New Mexico Forestry Division

NPS categories to be addressed: Silviculture, road construction.

The New Mexico Forestry Division's forest resource management programs involve the application of both regulatory and voluntary silvicultural BMPs on State and private forest lands
in New Mexico.

Through the federally supported Cooperative Forestry Assistance Program, the New Mexico Forestry Division provides technical forest resource management assistance to landowners and recommends application of NPS pollut ion BMPs in all silvicultural activities. Types of technical assistance range from reforestation to harvesting of mature timber. This assistance is designed to meet a wide range of landowner management objectives. In conjunction with these programs, the

Ne w Mexico Forestry Division has technical responsibility for application of forestry practices in federally funded landowner cost share programs that include s the Forest Health Improvement Program (F HI ) , which specifically addresses forest health issues and forest management planning , as well as various thinning programs that address wildfire threats to communities and
watersheds.

The New Mexico Forestry Division has regulatory authority over all harvesting of commercial forest products where more than 25 acres are harvested from an individual private ownership in a
calendar year. Harvesting is conducted under a permit issued by the New Mexico Forestry Division. As a requirement of the permit application, a harvest plan defining what will be
reserved after harvest and how steep slopes will be treated to minimize soil erosion, as well as minimizing any potential impacts to stream courses, must be prepared. In addition, regulations require that all roads, skid trails, and landings be water barred and reseeded. Following completion of harvesting activities, New Mexico Forestry Division personnel complete a silvicultural water pollution

- NPS a ssessment to determine the types of BMPs applied.

The Forestry Division provides technical assistance to partner agencies and organizations on

matter s related to forestry, wildland fire and watershed health. Some partnerships are formalized through legal agreements

. A Cooperative Agreement between the Division and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides for a shared staff position to serve as the New
Mexico NRCS’ State Forester

, and the Division’s District staff serve as Technical Servic e Providers to NRCS Field Offices, Area Offices, and cooperators

. A Financial Assistance Agreement with the Bureau of Land Manage m ent (BLM) enables the Division and BLM to collaboratively develop cross

- jurisdictional, landscape

- scale forest and woodland re storation treatments for improving forest health and resilience and decreasing wildland fire threat to forests, woodlands and watersheds. In other cases, partnerships are formed to implement grant

funded activities that promote watershed health and water quality. The Division also partners with sister agencies to support common state objectives, such as managing the Watershed Health
and Management Subcommittee for the Office of the State Engineer’s Drought Task Force.

Forest and Watershed Health Office

The Forestry Division established the Forest and Watershed Health Office (FWHO) to facilitate and coordinate implementation of the New Mexico F orest and Watershed Health Plan. The Plancontains twenty recommendations for state

- leve l actions needed to achieve ecological restoration

across New Mexico’s landscapes.

FWHO coordinates with other entities to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of mutual efforts to protect and restore New Mexico’s landscapes. The F orest and Watershed Health
Coordinator chairs the Coordinating Group , whose members represent 20 agencies and

organ izations and the private sector . The Coordinating Group inform s and advise s the FWHO
and makes recommendations to the State Forester in its role as the Watershed Management
Subcommittee. The FWHO

, together with other Division staff

, the Coordinating Group and its task teams, implement action item s recommended in the Plan.

FWHO contributes to watershed health and water quality directly through collaborative project planning

, oversight

, and implementation and through grantwriting to fund such projects . FWHO participates in state and regional groups and advisory bodies involved in natural resource policy

, legislative analysis, grant development and proposal evaluation

, outreach and education, and strategic planning

, which pave the way to more and better work getting done on the ground.