Jane Fonda helped conserve a New Mexico ranch; then a 2018 easement secured 2,229 acres of farmland, habitat, and about 4 miles of Pecos River

Forked Lightning Ranch in New Mexico serves as a prime example of long-lasting land conservation. Actress Jane Fonda bought the ranch in 2000 and dedicated herself to enhancing its natural communities until she sold it in 2015. The New Mexico Land Conservancy recently secured a new easement in October 2018, protecting the entire 2,229-acre property. This easement emphasizes agriculture, scenic open space, and wildlife habitat, with the Pecos River flowing through nearly four miles of the land.

Conservation easements, which limit land use while retaining ownership, are vital for preserving biodiversity on private land. A 2007 study in Conservation Biology noted that data on what easements protect and allow is limited. To address this, researchers surveyed staff overseeing 119 easements created by The Nature Conservancy between 1985 and 2004, a nationwide sample spanning eight states.

Forked Lightning Ranch was originally purchased in 1941 by Buddy Fogelson, a Texas oilman who operated a small cattle operation. Later, the older part of the ranch was passed down to actress Greer Garson, who donated part of it to the National Park Service, now known as Pecos National Historical Park. Over the years, the original ranch was subdivided and sold multiple times.

The final easement was completed in three phases, beginning in June 2010 when Fonda still owned the ranch and concluding in October 2018. This final step added 403 acres, bringing the total to 2,229 acres and combining two existing easements into one agreement. This approach reduces the risk of selling off parts of the ranch in the future.