NMCAN: Connecting Youth to Nature and Community

NMCAN – Albuquerque, NM

Read the full story by The Semilla Project: semillaproject.org/nmcan

Access to the outdoors is not evenly distributed, particularly for youth navigating foster care, housing instability, or other systemic challenges. Through support from the Outdoor Equity Fund (OEF), NMCAN addressed those barriers and created meaningful opportunities for youth to engage with the natural world.

OEF support covered transportation, food, gear, and guided programming, critical elements that often determine whether outdoor experiences are possible at all. With those barriers removed, youth participated in intentional outdoor activities, including guided hikes through the Bosque and an overnight experience at Cottonwood Gulch’s base camp. For many participants, these outings represented their first time outdoors in a structured, supportive setting.

The impact extended beyond the activities themselves. Staff and partners observed that being outdoors created space for youth to slow down, feel grounded, and connect more openly with peers and mentors. Indigenous youth leaders played a key role in several outings, sharing cultural and environmental knowledge that rooted the experience in place, identity, and respect for the land.

While the program was time-limited, its outcomes were lasting. Participants reported increased confidence and curiosity, along with a renewed interest in spending time outdoors. The experiences opened doors to what is possible, both in nature and in their own lives.

The Outdoor Equity Fund enables communities to break down barriers to outdoor access for New Mexico’s youth and connect them to enriching experiences. Programs like NMCAN’s demonstrate how targeted, community-led investments can lay the groundwork for healthier outcomes well beyond the trail.