Each year, Wilderness Inquiry marks the start of Canoemobile season with the launch of our spring tour. From March to May, our dedicated Outdoor Leaders led two Canoemobile rigs to nine cities and communities across the Midwest and West Coast – bringing hands-on outdoor learning and exploration to nearly 5,000 youth and families.
Stops on the 2023 spring tour included programming with longtime partners in cities across California, Michigan, Minnesota, and Utah. And new to the route was New Mexico.
For the first time ever, Canoemobile traveled to Cochiti Pueblo, New Mexico, where we engaged 150 students from Cochiti Elementary and Middle Schools and Placitas Elementary School through canoeing experiences on Cochiti Lake on the Rio Grande River.
Expansion to New Mexico was made possible by funding support and strong partnership from the Bureau of Land Management. Other partners included the Army Corps of Engineers and volunteers from local organizations.
While in New Mexico, Canoemobile not only engaged students in canoeing, water safety, fishing, and water biology, we also focused on building a deep foundation of meaningful partnerships in the region that will support the growth of the program and our impact in years to come.
At the forefront of outdoor equity, New Mexico is leading the way in supporting and creating transformative outdoor experiences, particularly for youth, that foster stewardship and respect for lands, waters, and cultural heritage. Wilderness Inquiry is proud to work alongside partners in New Mexico to bring nature-based experiences to youth, families, and communities that build connections to our natural environment and pave the way for sustainable success in outdoor recreation.
Part of this event is also the land-based partners. We all had different land-based stations to teach the kids. It was wonderful to partner together and really put our heads together to make it happen.”
– Jamie Garcia, Outdoor Recreation Planner, Rio Puerto Field Office, Bureau of Land Management
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