The Southwestern Region is 20.6 million acres. There are six national forests in Arizona, five national forests and a national grassland in New Mexico, and one national grassland each in Oklahoma and the Texas panhandle.The region ranges in elevation from 1,600 feet above sea level and an annual rain fall of 8 inches in Arizona's lower Sonoran Desert to 13,171-foot high Wheeler Peak and over 35 inches of precipitation a year in northern New Mexico. map of forest locations »
To protect public health and safety, and the health and safety of our employees and volunteers, and reflecting federal and state guidance to limit the spread of COVID-19, developed recreation sites are currently closed and group sizes are limited in other areas.
On October 23 the court issued an order approving the recently filed stipulation to modify the ongoing court-ordered injunction, allowing select timber management activities to resume. These activities include the cutting of the U.S. Capitol Christmas tree, personal Christmas tree cutting, the cutting of personal use forest products such as vigas and latillas, special product collection by tribes for ceremonial purposes, and the cutting of certain hazard trees.
We continue to extend our gratitude to our state and federal partners and countless community leaders for their continued support. We are committed to being as open and transparent as possible in notifying interested groups and individuals when we take steps aimed at alleviating the stressors of the recent court-ordered injunction.
![[Photo] Rider on an ATV riding down a sand dune.](/Internet/FSE_MEDIA/fsbdev3_020444_tn.jpg)
