New Mexico
New Mexico Forestry Division redirects seedling program to fire-damaged forests
The Seedlings for Reforestation program will prioritize ponderosa pine, Douglas fir and other high-demand seedlings for burned areas beginning this fall.
Organ Mountain News report
SANTA FE – The New Mexico Forestry Division plans to redirect high-demand tree seedlings to fire-damaged forests beginning this fall as the state works to restore areas that may not regenerate naturally after severe wildfires.
The division’s new Seedlings for Reforestation program will prioritize species such as ponderosa pine and Douglas fir for areas damaged by fire. The division said the program aims to reduce long-term erosion, flooding and watershed damage in high-severity burn areas.
The program will match seed sources to planting sites and offer technical support for planting and long-term monitoring. The division also will hold one annual seedling distribution event each fall, which it described as the optimal planting season.
“With limited seedlings and a changing climate, we need to prioritize getting the right tree to the right place at the right time,” State Forester Laura McCarthy said in a news release. “We need to think about how the landscape functions and act with urgency. Our new Seedlings for Reforestation program aims to do exactly that.”
The Conservation Seedling Program has distributed millions of trees since the 1960s for conservation projects including streambank restoration, erosion control and wildlife habitat improvement, according to the division. The agency said seedlings sell out quickly each year.
The Forestry Division said more than 7 million acres have burned across New Mexico this decade, leaving large high-severity burn scars where forests cannot naturally regenerate and flooding continues to threaten communities.
“In 2020, we set the goal of reforesting burned areas with trees that will thrive in the climate conditions a century from now,” Reforestation Program Manager Gwen Wion said in the release. “With this reconfigured program, we are directing seedlings to where they will have the greatest impact.”
More information about program updates and ordering is available through the Forestry Division’s Conservation Seedlings page.
Grant’s Monday Night Forecast
Monsoon storms will return to parts of New Mexico every day this week, while hotter temperatures move in later in the week.
Thunderstorms developed across the mountains of New Mexico Monday afternoon. These storms slowly drifted south into the evening. Almost all of these showers and storms have ended now tonight. Another round of afternoon thunderstorms is expected Tuesday, developing first over the mountains before spreading into nearby valleys and lower elevations again. However, some storms around the Four Corners will be on the drier side, increasing the threat for lightning caused wildfires with little rainfall.
The monsoon high that has been bringing thunderstorms early this week will shift well west of New Mexico on Wednesday. This will bring hotter and slightly drier weather across the state. Even so, afternoon thunderstorms will still develop, especially over the mountains and across northeast New Mexico. Drier air will limit storm coverage Thursday and Friday across central, northern, and western New Mexico, while southern and eastern parts of the state continue to see the best chance for afternoon storms. Hotter weather will also return later this week, with triple-digit heat expanding to more locations, including the Albuquerque metro area Thursday and Friday.
The heat will continue into the weekend as the monsoon high strengthens and shifts back toward Utah and Colorado. That pattern will also bring higher monsoon moisture into New Mexico, bringing increasing chances for afternoon and evening thunderstorms statewide Saturday and Sunday.
ROSWELL, N.M. (KRQE) — Organizers behind the annual Roswell UFO Festival say this past weekend’s event was a success. It was held from July 2 to July 4.
The festival was filled with unique booths, shops, shows and contests for paranormal enthusiasts. Roswell Mainstreet says they believe more than 12,000 people were in attendance, although those are preliminary numbers.
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