Tree New Mexico

Supporting healthy trees on public lands is vital to continuing urban forestry programs across New Mexico and this trained volunteer workforce is making a difference.

Facilitated by Tree New Mexico and joined by our nonprofit, city, and county agency partners, Tree Stewards engage in a 10-week hybrid hands-on and online program. Spurred by Covid-19 regulations, the creation of the online portion of the program allows Tree New Mexico to offer this intensive program to urban areas across New Mexico.

The Tree Steward program includes identifying tree species and diagnostics, learning about climate-ready tree species that have the best chance of survival as the climate changes, identifying the best location for each species, pruning, assessing, measuring, monitoring, and mapping trees on GPS software used by multiple groups and agencies in NM.

After completing the training, Tree Stewards have opportunities to work with Albuquerque Parks and Recreation, Albuquerque Open Space, The Nature Conservancy, Bernalillo County Open Space, Tree New Mexico and other program partners. Work options include planting, pruning, auditing trees, and teaching and mentoring others about the benefits of trees and how to care for them.

Please contact Kelly White at [email protected], or visit our website, https://treenm.org/education/tree-stewards/, for more information.

Our children need trees shading their playgrounds, sidewalks, and schools. Tree New Mexico is piloting a program to plant on school campuses. The first planting is funded by Arbor Day and Verizon and will occur at Western Heights Learning Center on the West Mesa in October 2021.

This special program offers teachers, administrators, students, and their families an opportunity to plant trees, care for trees, and learn about trees on their own campus. Tree New Mexico can assist in planning the best location for trees to survive, choosing the best palette of trees for the unique site, organizing a community tree planting event, developing a tree curriculum or weaving trees into a curriculum, and training youth and their families to plant trees and continue basic tree care for years to come.

Please contact Kelly White at [email protected] or call the Tree New Mexico office: 505-265-4554 for more information.

Nestled among the Rio Grande bosque (river forest) on the Candelaria Nature Preserve, Woodward House provides an ideal environment for hands-on training, educating the public about trees, educating Tree Stewards, and growing seedlings.

Climate-ready tree seedlings are grown to bridge the gap between the need for trees that can survive climate change and the small available supply in New Mexico.

The Woodward House is collaboratively managed by Tree New Mexico and the City of Albuquerque’s Open Space Division. The on-site tree nursery provides a space for students of all ages to get their hands dirty as they learn to nurture trees and grow to love them. The space is used by teachers and students, clubs and organizations, and local businesses interested in knowing more about trees.

Tree New Mexico holds training workshops for students of all ages, specific groups, the general public, and Tree Stewards. Topics Include: tree and site selection, tree planting and care, tree pruning, trees and beneficial insects, and identifying and addressing tree problems.

We also provide education on the utilization of trees for specific purposes such as live windbreaks, riparian restoration, soil building and carbon sequestration. Tree New Mexico staff, along with experts from State Forestry, City Forestry, Cooperative Extension Service, and local ISA Certified Arborists lead these training opportunities.

Please contact Kelly White at [email protected], or visit our website, https://treenm.org/education/the-woodward-house, for more information.

Expanding and replicating Tree New Mexico's highly successful ABQ NeighborWoods planting model in urban areas across New Mexico is supported by a grant from New Mexico State Forestry Division.

Tree New Mexico’s NeighborWoods program organizes tree events, planting street trees on resident’s land, around municipal buildings, and other public property. We have increased the trees in Albuquerque by almost 4,000 in a collaborative effort between Tree New Mexico staff, the neighborhood association leaders, and the neighborhood’s city councilor.

Tree New Mexico trains leaders to order the trees, plot the trees in GPS software used by multiple groups and agencies in NM, and coordinate volunteers. In addition, Tree New Mexico trains to facilitate a landscape architect verifying the right tree in the right spot, a contractor digging the holes, and the tree delivery and storage until planting. Volunteers and staff plant the trees during a planting event, followed by a tree give away.

This community-building program introduces neighbors to each other, introduces volunteers to a good tree-planting process, and enhances community involvement in environmental practices that make a difference. Increasing urban tree canopy provides for safer, healthier neighborhoods in addition to the environmental and energy savings benefits. Property values can increase up to 15% with mature trees.

Please contact Kelly White at [email protected] or call the Tree New Mexico office: 505-265-4554 for more information.

Tree New Mexico can help you organize your own corporate or group funded tree planting or tree giveaway.

Please contact Kelly White at [email protected] or call the Tree New Mexico office: 505-265-4554 for more information.