New Mexico is beginning one of the country’s most ambitious reforestation programs after a string of wildfires scorched millions of wooded acres.
The state held a groundbreaking ceremony last month on a greenhouse and other buildings that aim to produce 1 million seedlings a year by 2028, with a goal of growing 5 million a year by 2030.
It’s a daunting task. About 17 million trees are needed to repair the damage left by just one blaze — the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire, which burned more than 500 square miles in 2022. Statewide, New Mexico may need to plant 390 million trees across more than 1.5 million acres that have been damaged over multiple years, according to state figures.
But the work is essential, according to forestry advocates. Climate change is making fires worse, particularly in arid Western states like New Mexico. The shift also is happening as the federal government pulls back from its traditional role mitigating and fighting fires and paying for disaster recovery.
