Las Cruces Sun-News - With wildfires having consumed hundreds of thousands of acres of forest in New Mexico over the past 12 months, staff members at New Mexico State University's John T. Harrington Forestry Research Center at Mora are busy raising trees to help the reforestation and restoration of the land. Through the center's research in restoration ecology, forest genetics, tree improvement, forest biology and agroforestry, the forestry professionals in New Mexico have learned many things that will be crucial in restoring the 150,000 acres destroyed by the Las Conchas Fire in 2011, and the 297,845-plus acres consumed by the Whitewater-Baldy Fire, as well as the 44,330 acres affected by the Little Bear Fire this summer. The work to replace the lost trees of the Las Conchas Fire has already begun. Small six-inch tall seedlings now growing in the research center's nursery will be used in reclamation projects by the Santa Clara Pueblo. "Last year, prior to the Las Conchas Fire, we were contacted by the Santa Clara Pueblo to grow seedlings for a riparian restoration and reforestation project," said Tammy Parsons, program coordinator and nursery manager at the Mora center. "This spring we delivered approximately 40,200 seedlings of 11 beaver habitat species, 11 bosque riparian species and Douglas-fir, as well as 650 cottonwood cuttings in tall pots." The scope of the contract with the Santa Clara Pueblo changed when the Las Conchas Fire roared across reservation land. "We have agreed to grow another 34,000 seedlings this year for the pueblo and there is the possibility of more in the coming years until they are able to start to recover from the fire," Parsons said. Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, which also suffered damage from the Las Conchas Fire, has contracted with NMSU for the center to grow approximately 18,000 Douglas-fir seedlings for planting this fall and next spring. Read More News New Mexico
NMSU forestry research center assist with restoration of wildfire damaged forests
Las Cruces Sun-News - With wildfires having consumed hundreds of thousands of acres of forest in New Mexico over the past 12 months, staff members at New Mexico State University's John T. Harrington Forestry Research Center at Mora are busy raising trees to help the reforestation and restoration of the land. Through the center's research in restoration ecology, forest genetics, tree improvement, forest biology and agroforestry, the forestry professionals in New Mexico have learned many things that will be crucial in restoring the 150,000 acres destroyed by the Las Conchas Fire in 2011, and the 297,845-plus acres consumed by the Whitewater-Baldy Fire, as well as the 44,330 acres affected by the Little Bear Fire this summer. The work to replace the lost trees of the Las Conchas Fire has already begun. Small six-inch tall seedlings now growing in the research center's nursery will be used in reclamation projects by the Santa Clara Pueblo. "Last year, prior to the Las Conchas Fire, we were contacted by the Santa Clara Pueblo to grow seedlings for a riparian restoration and reforestation project," said Tammy Parsons, program coordinator and nursery manager at the Mora center. "This spring we delivered approximately 40,200 seedlings of 11 beaver habitat species, 11 bosque riparian species and Douglas-fir, as well as 650 cottonwood cuttings in tall pots." The scope of the contract with the Santa Clara Pueblo changed when the Las Conchas Fire roared across reservation land. "We have agreed to grow another 34,000 seedlings this year for the pueblo and there is the possibility of more in the coming years until they are able to start to recover from the fire," Parsons said. Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, which also suffered damage from the Las Conchas Fire, has contracted with NMSU for the center to grow approximately 18,000 Douglas-fir seedlings for planting this fall and next spring. Read More News New Mexico
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