September 24, 2026

CIMARRON, N.M. – Philmont Scout Ranch has been awarded a $99,072 Outdoor Equity Fund grant from the New Mexico Economic Development Department’s Outdoor Recreation Division to support the development of “SEEDS: Student Environmental Exploration and Discovery Series”, a new outdoor conservation and career exploration program designed for rural New Mexico high school students. 

The grant is part of $2.2 million awarded by the State of New Mexico to 54 programs that will connect more than 17,000 young people with outdoor experiences focused on health and wellness, environmental education and workforce readiness. Philmont is one of eight organizations receiving awards through a new funding tier of up to $100,000 for large-scale, high-impact outdoor programs. 

SEEDS will provide New Mexico youth with an immersive experience combining outdoor adventure, hands-on conservation work and exposure to careers in natural resource management. Participants will work alongside professional foresters, wildlife biologists and other resource specialists on projects such as wildfire mitigation and recovery, forest restoration and wildlife habitat improvement, while also experiencing activities including backpacking and rock climbing.  

“Philmont has always believed that time outdoors can change the direction of a young person’s life,” said Andrea Watson, Vice President and General Manager of Philmont Scout Ranch. “SEEDS gives us an opportunity to extend that experience to more young people from communities across New Mexico, while introducing them to the people and professions responsible for caring for our forests, watersheds and wildlife. We are incredibly grateful to the New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Division for investing in this program and in New Mexico’s young people.” 

The seven-day SEEDS experience will draw from Philmont’s decades of experience in conservation education and backcountry programming. The program is being developed during 2027, with plans to test and refine the experience before a broader launch in 2028. 

Conservation has been part of Philmont’s mission since its earliest years. Today, Philmont participants contribute thousands of hours annually to projects including forest thinning, wildfire recovery, erosion control, trail construction, stream restoration and reforestation. Following the 2018 Ute Park Fire, which burned more than 26,000 acres of Philmont property, the Ranch has also expanded its work with universities, government agencies and conservation partners to restore fire-affected landscapes and improve the resiliency of northern New Mexico forests.  

SEEDS will build on that work while creating a pathway for New Mexico students to see conservation not only as service, but also as a potential profession. 

“New Mexico has extraordinary natural resources, and young people who grow up here should have the opportunity to see themselves as the future stewards and professionals who will care for them,” Watson said. “We want students to leave SEEDS with new skills, greater confidence, a deeper connection to the outdoors and an understanding that there are meaningful careers available to them in conservation and natural resource management.” 

The Outdoor Equity Fund was established in 2019 and was the first state grant program in the nation created specifically to expand equitable access to outdoor opportunities for youth, particularly those from low-income and underserved communities. Since its creation, the New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Division has awarded nearly $12.8 million, connecting more than 145,000 young people with outdoor education experiences.  

About Philmont Scout Ranch 

Philmont Scout Ranch, located near Cimarron, New Mexico, is Scouting America’s premier training and High Adventure destination. Spanning more than 140,000 acres of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Philmont provides outdoor adventure, leadership development, conservation education and training experiences for youth, adults and families from across the country and around the world. 

Media Contact 

Shelley O’Neill 
Director of Business Operations 
Philmont Scout Ranch 
575-376-2281 
Shelley.Oneill@scouting.org