Please join the Forest Stewards Guild on October 9th for a fuel and firewood community work day!

This work day is an opportunity to join your neighbors and greater community in learning about chainsaw safety and putting it into practice by cutting, loading, and taking home firewood or fuelwood from designated community fuelwood decks in the Monighan Canyon area of the Zuni Mountains. Community wood bank organizers and volunteers and members of the ZMC Wood Utilization and Community Fuelwood working group are encouraged to attend. This event is open to the public and light refreshments will be provided.

When: 10:00am - 5:00pm, Wednesday, October 9th
Where: Meet at the Ft. Wingate U.S. Post Office, 286B NM-400, Fort Wingate, NM 87316
What: Community Work Day for fuelwood and firewood processing and collection!
Who: The day will be led and supported by staff from the Forest Stewards Guild

To attend, please meet at the U.S. Post Office in Ft. Wingate no later than 10am. Email Juan Lemos, Fuelwood Coordinator, at juan@forestguild.org with your name and number of people in your party if you plan to attend. Fuelwood permits will be available for purchase from the Ft. Wingate U.S. Forest Service Station en route to the work area and mileage stipends are available to cover the cost of travel.

Please join us on Wednesday, June 5th from 9am-5pm for a field tour highlighting Zuni Mountains CFLRP restoration work, both completed and planned. Led by the Forest Stewards Guild and USFS staff members from the Mt. Taylor Ranger District, this collaborative site visit will provide an opportunity to view and discuss projects across the landscape, including:

1. A visit to Cottonwood Gulch Basecamp south of Thoreau, nm, where we will discuss effects of and need for the reintroduction of low-severity fire in a Ponderosa pine ecosystem, collaborative burning, and what it takes to implement prescribed fire on private land adjacent to the National Forest.

2. Illegal UTV use and wild horse impacts to range and recreational resources.

3. Identifying, mapping, and planning for treatment of invasive non-native plants, with a focus on riparian zones and recently treated project areas.

4. Watershed Restoration Action Planning (WRAP) along middle Bluewater Creek

The tour will begin and end at Chaco Travel Center in Milan, NM; 7-passenger vans may be provided by the USFS for carpooling. Please bring appropriate footwear, clothing layers, a packed lunch, and plenty of water. Refreshments and coffee will be provided.

Please register below if you plan to attend!

What: Field tour of current and planned restoration work in the Zuni Mountains CFLRP landscape.
When: Wednesday, June 5.
Where: Meet at Chaco Travel Center (1500 Willow Dr, Milan, NM 87021) at 9:00am.
Who: Open to all ZMC partners, members, supporters, and the public. Led by the Forest Stewards Guild and US Forest Service.

Please join us for our annual Collaborative community meeting!

We use this time for Zuni Mountains Collaborative partners, U.S. Forest Service, and landscape residents to provide updates on ongoing and upcoming forest and riparian restoration and related work in the Zuni Mountains Landscape. There will be breakout sessions in the afternoon whose purpose will be to review the progress of the last year, further develop collaborative opportunities among participants, and discuss room for growth within the Collaborative. Coffee, lunch, and refreshments will be provided.

Please RSVP below if you plan on attending!

What : Annual community meeting of the Zuni Mountains Collaborative
Where : New Mexico State University, Grants campus (1500 3rd Street), Martinez Hall, multipurpose room 7 (alternatively, Zoom).
When : Thursday, April 25th from 10:00am - 2:00pm; coffee social ‘hour’ for in-person attendees from 9:30 - 10:00am.
Who : Facilitated by the Forest Stewards Guild and US Forest Service with guest speakers and breakout groups.

This meeting will have a virtual "listen only" option via Zoom for those unable to make the trip.

Upcoming monitoring opportunity!

