Southwest Region

Where mountains meet sky, restoring forests in Arizona and New Mexico

National Forests in the Southwest are unique, spanning desert landscapes filled with cacti found nowhere else on earth, to sub-alpine mountain peaks where elk roam. The National Forests in the Southwest have astounding diversity and beauty and provide an abundance of benefits, from remote areas for wildlife, clean drinking water for communities, and spectacular recreation opportunities. The NFF is working to protect and restore these National Forests by spearheading collaborative restoration and forest stewardship projects.

Arizona’s National Forests offer almost 12 million acres of recreation opportunities and diverse wildlife habitat, while also providing vital water supplies to millions of people. As Arizona’s population grows, demand for outdoor recreation is on the rise, and so is the need to maintain these beautiful landscapes.

New Mexico’s National Forests provide over nine million acres of mountain scenery and year-round recreation opportunities, food, employment, and clean drinking water to much of the state, including urban areas like Albuquerque and Santa Fe.

Arizona

6 National Forests

12 Million Acres

2 Funds

In Arizona, every drop of water counts. The Northern Arizona Forest Fund (NAFF) provides an easy way for Arizona’s businesses and residents to invest in the lands and watersheds they depend on The NAFF supports high-priority restoration, reduces wildfire risk, replenishes water to streams and wetlands, and limits erosion and sediment into Arizona streams, rivers, and reservoirs.

People flock to southern Arizona to visit the beautiful desert landscapes and experience its distinctive outdoor lifestyle. To sustain these qualities and resources, the Southern Arizona Forest Fund supports restoration projects on the Coronado National Forest. We also support the Earth Conservation Internship, where high school students from under-served communities build outdoor leadership skills and restore degraded lands

New Mexico

5 National Forests

8.5 Million Acres

1 Fund

National forests are at the heart of the New Mexican spirit. Through the Smokey Bear Stewardship Fund, NFF works with local businesses and the Village of Ruidoso to expand trail networks, support post-fire restoration and reforestation, and support outdoor ethics education. Two Ski Conservation Funds also encourage guests to make contributions that benefit local National Forests through impactful on-the-ground projects to improve outdoor experiences and forest health.

On the Santa Fe National Forest, the Rito Peñas Negras project is using low tech process based restoration to improve riparian corridor and wet meadows in the watershed, and the Wood For Life program is moving wood from the Rio Chama Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Project to tri-chapters on the Navajo Nation in need of fuelwood for heating, cooking, and traditional uses

Contact

Sasha Stortz, National Forest Foundation Southwest Program Sr Manager sstortz@nationalforests org | 928 961 0318