New Mexico has crossed a major milestone in its mission to become a regional leader in reforesting lands burned by severe wildfires.
Federal, state and local officials gathered with community members in Mora County on April 27 to break ground on the New Mexico Reforestation Center, marking a turning point for forest management in New Mexico. NMRC is a collaborative project founded by New Mexico State University, New Mexico Highlands University, the University of New Mexico, and the state Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department’s Forestry Division.
The groundbreaking marks the start of construction on the multimillion-dollar facility that will significantly boost reforestation capacity across the Southwest in the critical areas of seed collection and storage, nursery production and planting.
“In New Mexico and the broader Southwest, our forests are water and climate infrastructure, and the NMRC nursery facility at Mora is how we begin restoring our forests at a scale that will impact our landscapes for generations to come,” NMRC Director Jenn Auchter said. “Once built to full capacity, NMRC will be the largest tree nursery in the region, and what makes this effort possible is that NMSU, NMHU, UNM and the Forestry Division are doing this work together.
The fully built NMRC will have the capacity to produce up to 5 million tree seedlings per year and house a comprehensive seed bank to support reforestation needs across New Mexico and the Southwest. New Mexico currently produces a maximum of 300,000 seedlings a year – far below the 150 million to 390 million needed to replant an estimated 1 million to 2.6 million acres across the state.
“Our state Forest Action Plan has a cutting-edge strategy to reforest burned areas with seedlings that will survive and thrive 100 years into the future,” State Forester Laura McCarthy said. “The reforestation center idea was developed six years ago, and since then, New Mexico has experienced many devastating wildfires. This groundbreaking is a celebration of the resilience of our forests and communities.”
NMRC is designed to be constructed over four phases on NMSU’s John T. Harrington Forestry Research Center at Mora. The first phase, funded by $38.5 million from state appropriations and federal funding, includes greenhouse and production facilities as well as the center’s operational core, which will house equipment and systems to support all future phases.
“NMSU is proud to serve as the institutional home for the New Mexico Reforestation Center nursery. New Mexico’s forests and watersheds need a long-term anchor that is committed to work collaboratively and in partnership with others for the benefit of our state’s citizens, which is an intrinsic purpose of our land-grant mission,” NMSU President Valerio Ferme said. “The collaboration between the four founding member institutions is what makes the center distinctive, because no single institution can do this alone. NMSU and our scientists look forward to work with our partners to create state-of-the-art facilities that reinvigorate the forest tapestry of New Mexico and help preserves the Land of Enchantment for future generations.”
“The future of New Mexico’s forests depends on proactive, coordinated action,” NMHU President Neil Woolf said. “Through innovation, collaboration and stewardship, the New Mexico Reforestation Center is helping to ensure that our forests remain a source of life, protection and opportunity for generations to come. NMHU is proud to play a vital role.”
The remaining three phases will require additional funding – about $88 million at current estimates. Plans include building more infrastructure, including additional greenhouses, an administrative building and seed-programming facilities at Highlands University in San Miguel County. The goal is to have all construction completed by 2030, at which point NMRC will be fully equipped to produce 5 million seedlings per year.
In the meantime, NMRC staff will focus on establishing the center’s research, education and outreach activities. This includes collaborative research between NMSU, UNM and others, as well as seed collection and banking and workforce development with Highlands and EMNRD.
Efforts to create a regional reforestation center in New Mexico had been years in the making, but the project gained steam following the state’s historic fire season of 2022. That year, fires damaged more than 859,000 acres, and New Mexico recorded its largest wildfire ever – the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire – which scorched 341,471 acres.
“The John T. Harrington Forestry Research Center in Mora plays a vital role in supplying native seedlings that will grow into climate-resilient trees — supporting clean air and water across New Mexico and helping to protect our communities from severe flooding. This work is especially critical to advance recovery efforts following the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire,” U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-New Mexico, said. “As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I’m proud to have secured $2.2 million to support this reforestation center, and this Congress I am leading legislation to strengthen support for local nurseries. I will continue working to help restore healthy, resilient forests and protect critical habitats across our state.”
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Cutline: Officials participate in a ground-breaking ceremony to mark to start of construction for the New Mexico Reforestation Center in Mora County, New Mexico. (Photo by Marco Aragon)
Cutline: Gwen Wion of the state Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, left, and Dilshad Safiullah of New Mexico Highlands University unveil the logo for the New Mexico Reforestation Center. Safiullah designed the logo. (Photo by Marco Aragon)
Cutline: Architect Owen Kramme holds a seedling at the ground-breaking ceremony for the New Mexico Reforestation Center. The center will have the capacity to produce up to 5 million tree seedlings per year and house a comprehensive seed bank to support reforestation once fully built. (Photo by Marco Aragon)