The annual Bluewater Lake Christmas Bird Count will take place on 12/16/2023. Participants will meet at Bluewater Outpost (Dairy Queen) in Bluewater Village at 6:30am and should bring warm clothing layers, lunch and snacks, good footwear, a daypack, and optics for the bird count itself. Be prepared for an 8-10 hour field day. The count circle has an altitude range of nearly 3,000’ and a radius of 7.5 miles which extends from near Prewitt to Ojo Redondo and from Bluewater Village to Cottonwood Gulch. For more information, see the announcement from organizer John Trochet, below.

What: Annual Bird Count at Bluewater Lake
When: 6:30am on Saturday, 16 December 2023
Where: Dairy Queen in Bluewater Village, 136 Main St, Bluewater, NM 87005
Who: all established and fledgling ornithologists, interested birders, foresters for the birds, and more!

Do you have experience or interest in evaluating forest condition?

If yes, consider joining us on Wednesday, August 2nd for an ecological monitoring volunteer day! The USFS Mt. Taylor Ranger District, Forest Stewards Guild, and Forest Stewards Youth Corps will be conducting vegetation monitoring in the Puerco project area on the western side of the Zuni Mountains during the first week of August. Our goal is to assess forest health and conditions prior to planned thinning and prescribed burning.

Please register to volunteer by clicking the button below. Guild staff will reach out to all interested individuals with additional details during the last week of July.

What: vegetation monitoring focused on tree density, size, canopy cover, and disease
When: Wednesday, August 2nd, from 10:00 - 4:00
Where: Puerco project area. Meet at Fort Wingate Post Office at 10:00
Notes: Please bring water in a refillable bottle or bladder, hiking shoes, sun protection, one to two meals and snacks, and anything else you need to stay hydrated, happy, and healthy during a full day in the field. Carpooling from Albuquerque and/or Grants may be available depending on participation.

Please also consider bringing your knowledge and curiosity to inform our ecological monitoring planning during the next virtual monitoring subgroup meeting on Wednesday, July 19th at 1:00. Click the button below to join the meeting or click here to read more about the planned discussion.

Please join us for our Summer meeting of the ZMC Monitoring Subgroup!

The monitoring subgroup meets quarterly to discuss ongoing multiparty monitoring efforts, best practices in ecological monitoring, project priorities, and volunteer and partner availability for planned monitoring needs. This group is part of the Zuni Mountains Collaborative and was born out of both national monitoring protocols and the need for transparent and consistent sharing of information across the landscape.

Please join us to discuss long-term forest health monitoring in the Puerco project area (west side) of the Zuni Mountains! We will also be sharing updates amongst attendees and asking for information on any upcoming monitoring opportunities.

What: Zuni Mountains Collaborative Monitoring Subgroup quarterly meeting
When: Wednesday, July 19, 2023, 1:00-2:00pm
Where: Zoom virtual meeting. Click here to join.
Who: any ZMC partners or individuals who are interested in multiparty monitoring.

Please join us on Tuesday, May 30th from 9am-5pm for a field tour highlighting Zuni Mountains CFLRP restoration work, both completed and planned. Led by the Forest Stewards Guild and USFS staff members from the Mt. Taylor Ranger District, this collaborative site visit will provide an opportunity to view and discuss projects across the landscape, including:

1. Region 3 Showcase, a restorative thin and burn project area from the early- to mid-2010s, which informed development of the guiding silvicultural report on how to manage frequent fire conifer forests in the Southwest.

2. The Copperton prescribed burn area, where we will review the effects of and need for the reintroduction of low-severity fire in a Ponderosa pine ecosystem.

3. Shush Kin Fen, a histosol fen where a pipe fence will soon be erected to exclude cattle and repair hydrologic function.

The tour will begin and end at Chaco Travel Center in Milan, NM; 7-passenger vans may be provided for carpooling. Please bring appropriate footwear, clothing layers, a packed lunch, and plenty of water. Snacks and coffee will be provided. A detailed agenda and map is available below.

Please register below if you plan to attend!

