Ghost Ranch Announces New Conservation Partnership to Protect Landscapes & Vistas Made Famous by Georgia O’Keeffe

Contact: Jake McCook, 505-681-4455, jake@mccookstrategies.com 

State, land conservancy will protect pristine land, water and wildlife in Northern New Mexico for future generations

Abiquiú, N.M. - Dec. 9, 2025 - Today, the National Ghost Ranch Foundation and the Presbyterian Church Foundation jointly announced plans to preserve the landscapes and vistas made famous by artist Georgia O’Keeffe through a new partnership with the State of New Mexico and the New Mexico Land Conservancy. 

The Ghost Ranch Conservation Plan will protect 6,000 acres of pristine land, water and wildlife habitat in Northern New Mexico through conservation easements while ensuring sustainable operations for Ghost Ranch’s educational programs for years to come. A conservation easement is a voluntary agreement to preserve land for conservation purposes while allowing landowners to retain ownership. 

A map of the conservation easements, photos and more information on the partnership can be viewed at ghostranchconservation.org  

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to protect one of the most iconic landscapes in New Mexico,” said David Evans, CEO of the Ghost Ranch Education & Retreat Center. “We’re excited this new partnership will help preserve this special place of history, culture and nature for future generations.” 

“We are pleased to welcome this new era of conservation for Ghost Ranch,” said Tom Taylor, J.D., Ph.D., CEO of the Presbyterian Church Foundation. “For more than 70 years, we’ve taken seriously our responsibility to steward these lands for the public good, and we’re confident we’ve found the right partners to carry out that longstanding tradition.”

The State of New Mexico is devoting $921,450 through the Energy, Minerals & Natural Resources (EMRND)’s Natural Heritage Conservation Act Program (NHCA) for the initial phase, which will help cover transaction costs. Funding comes from the Land of Enchantment Legacy Fund, the state’s first funding source for land and water conservation, agriculture and outdoor recreation. 

The New Mexico Land Conservancy will hold the conservation easements in trust for the public benefit and traditional land users on behalf of the Presbyterian Church Foundation, which owns the land, the National Ghost Ranch Foundation and the State of New Mexico. The easements will not affect the 550 acres of the main Ghost Ranch facilities, which include the visitor’s center, trails, lodging, stables, and museums, thus maintaining the Ghost Ranch experience for the thousands of people who visit every year. 

"This conservation plan is a great example of what can happen when people work together to preserve what we love about New Mexico,” said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. “We're excited to leave a lasting legacy for future generations to enjoy the stunning landscapes and vistas that drew Georgia O'Keeffe to Northern New Mexico and continue to define this region's incomparable beauty. I'm grateful to my administration and our nonprofit leaders for their hard work to make it happen."

“This effort embodies the spirit of our work to conserve land and preserve New Mexico’s heritage,” said Jonathan Hayden, Executive Director of the New Mexico Land Conservancy. “We’re especially excited to see Land of Enchantment Legacy Fund dollars put to good use through our partnership with the State and hope it will be a catalyst for future land conservation efforts.” 

Ghost Ranch, nestled amidst the breathtaking red and yellow cliffs of the Piedra Lumbre, was a well-known place of solace and inspiration for visionary artist Georgia O’Keeffe, whose depictions of the majestic areas are some of the most recognizable paintings in art history. 

O’Keeffe owned a small house and seven acres on Ghost Ranch and a larger home and studio in the nearby village of Abiquiú, which are now owned and managed separately by the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe. While the conservation plan does not directly affect these properties, the easements help preserve the landscapes and vistas made famous by O'Keeffe's paintings for future generations. This includes the mesas that overlook Abiquiú Lake, the Rio Chama, and Cerro Pedernal (Tewa: Tsip'in). 

"This conservation plan is tremendously meaningful for all New Mexicans, including the indigenous people who have lived in the area since time immemorial, land grant communities, as well as those who visit our state,” said Cody Hartley, director of the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. “The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum is here today because O’Keeffe fell in love with Northern New Mexico, particularly Abiquiú and Ghost Ranch, moved here, and painted the landscape prolifically for nearly the rest of her long life. Her vision and output are renowned, and this plan ensures the preservation of these vistas and the landscape in perpetuity.”

Ghost Ranch, located 65 miles northwest of Santa Fe on U.S. 84., is owned by the Presbyterian Church Foundation and leased to and managed by the National Ghost Ranch Foundation, an independent, 501(c)3 non-profit organization that operates the Ghost Ranch Education and Retreat Center. Arthur and Phoebe Pack donated the land to the Board of Christian Education in 1955, which is now part of the Presbyterian Church Foundation.  The Packs wanted to see the surrounding lands protected and Ghost Ranch preserved as an educational and retreat center.

For more information, visit www.ghostranchconservation.org 

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