Summary
The USFS has
developed an impressive plan to address the catastrophic wildfire
risk facing the Santa Fe Watershed. Highlights of the Santa
Fe Municipal Watershed Project (SFMWP)
include a strong focus on restoration and a sound monitoring plan.
In many ways the SFMWP is a poster child for collaboration between
the USFS and the environmental community. The USFS created a consensus
based process that ultimately secured the support of the Santa
Fe environmental community, not an easy task. However, the plan
has been slow to be implemented leaving many to wonder if the
USFS has the political and fiscal will to address the problem
in the short and long term. Moreover, the threat of a wildfire
in the Santa Fe Watershed is not a concern for many Santa Fe residents.
The complacency of neighborhoods at the greatest risk demonstrates
the need for education and outreach with these residents. Education
and outreach efforts by the USFS and city of Santa Fe ceased with
the completion of the SFMWP. Residents closest to the watershed
know little about the project's progress. Without reliable information,
rumors, speculation and conjecture have room to grow. More recently,
the City of Santa Fe hired a Wildland Urban Interface Specialist
to focus on outreach efforts.
Timely and
accurate implementation of the SFMWP is the greatest challenge
remaining in the Santa Fe Watershed. Progress of actual fuels
reduction inches along, while the watershed remains at a high
risk of catastrophic wildfire. When fuels have been reduced, there
have been instances where prescriptions laid out in the SFMWP
were not followed. On several occasions workers misapplied the
prescriptions due to poor oversight and project management.
Silver
City | Ruidoso
| Santa Fe Watershed
| Red River |
Overall Summary
| Links
Home
| New Mexico
|
Colorado
| Arizona
Copyright©2003
Toddi A. Steelman and North Carolina State University
|
