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Forest Service Identifies $3.4 Million in Grant Proposals for New Mexico

Albuquerque, NM — The Secretary of Agriculture approved ten projects in New Mexico to receive $3.4 million in federal grant awards through the Forest Service Collaborative Forest Restoration Program (CFRP).  The projects will promote healthy watersheds, reduce the threat of wildfires, and improve the functioning of forest ecosystems by reducing the number and density of small diameter trees on public forest lands in New Mexico.

“These projects are multi-jurisdictional efforts that target high priority areas for forest restoration and create local jobs by improving the efficiency of the small diameter wood utilization industry in New Mexico,” said Calvin Joyner, Regional Forester, Southwestern Region.  “The CRFP-funded projects over the past 16 years will have created over 800 jobs and treated over 62,000 acres in 20 counties across New Mexico’s forested public lands.”

This year’s recipients include, private forest sector businesses, conservation organizations, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and the Pueblo of Santa Ana.  CFRP-funded projects conduct forest landscape restoration planning and analyses; develop products, markets and capacity for the utilization of small-diameter forest materials; conduct community outreach and youth education programs; and complete critical on-the-ground forest and watershed restoration activities.

The grants are authorized under the ‘Community Forest Restoration Act’ (P.L. 106-393) introduced by retired Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and signed into law in 2000.  A Federal Advisory Committee established pursuant to the Act reviewed 15 CFRP grant proposals in 2017 and provided a recommendation to the Secretary of Agriculture on which ones best met the purposes of the CFRP.  The committee is composed of representatives from diverse interests from across New Mexico.  The Secretary of Agriculture makes the final project funding decision.

Grantees must work with the Forest Service to address the committee’s recommendations before the grants are awarded.  Final grant awards are anticipated in August and September.

The CFRP has awarded 204 grants for over $62 million in the past 16 years involving 600 partners.

Information on the program and identification of eligible projects can be found at: http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/r3/cfrp .

2017 CFRP Grant Awards
Forest
Project Title
Lead Organization
Federal Funding
Carson
Planning for McGaffey Forest and Rio Grande Del Rancho Restoration in Taos County in the Sangre De Christo Mountains
The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
$360,000
Carson
Agua Caballos Forest Health Restoration Project
Andy Chacon Forest Restoration Company
$360,000
Carson
Cerro de la Olla, Collaborative Forest Restoration Partnership in the Rio Grande del Norte Monument
Wood Sharks LLC
$235,651
Cibola
Long Term, Landscape-Scale Restoration on Chupadera Mesa
Claunch Pinto SWCD
$354,000
Cibola
CNF Utilization Processing Equipment, Mount Taylor Manufacturing
Mount Taylor Millworks
$360,000
Cibola
Refining Pinyon-Juniper Restoration Treatments to Enhance Watershed Conditions in the Cedro Landscape Restoration Area
The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
$360,000
Cibola
Implementing Continued Forest Restoration in the Zuni Mountain CFLR
BRL Logging
$360,000
Cibola
Implementing Compost Creation and Sale Into Fuels Treatment and Restoration of the Santa Ana Bosque
Pueblo of Santa Ana
$331,746
Gila
Building Collaborative Capacity for Forest Restoration on the Gila National Forest
Grant SWCD
$315,119
Lincoln
Increasing Utilization of Small Diameter Wood on the Lincoln National Forest
Custom Crates & Pallets, LTD
$360,000
TOTAL
$3,396,516

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