Pino Family Ranch

The Pino Family Ranch is located four miles east of Carrizozo at the foot of Carrizo Mountain.  The ranch consists of open grasslands with yucca, grama spp, and sagebrush .  The ranch also includes a large area of native sacaton grass along Nogal Arroyo, an intermittent stream that runs through the ranch.

The Pino Family has owned the ranch for well over 100 years and decided to enter into a conservation easement to help preserve and protect the ranch from unwanted subdivision and development pressures in the area.  Paul Pino, one of the family members said it best…“Our parents, Grandparents, and Great Grandparents worked all their lives to preserve the ranch as a working ranch.  They could have sold out at any time but they did not.  Our ancestors have survived grass fires, floods, severe blizzards, snake bite, dust storms and even being hit by lightning.  They sacrificed immensely to keep the ranch as one unit for the family, and we their progeny, want to honor them by continuing their efforts.”  Paul went on to mention that “…our family has been steadfast when it comes to soil conservation,  protecting wild life, protecting the water shed and protecting the grasslands, foothills, unique fauna, and all the various wildlife on the ranch.  Our ancestors would be ecstatic to see the land protected from the dense development that is happening on at least two sides of the ranch.”

The Pino’s are also excellent stewards of the land and work to preserve the ecology, history and cultural resources on the ranch.  The original ranch headquarters consists of a Jacal style building that is on the NM register of historic places. The Pino’s have worked hard to restore and help preserve this unique historical structure.

NMLC is proud to help the Pino Family conserve this historic ranch and we look forward to more conservation opportunities in the southeastern region of New Mexico.