Georgia O’Keeffe’s ghost ranch legacy gets 6,000 acres of protection

Long before the desert landscapes of Northern New Mexico became icons of American art, they were simply a vast meeting of red cliffs, golden mesas, open skies and rugged wilderness. For artist Georgia O’Keeffe, that landscape became both a home and a source of inspiration. Now, decades after she first made Ghost Ranch part of her life, a new conservation effort is working to ensure the scenery that shaped her art remains largely unchanged for generations to come. The National Ghost Ranch Foundation and the Presbyterian Foundation announced a partnership with the State of New Mexico and the New Mexico Land Conservancy in 2025 to protect approximately 6,000 acres surrounding Ghost Ranch. According to a report by Presbyterian Foundation, under the Ghost Ranch Conservation Plan, the land, water and wildlife habitat are being protected through conservation easements.