What: Field tour of current and planned restoration work in the Zuni Mountains CFLRP landscape.
When: Tuesday, May 30.
Where: Meet at Chaco Travel Center (1500 Willow Dr, Milan, NM 87021) at 9:00am.
Who: Open to all ZMC partners, members, supporters, and the public. Led by the Forest Stewards Guild and US Forest Service.

On May 9th, the Zuni Mountains Collaborative Monitoring Subgroup will meet online to discuss:

• Recently published monitoring results for forest and water health

• Updates from the group - round robin

• Zuni Bluehead Sucker population estimates and habitat condition

Who: Open to all
When: Tuesday, 5/9/23, 11am-12pm
Where: Virtual meeting - Zoom

We look forward to hearing about what you have been up to over the winter and talking about monitoring efforts across the landscape. Please join us!

Individuals from the Forest Stewards Guild, U.S. Forest Service, and a variety of other organizations and affiliations will convene on Tuesday, April 11th for the next annual Zuni Mountains Collaborative community meeting.

The intent of this event is to:

• review recent project work and planning across the landscape,

• revisit potential governance structures for the CFLRP,

• discuss topics of interest in small breakout groups,

• share upcoming events, and

• share a meal with co-collaborators and community members under one roof.

Morning refreshments and lunch will be provided. This gathering will be held at the Future Foundations Family Center in Grants, NM, with a hybrid virtual option for those who cannot attend in person. Please register to attend below or, if you received a calendar invitation, RSVP directly to the organizers.

You may register for the Zoom portion of this hybrid event using the button below or by clicking here.

When: Tuesday, April 11th from 10:00am to 1:00pm
Where: hybrid options
In-person: 551 Washington Ave, Grants, NM 87020
Virtual: Zoom meeting

Share your thoughts! Please fill out this short survey to provide input on the meeting discussion topics.

Please join the Forest Stewards Guild and partners for a virtual community meeting at 6:00pm on Thursday, October 6th to discuss an upcoming broadcast burn in the Zuni Mountains.

Cottonwood Gulch Expeditions, located south of Thoreau, NM, and partners are gearing up to implement a broadcast burn on up to 120 acres of private land in McKinley County this fall season. Ignitions are expected to be conducted over 2 -3 days with potential smoke impacts lasting approximately 4 days. Patrolling of the burn area will continue as needed.

The diverse group of collaborators includes the Forest Stewards Guild, The Ember Alliance, The Nature Conservancy, McKinley County, and more. The burn is supported by the US Fish and Wildlife Partners Program.

Community members must register online to join the zoom meeting between 6:00 and 7:00pm on 6 October. The meeting is expected to last approximately an hour and a half and will give interested parties an opportunity to ask questions and gain clarification.

Read more by clicking on the press release or announcement flyer below. Thank you and we hope to engage with you soon.

Please join the Forest Stewards Guild and partners for an in-person community meeting at 5:00pm on Wednesday, October 5th to discuss an upcoming broadcast burn in the Zuni Mountains.

Cottonwood Gulch Expeditions, located south of Thoreau, NM, and partners are gearing up to implement a broadcast burn on up to 120 acres of private land in McKinley County this fall season. Ignitions are expected to be conducted over 2 -3 days with potential smoke impacts lasting approximately 4 days. Patrolling of the burn area will continue as needed.

The diverse group of collaborators includes the Forest Stewards Guild, The Ember Alliance, The Nature Conservancy, McKinley County, and more. The burn is supported by the US Fish and Wildlife Partners Program.

Community members may join the meeting between 5:00 and 6:30pm on 5 October at Bluewater Acres Station, 11 Cod Rd., Thoreau, NM 87323. The meeting is expected to last approximately an hour and a half and will give interested parties an opportunity to ask questions and gain clarification.

Read more by clicking on the press release or announcement flyer below. Thank you and we hope to engage with you soon.

Reconnecting and Looking Forward

We invite you to join us!

