Today, seven Latino college students embark on a nine-day tour of national parks in the west as they seek to engage Latinos with the outdoors and raise awareness about the need to protect these treasures from oil and gas development. The youth will visit six national parks in three states and will share their experiences through social media and video blogs (#4Stops1Destination).

This week, the U.S. Senate is expected to hold a hearing on providing permanent protection for Browns Canyon on the Arkansas River. As pastors, we want to see our public lands protected -- we have a moral obligation to do so. We also see the need for Congress and the White House have an opportunity to work with the faith community and others throughout Colorado.

Today marks the 93rd anniversary of the day the Colorado River was officially renamed from the "Grand" to the "Colorado," according to a news release. To celebrate, Silver City will be one of five western cities - including Denver, Col., Greeley, Col., Las Vegas, Nev., Flagstaff, Ariz. - hosting a celebratory event and day of action as part of Colorado River Day. This is a region-wide movement to honor the waterway that serves as the backbone of the West's economy and a critical drinking source for millions, according to the release.

Friday's Colorado River Day at Gough Park was an afternoon-long event with speakers, including state Representative Rudy Martinez, D-Bayard, and Bishop Oscar Cantú of the Las Cruces Catholic Diocese.

Hispanics are increasingly more likely to vote for candidates who support climate change action and cleaner energy, according to a report out Wednesday. The Hispanic Access Foundation report, which pulled from surveys of Hispanic voters in the U.S. over a span of three years, found that over and over again, Hispanics are overwhelming backing pollution control to mitigate climate change, renewable energy and other environment-friendly policies.

Republicans may have a new reason to worry they won't win over Hispanic voters. An analysis of nine polls tracking Hispanic voter preference released Wednesday shows that Hispanics are increasingly anxious about global warming and environmental conservation. That could put Latinos at odds with Republican lawmakers in Congress who deny man-made global warming and denounce President Obama's plan to cut air pollution from power plants.

I visited Shenandoah River State Park on a recent sunny weekend with my family and was pleasantly surprised to see so many fellow Hispanics enjoying the outdoors. The park offers scenic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and river-front picnicking, fishing, hiking trails and boating. It was rewarding to see so many children enjoying the outdoors, as my team and I have spent years educating and encouraging Latino families to visit and enjoy their public lands, like this Virginia state park.

While some might think immigration policy dominates the concern of Hispanics in New York and around the nation, a new report shows the environment is high on their agenda. Two groups - Latino Decisions and Hispanic Access Foundation - dug deeply into nine recent public opinion polls and extracted demographic data showing Latinos overwhelmingly support greater environmental protections, such as preserving parks and public lands.

On May 3, Joshua Tree National Park had some important visitors. The Hispanic Access Foundation, in collaboration with Por La Creacion Faith-based Alliance and with the support of Congressman Raul Ruiz, introduced 100 Latino youth to Joshua Tree National Park’s sculpted boulders, juniper-studded canyons, scenic vistas and iconic desert animals such as bighorn sheep.

With 70 percent of Latino voters in Los Angeles County wanting President Obama to permanently protect the public lands within the San Gabriel Mountains– according to a recent poll– it shouldn’t have been a surprise that a recent U.S. Forest Service town hall meeting in Baldwin Park was a packed house.