New Mexico Forest Plan
Calls for Interagency Collaboration
 Joanna Prukop |
Prukop said the need to coordinate the variety of efforts of all these entities is imperative to an expedient remedy of forest and watershed health conditions. “Effective coordination, resource allocation, project prioritization and integrated communication are all vital to bring this Forest and Watershed Health Plan into action,” she said.
The plan contains 20 action items aimed at transforming the way ecological restoration is accomplished. The actions focus on state-level support of project efforts, planning, coordination, management, and administration. It calls for establishment of a state office dedicated to forest and watershed management that will coordinate collaborative efforts among agencies and assist in development and implementation of forest and watershed restoration projects.
Richardson said the plan is a direct and proactive response to the state-level action items called for by the Western Governors’ Association. WGA’s “Collaborative Approach for Reducing Wildland Fire Risks to Communities and the Environment” is a 10-year comprehensive plan that establishes a consensus- based framework for setting and achieving goals, performance measures, and benchmarks.
The plan also includes:
- Use of collaborative processes for input and decision-making between the state, federal agencies, tribes, local governments, and the public;
- Promotion of improved forest and watershed health conditions in New Mexico through increased coordination of effort and resources;
- Adherence to the National Fire Plan, the 10-Year Comprehensive Strategy, and the Implementation Plan of the Western Governors.