Annual Report 3 - New Mexico - Energy, Minerals and Natural ...

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The main component of these plans is their community at risk ratings. These ratings evaluate a community’s risk
from wildfire. In the last eight years, 599 communities have been assessed for their risk from wildfire.
Regarding wildfire protection, Forestry also oversees:
County and municipal joint powers agreements ( JPA): The JPAs provide policy and guidelines for wildland
fire initial attack and the reimbursement of funds for equipment used for fire suppression;
Shared initial attack zones with federal agencies: These zones provide for efficient initial attack response on
private, state or federally owned land;
Funding for wildland fire engines and equipment.
During the past eight years, the Division has facilitated the disbursement of approximately $10 million for the
purchase of new wildland fire engines and equipment for rural and volunteer fire departments; annual wildland fire
training for volunteer, county and municipal fire departments; annual training over the last eight years for 7,476 new
and returning firefighters to build capacity and provide for efficient and professional wildland fire response.
To address critical forest and watershed health and wildfire issues, Forestry works collaboratively with private
landowners and other government agencies to develop management and treatment plans for forested land. In the last
eight years, Forestry has reported:
19,719 forested acres treated (through mechanical thinning, prescribed fire, etc…) in the wildland urban
interface (WUI);
165,343 acres restored in New Mexico Forest and Watershed areas; acres restored include mechanical
treatments in non-WUI areas, forest harvests completed under Forestry’s harvest rules and wildfires managed
under a landowner fire management plan.
To further address forest and watershed health, Forestry coordinates programs that place private land under
conservation easements, which protect valuable ecological and cultural resources.
In the last eight years, Forestry’s Legacy Program has placed 24,977 acres of private land under conservation
easement. This program assists the landowner in maintaining ownership and management of the property, while
retiring development rights. The program helps ecosystems by preventing fragmentation of critical watershed areas.
Forestry’s Land Conservation Incentives Act Program offers landowners tax incentives for charitable donations of
land or an interest in land (conservation easement) to public or private conservation agencies. Landowners wishing
to participate in the program are eligible for a state tax credit through the New Mexico Land Conservation Incentives
Act. The maximum tax credit is 50 percent of the appraised value of the donation and a maximum of $250,000 per
individual donor.
ENERGY, MINERALS AND NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT