Head of NM Wildlife Federation tapped by Obama to serve on Valles Caldera board

President Barack Obama has tapped the head of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation to serve as the newest board member of the Valles Caldera Trust. Kent Salazar has been sworn in to fill the vacancy left by Stephen Henry in 2010. Salazar owns an environmental consulting firm and is a former member of the state Game Commission. Salazar's trustee position will focus primarily on management of wildlife and fish populations across the 89,000-acre Valles Caldera National Preserve in northern New Mexico. The federal government bought the former cattle ranch in 2000. The goal was to develop recreational opportunities but maintain the preserve as a working ranch. Some are calling for the preserve to become part of the National Park Service, saying the trust has been unable to fulfill its mandate. AP