mexico Game and Fish Dept.	.		New Mexico State Legislature
	Voiceless The Fund for Animals... envisions a world in which animals are treated with respect and compassion.	.		United States Fish and Wildlife Service whose mission is to conserve, protect, and enhance fish and wildlife and their habitats
	Leopards, Etc. Live Cat Educational Programs	.		National Digital Image Library: Free Photos of Wildlife that you can use from the US Fish and Wildlife Service!
	New Mexico State Parks 34 diverse State Parks, consisting of lakes, canyons, forests, historical sites and even dinosaur tracks for you to explore!			New Mexico Environment Dept.
	Wildlife Asssociates Teaching children and adults to care for living things and to understand the natural systems on which all life depends			Project Wildlife cares for injured, orphaned, and sick native wildlife of San Diego County, and releases rehabilitated animals back into their natural habitats.
	Sky Island Alliance is an organization dedicated to preserving and restoring native biological diversity in the sky islands of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.			US Bureau of Reclamation The agency that manages water  resources west of the Mississippi River.
	New Mexico State Land Office			American International Rattlesnake Museum
	Wildlife West Nature Park Edgewood, New Mexico, (505) 281-7655			BugBios Find out about your favorite crawly critters!
	Environmental Education Association of New Mexico			eNature.com Bringing Nature to Life!
	US Geological Survey  Whooping Crane Chicks!			EECNET Environmental Education and Communication Network
	National Geographic Website for kids	.		Caribbean Conservation:  Celebrating 40 Years of Saving Sea Turtles and Their Habitats!
	International Wolf Center Education about wolves is their best protection.			National Wildlife Federation's Ranger Rick Click HERE to enter youth wildlife photo contest!
	The Minnesota New Country School Frog Project Students discovered frog deformites that may be related to pollution			US Congress How Laws are made in Congress
	Workable Peace Teaching young people and educators to manage conflict between groups.			National Marine Mammal Laboratory Education
	Opossum Society of the United States Find out more about North America's ONLY marsupial!!
Resources for Teachers
Free Education Resources Information about Education Resources and Directory

Note: If you are interested in adding your site here, send your URL and a brief but pithy description to Carolyn Johnson at the Institute of Public Law.

"I am very proud of all the students that participated in the drafting process. I felt great knowing that I was helping teach some of our young people their first real lesson about government and the legislative process."
  --Raymond G. Sanchez, Former Speaker of the House, New Mexico State Legislature

"Every legislature in the West needs a similar program."
  -- Ed Marston, Publisher, High Country News

"This program fills a critical environmental education niche. New Mexico is fortunate to have the Wild Friends program."
  --  Susan George, Attorney, Defenders of Wildlife

"[Wild Friends] find out that protecting wildlife and preserving their habitat are not simple matters. They find different groups of citizens have different opinions."
  -- John Pickering, retired book editor and Wild Friends Mentor

"Wild Friends provides young people the opportunity to learn how to do something positive about the environment. Students hear so many negative things that they can easily have an attitude of 'Why bother?'. Wild Friends learn that they do have power and control over their futures. I think the program is great."
  --  Debra Loftin, High School Biology Teacher

"I think you have developed a wonderful strategy for helping disadvantaged youth. Given a child's natural love for wildlife, I think this is an excellent way to promote learning and community involvement."
-- Pete V. Domenici, U.S. Senator

"I appreciate the work you are doing to educate students and the larger community about wildlife issues, to teach students about the political process and to promote civic involvement."
Jeff Bingaman, U.S. Senator

"Our visit to the legislature was a valuable experience and you sent out an amazing amount of material to support informed participation in the program. We look forward to next year."
-- Donna Goad, Teacher

"I teach life science. Wild Friends makes it easier to meet state standards in many ways.
I use their materials throughout the year."
-- Christine Penfold, Teacher

"Being a part of this memorial makes me feel good, like I've done something that will really help to preserve New Mexico's unique environment for generations to come."
-- Maria Russell, 10th grader

"My summer vacation stank. All I did was watch TV. I wished I was in school and we had Wild Friends."
-- Christian Jurado, 6th grader

Here's the BUZZ... about Wild Friends           We appreciate what you Wild Friends are doing. You are making a real big difference."   --  Tom Rutherford, Former Senate Majority Leader, New Mexico State Legislature "I am very proud of all the students that participated in the drafting process. I felt great knowing that I was helping teach some of our young people their first real lesson about government and the legislative process."   --Raymond G. Sanchez, Former Speaker of the House, New Mexico State Legislature "Every legislature in the West needs a similar program."   -- Ed Marston, Publisher, High Country News "This program fills a critical environmental education niche. New Mexico is fortunate to have the Wild Friends program."   --  Susan George, Attorney, Defenders of Wildlife "[Wild Friends] find out that protecting wildlife and preserving their habitat are not simple matters. They find different groups of citizens have different opinions."   -- John Pickering, retired book editor and Wild Friends Mentor "Wild Friends provides young people the opportunity to learn how to do something positive about the environment. Students hear so many negative things that they can easily have an attitude of 'Why bother?'. Wild Friends learn that they do have power and control over their futures. I think the program is great."   --  Debra Loftin, High School Biology Teacher "I think you have developed a wonderful strategy for helping disadvantaged youth. Given a child's natural love for wildlife, I think this is an excellent way to promote learning and community involvement." -- Pete V. Domenici, U.S. Senator "I appreciate the work you are doing to educate students and the larger community about wildlife issues, to teach students about the political process and to promote civic involvement." Jeff Bingaman, U.S. Senator "Our visit to the legislature was a valuable experience and you sent out an amazing amount of material to support informed participation in the program. We look forward to next year." -- Donna Goad, Teacher "I teach life science. Wild Friends makes it easier to meet state standards in many ways. I use their materials throughout the year." -- Christine Penfold, Teacher "Being a part of this memorial makes me feel good, like I've done something that will really help to preserve New Mexico's unique environment for generations to come." -- Maria Russell, 10th grader "My summer vacation stank. All I did was watch TV. I wished I was in school and we had Wild Friends." -- Christian Jurado, 6th grader

For further information or to contact us: Carolyn Byers, Judy Flynn-O'Brien or Ruth Musgrave Center for Wildlife Law University of New Mexico School of Law 1117 Stanford NE Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131 Telephone: (505)277-5006; Fax: (505)277-5483

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