News Release
ALBUQUERQUE NM, October 1, 2019 – The court-ordered injunction suspending all timber management activities on the five national forests in New Mexico and the Tonto National Forest in Arizona has been modified to allow the personal cutting and collection of fuelwood. The Forest Service will resume permit sales immediately.
Southwestern Regional Forester Cal Joyner said, “We are pleased with this modification, which highlights the fact that we all want to do right by the communities we serve and reduce unnecessary burdens on communities that depend on the national forests for their sustenance. I want to assure you that we are committed to continuing our work to protect wildlife and wildlife habitat from catastrophic wildfire, and we thank you for your ongoing support, understanding and patience.”
The federal court’s ruling is related to the recent court-ordered injunction in the case WildEarth Guardians vs. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, et al concerning the Mexican spotted owl.
Other activities, including stewardship contracts, timber sales, thinning and prescribed burns, remain suspended in order to ensure compliance with the ruling, pending clarification or modification of the injunction.
The national forests impacted by the court’s order remain open to the public for recreation and other activities. The Forest Service is extremely grateful to our state and federal partners including the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management, the New Mexico State Forestry Division, the New Mexico Governor’s Office and countless community leaders for helping find interim solutions.
For the most up to date information from the Forest Service please go to https://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/r3/mso.
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