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

Campers at the
Annual Forestry
Camp in the Jemez
Mountains give a
presentation on
watersheds.
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trees to promote environmental education, enhance existing landscape, restore forested acres and beautify publicly
owned land. Relying completely on private and corporate donations, the Re-Leaf Program has granted $284,829.29
in funding.
In 2009, Forestry received just over $15 million in funds from the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
These funds are being used to facilitate numerous forest and watershed health restoration projects on land across the
state. Projects include hazardous fuels mitigation treatments on state, federal and tribal lands and a forest inventory
and analysis on private, state, federal and tribal lands. By the end of 2010, more than 1,319 acres have already been
treated on ten separate projects.
FOREST AND WATERSHED HEALTH: Forestry’s district offices, IWC program and Forest
and Watershed Health Office (FWHO) continued addressing issues that have traditionally been a barrier proper
treatment and land management on private and non-federal public lands in New Mexico through the implementation
of the New Mexico Forest and Watershed Health Plan. This implementation occurs through support for local onthe-ground
efforts, state-level strategic planning and coordination, and state-level management and administration.
Forestry’s FWHO organized and co-sponsored the 2010 New Mexico Watershed Forum in conjunction with
four other state agencies. Attendees represented community and watershed groups across New Mexico, including
community leaders, landowners and volunteers; natural resource professionals from the public and private sectors,
and high school and college students.
FWHO, in coordination with the New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute (NMFWRI),
developed a clearinghouse for information on forest and watershed health in New Mexico and the southwest.
The allaboutwatersheds.org portal features a virtual library, shared workspace for watershed groups, resources for
practitioners and educators, and news and announcements.
ENERGY, MINERALS AND NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT
Photo by: Todd Haines
In partnership with the New Mexico
Departments of Transportation,
Environment and Game and Fish, along
with the NMFWRI, FWHO completed
its “Know Your Watershed” campaign,
designed to promote better understanding
of watershed health and garner public
support for conservation and restoration
efforts.
Forestry staff assisted community groups
and non-governmental organizations in