With a global pandemic having prevented in-person gatherings for the past two years, the Zuni Mountains Collaborative is looking forward to having partners and collaborators reconnect over coffee and refreshments, conversation of shared goals for the landscape, and lunch on June 29!

Please join us as we to look back (at all that has happened since our last in-person partner meeting), recognize the current moment (of recent funding news and the infrastructure bill), and look forward (to future project implementation, employment needs, and collaborative opportunities). This meeting will include short updates from project partners and breakout group discussions to establish shared visions for ecological monitoring, funding, and short- and long-term goals.

Coffee social – 9:00-9:30am
Meeting – 9:30am-12:45pm
Lunch (provided) – 12:45-1:30pm

This event will take place in the

Cibola County Community Room
515 W. High St.
Grants, NM 87020.

RSVP below and save the date!

Please RSVP!

You’re invited to join the Forest Stewards Guild as a prescribed burn observer!

UPDATE: due to unfavorable weather conditions, this burn has been postponed until the autumn. Thank you to all of those who expressed interest in joining us, and please keep an eye on the FAC NM events webpage for future burn observer opportunities!

Join us for a guided field tour of a prescribed broadcast burn and restoration work being carried out on private-owned land within the Zuni Mountains landscape. Forestry and fire practitioners will respond to your questions and share information about how the burn is being implemented, what we hope to accomplish, and the implications for resilience in the forested landscape. You may access a news release with additional details on the burn here.

If you have an interest in forest health, wildfire risk mitigation, ongoing restoration efforts, or are curious about what goes into a prescribed burn but lack the necessary fire training to be involved first-hand, please consider attending! Observers will be escorted on the burn by qualified personnel. Members of the public are welcome and encouraged to register below.

DATE: tentatively March 30th or 31st (weather-dependent and subject to change)

SAFETY: Participants will be provided with appropriate personal protective equipment to safely visit the burn site.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST

Curious about what it takes to implement a prescribed fire?

Join Fire Adapted Communities (FAC NM) and the Forest Stewards Guild as they host a Volunteer Burn Preparation work day!

Join the Forest Stewards Guild!
Basic Firefighter Training (S-130) offered at Cottonwood Gulch Basecamp

The Forest Stewards Guild, in cooperation with Cottonwood Gulch Expeditions, is offering the required field-component of S-130, Basic Firefighter Training. The intent of S-130 is to train new firefighters in basic firefighting skills. The field component may be arduous in nature and capacity will be capped at the first fifteen (15) registrants.

Participants will need to complete 25+ hours of online coursework prior to the event.

S-130 is part of the suite of classes required for basic wildland firefighters. The classroom portion of S-130, as well as all other classes required for basic wildland firefighter training, are available online. S-190, Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior is a prerequisite and must be successfully completed prior to taking S-130.

S-130 Firefighter Training (Field Course)

This course is hands on training providing entry-level firefighting skills. Students will be taken to the field for a day of instruction covering:

• safety orientation

• firefighter preparedness

• tools and equipment

• firing devices

• use of water

• suppression

• securing the control line

• operating safely.

Registration is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Sam Berry at sam@forestguild.org or visit facnm.org/events

Please join us for a multi-partner field visit on Tuesday, July 20th from 10am – 4pm. Led by the Forest Stewards Guild and USFS staff members from the Mt. Taylor Ranger District, this collaborative meeting will provide an opportunity to view and discuss completed and upcoming project work within the Zuni Mountains CFLR. Resource specialists will provide an overview of how the projects have impacted their resource and answer relevant questions from the group. The tour will begin at Bear Springs Plaza and includes four stops to showcase past and ongoing project work; due to ongoing Covid-19 concerns, attendees will be expected to drive themselves or carpool with others of the same affiliation.

Please RSVP below to join the landscape tour. A detailed agenda, site maps, and Covid-19 protocols will be sent to attendees prior to the field trip.

RSVP HERE