Official websites use .gov
A .gov
website belongs to an official government organization in the
United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock
(
) or https:// means you've safely
connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only
on official, secure websites.
Resource Management
Caring for the Land
Learn about how the Forest Service is working to manage and maintain the natural beauty of the Southwest.
The Forest Service focuses on a full range of values, from experiencing outdoor wonders to exploring the treasures of our national heritage. However we use our national forests and grasslands, the key is protecting and restoring the long-term health of the land for future generations.
-
Forest Health
The Forest Health staff of the Southwestern Region provides assistance and expertise to Federal, State, and Tribal land managers in Arizona and New Mexico concerning forest health conditions and issues.
-
Endangered Species
The Threatened, Endangered & Sensitive (TES) Species Program is dedicated to conserve and recover plant and animal species that need special management attention and to restore National Forest and Grassland ecosystems and habitats.
-
Invasive Species
Invasive species threatening Region 3 range from disease pathogens to mammals. The Forest Service has developed a number of documents for invasive species management and pesticide use in the Southwestern Region.
-
Ecosystems and Climates
Ecosystem resources and climate change. Understanding trends and desired conditions of ecosystems in the Southwest is critical to managing National Forest lands and assisting with partners throughout the Southwest.
-
Restoration
Restoration projects range from large forest vegetation projects like the Southwest Jemez, Four Forest Restoration Initiative, and Zuni Mountain projects to smaller projects targeted to a specific need, such as replacing a culvert in a road to allow small aquatic animals to pass, controlling noxious weeds, and decommissioning roads that are not needed.
-
Grazing Management
It is the Forest Service's goal to conserve the rich resources of the National Forests and Grasslands while supporting communities greatly dependent upon these very same resources. While grazing is an important use, we will also continue to move forward with improving our management and preventing degradation of soil, water, and vegetation.
-
Wildfire Crisis in the Southwest
In 2022, the Forest Service launched a 10-year strategy to address the wildfire crisis across the west. The Wildfire Crisis Strategy aims to dramatically increase fuels and forest health treatments, including on four designated landscapes in Arizona and New Mexico.
-
New National Monument
The Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni—Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument comprises 917,618 acres acres of land managed by the Kaibab National Forest and Bureau of Land Management around Grand Canyon National Park. Designating the new national monument, which contains ancestral homelands of many Tribes, will preserve its important historic, cultural, natural, scientific, and recreational values.
-
Field Guide to Insects and Diseases
Review our Southwestern Region Field Guide and learn about flora and fauna in the Southwest. A description for each insect and disease includes hosts, damage, symptoms, biology, and effects or impacts.
-
Geospatial (GIS) Resources
Download select Geospatial (GIS) datasets for the Southwestern Region. GIS data is maintained at various levels (Forest, State, Region) depending on the subject and type of data. Explore maps, data and other resources related to Arizona and New Mexico National Forests.