Forestry & Society

Forests of New Mexico & SW

HORT/RGSC 302

J.G. Mexal

Fall 2003

Forestry & Society

National Forests in SW

Forestry & Society

Forests of New Mexico & SW

www.nationalatlas.gov

Forest Types of New Mexico

Forestry & SocietyForests of New Mexico & SW

Douglas-fir19%

Aspen3%

Spruce/fir11%

Cottonwood1%

Ponderosa66%

Forest Type 1962 1987Ponderosa 69% 60%Mixed Conifer 17% 28%Aspen 6% 4%

Spruce/Fir 8% 8%

Lack of fire

Moving southinto Pond. P.

Pinon-Juniper90%

Juniper7%

Oak3%

Forest Types of New Mexico

Forestry & Society

Forests of New Mexico & SW

Spruce/fir11%

Cottonwood1%

Aspen3%

Douglas-fir19%

Ponderosa66%

Forest land = 6.2 kk acres Woodland = 9.0 kk acres

Forestry & Society

Forests of New Mexico & SW/CSFS 1998

Misc.4%

Douglas-fir6%

Gambel oak10%

Ponderosa pine13%

Lodgepole pine13%

Pinon-Juniper

20%

Aspen16%

Spruce-fir18%

Forest Types of Colorado

Forestry & Society

Forests of New Mexico & SW

Species New Mexico Colorado

Piñon-juniper 57 20

Spruce-fir 5 18

Aspen/cottonwood 1 16

Ponderosa pine 27 13

Lodgepole pine 13

Gambel oak 2 10

Douglas-fir 8 6

Forestry & SocietyForests of New Mexico & SW/ species vs elevation/ Elmore 1976

5000

7000

9000

11000spruce

aspenDoug-fir

ponderosa pineGambel oakpiñon

juniper

mesquite

Arizona

Forestry & SocietyForests of New Mexico & SW/ species vs elevation

Colorado

4900’

11500’

Forestry & SocietyForests of West/forests vs latitude x elevation

6,667’3,333’ 10,000’

Forestry & SocietyForests of New Mexico & SW/ species vs elevation

Spurr 1964

Forestry & SocietyForests of New Mexico & SW/ species vs elevation

Spurr 1964

3000

3000

5000

5000

7000

7000

9000

9000

Elevation (ft)

Elevation (ft)

Abies concolorPseudotsuga menziesiiPinus ayacahuiteQuercus gambeli

Pinus ponderosaAcer glabrumQuercus reticulataRobinia neomexicanaQuercus hypoleucoides

Pinus latifoliaArbutus arizonica

Pinus cembroides

Pinus leiophylla

Quercus arizonica

Acer grandidentatum

Juniperus deppeana

Quercus emoryiQuercus oblongifolia

Forestry & SocietyForests of New Mexico & SW/ Elmore 1976

Forestry & SocietyForests of New Mexico & SW/ Elmore 1976

Forestry & SocietyForests of New Mexico & SW/ Elmore 1976

Forestry & SocietyForests of New Mexico & SW/ Elmore 1976

6,000-9,300 ft

Ponderosa pine

Forestry & SocietyForests of New Mexico & SW/

Abies concolor -- White fir

7,000-10,000 ft

Forestry & SocietyForests of New Mexico & SW/

Abies lasiocarpa Alpine fir or Corkbark fir

For.& Soc.

Western Juniper Biomass vs Age/ NW Sci. 74(1):12:2000

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

3.3 4.8 7 9.5 9.9

dead branches<3 cm branches>3 cm branchesFoliageBoles

Tree Height (m)

36 55 62 101 161Tree Age (yrs)

Biomass (kg)

For.& Soc.

Western Juniper Nitrogen vs Age/ NW Sci. 74(1):12:2000

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3.3 4.8 7 9.5 9.9

dead branches<3 cm branches>3 cm branchesFoliageBoles

Tree Height (m)

36 55 62 101 161Tree Age (yrs)

Nitrogen (g)

Forestry & SocietyNew Mexico Timber Harvest-FuelwoodINT-60, 1989

1%

1%

9%

24%

65%

Live timber

Dead timber

Live fuelwood

Dead fuelwood

Non-timber

TimberFuelwood

Forestry & SocietyNew Mexico Timber Harvest-FuelwoodINT-60, 1989

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

Nat'l Forest BLM Private

Juniper Pinon

Ponderosa pine Populus

Oak Douglas-fir

Other

Cords

Forestry & SocietyNew Mexico Timber Harvest-FuelwoodINT-60, 1989

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000Juniper PinonPonderosa PopulusOak Other

Cords Top 8 NM counties

Forestry & SocietyForests of New Mexico & SW/Questions

• Compare the forests of NM, AZ, and CO.• Discuss the impacts of elevation, aspect (N,S,E,W)

and latitude on species composition.• Place in order of occurrence as you climb up the

mountain, and give approximate elevation: aspen, Douglas-fir, juniper, oak, piñon, ponderosa pine, spruce, white fir, and mesquite.

• What types of forest products are harvested in NM? Who owns the land?

• Describe the piñon-juniper woodland; location, diversity, species, climate, soils.