| | Restoration Solutions, LLC was contracted by Catron County to implement restoration treatments on ten stands dispersed throughout the county. Eight of the stands were on private land and two were located on Forest Service land, yielding a total number of 121 treated acres. The elevation ranged from 7,500 to 7,800 feet with an estimated annual precipitation of 12 to 16 inches. This project was unique and especially interesting because of one of its primary purposes – to demonstrate the volume of biomass harvested from each specific treatment type. 
The ecotypes included in this project were similar to those that surround the future site of a 35-megawatt biomass power generating plant in Estancia, NM. This project was designed to determine the volume of biomass that could reasonably be generated from each of the treatment types in order to assess the viability and sustainability of the fuel supply for the power plant. Since the market for the biomass was not yet established (construction had not started on the power plant as of September 2008), the material was broadcast on site and used for erosion control on pre-existing problem areas.
Restoration Solutions utilized a variety of mechanical equipment to implement the treatments, including a rubber-tired feller buncher, skidsteer buncher/shearer, extractor (excavator), skidsteer with bucket and grapple rake, skidder, and horizontal tub grinder. The extractor pulled the trees, roots and all, from the ground, leaving slight depressions to catch precipitation and seeds. One landowner took the opportunity to plant Kentucky bluegrass in the depressions, which already shows signs of growth.
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The private landowners were extremely pleased with the treatment outcomes and were only sorry that more acres could not be treated. At one site visited in mid-March, multiple bird species were identified including ferruginous hawk, pygmy nuthatch, Clark’s nutcracker, Steller's jay, and western bluebird. Elk were also spotted nearby, with evidence suggesting that they were moving in to the newly treated areas due to the increased visibility.
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| | | | 2 | Land Ownership
Private; US Forest Service
| | | | 3 | Location
Catron County, New Mexico
| | | 4 | Forest Type
Piñon - Juniper
| | | | Context |  | | | 5 | Is this project a part of a landscape plan?
Yes
| | | | 6 | In a Wildland Urban Interface (WUI)?
Yes
| | | | 7 | Acreage treated
121 ac
| | | | 8 | Type of contract
Service contract
| | | | 9 | Funding source
NM Association of Counties administered grant funding provided by BLM
| | | | 10 | Collaborators and partners
NM State Forestry, US Forest Service, Catron County, NM Association of Counties, BLM, Landowners, Restoration Solutions, Kellar Logging
| | | | 11 | Project start date
Jul. 2006
| | | 12 | Project completion date
Oct. 2007
| | | | Treatment Goals | | | | 13 | Restoration, watershed, or habitat improvement
| | | | 14 | Reduce fuel load
| | | | 15 |
| | | | 16 |
| | | 17 | Forest Stand Improvement
| | | | Treatment Specifics | | | | 18 | Primary treatment objective
Reduce fire danger, restore ecosystems, and determine biomass volume harvested from these types of treatments. | | | | 19 | How does biomass removal fit with other objectives?
No nearby existing market for dirty chips, so they were broadcast on site.
| | | | 20 | Treatment description
Varies per stand type, utilizing NM Restoration Principles and BMP's to restore to previous ecotype.
| | | | 21 | Description of contractors
Mechanized thinning operators | | | | 22 | Travel distance for contractors
40 to 200 miles depending on treatment area
| | | | 23 | Type of equipment used
Rubber-tired feller buncher, skidsteer buncher shearer, extractor (excavator), skidsteer w/ bucket & grapple rake, skidder, horizontal grinder
| | | | 24 | Treatment of residual slash if any
All material was chipped on site and broadcast | | | | 25 | Treatment cost per acre
$789
| | | 26 | Trucking costs
Not applicable | | | | Utilization | | | | 27 | Products from project
Dirty chips/ hog fuel | | | | 28 | Price for products
| | | | 29 | Date of Sale
| | | | 30 | Did biomass markets exist previous to project?
No, this project was part of the development of local markets for large-scale biomass utilization.
| | | | 31 | Type of utilization
None (except on-site erosion control and mulch)
| | | | 32 | How well did the woody biomass match the utilization options?
No nearby existing market for dirty chips, so they were broadcast on site.
| | | 33 | Distance to utilization
| | | | Treatment guidelines, targets, limitations | | | | 34 | Diameter limit
Ponderosa pine: 9" dbh; pinon and one-seed juniper: 18" or 24" depending on ecosytem type
| | | | 35 | Basal area reduction
50-60%
| | | | 36 | Crown coverage
| | | | 37 | Fuel loading
| | | | 38 | Retention guidelines
Keep all ponderosa pine >9" dbh; leave minimum 20' spacing between residuals in dog hair pine area; retain all Pinon and One-seed Juniper > 18" and 24" depending on ecosystem type.
| | | | 39 | Treatment of snags and downed logs
Left on site
| | | | 40 | Soil impacts
no more than 15% impact by skid trails and landings, definitly exceeded that since new operator and some compaction (some in-progress feedback given to improve operations
| | | 41 | Other ecological impacts monitored
Utilized chips as mulch where pre-existing erosion evident
| | | | Pre Treatment | | | | 42 | Fuel load
| | | | 43 | Stem density (stems/ac)
| | | | 44 | Basal area (ft2/ac)
| | | | 45 | Canopy closure (%)
| | | | 46 | Height to live crown base
| | | | 47 | Snags and downed woody material
| | | | 48 | Size class distribution
| | | | 49 | Tree species composition
| | | | 50 | Presence/absence of invasive species
| | | 51 | Soil and other ecological data
| | | | Post Treatment | | | | 52 | Fuel load
| | | | 53 | Stem density (stems/ac)
| | | | 54 | Basal area (ft2/ac)
| | | | 55 | Canopy closure (%)
| | | | 56 | Height to live crown base
| | | | 57 | Snags and downed woody material
| | | | 58 | Size class distribution
| | | | 59 | Tree species composition
| | | | 60 | Presence/absence of invasive species
| | | | 61 | Soil and other ecological data
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