The Chama Forestry District office is on US-84 at the NM-512 turnoff, 10 miles south of Chama New Mexico. The District’s land base includes Rio Arriba and San Juan Counties, and the west half of Taos County. This area includes 357,000 acres of private commercial forestland, and 88,000 acres of state and private non-commercial forestland. The District’s primary focus is to nurture working relationships with landowners, land management agencies, and local governments to provide for landscape scale sustainable management of our forest resources. This includes various forest treatments, suppression of wildland fires, and public education.

MARY STUEVER serves as District Forester. She has a B.S. in Forest Management from Oklahoma State University, and a M.S. in Biology (Fire Ecology) from the University of New Mexico. She has a diverse work background with federal, state and tribal governments, including working with the Division from 1985-1991, and since 2008.

Her responsibilities as District Forester are to provide oversight for all district programs, serve as line officer, and ensure district operations meet division objectives. In this capacity, Mary will continue to foster relationships with partner agencies in the District as well as help develop the infrastructure to support the timber and biomass industry. Mary’s key focus is on fostering healthy and resilient forests and communities that support and are supported by sustainable forest activities.

Mary is also the program manager for the Statewide Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) America Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) project. NMFIA is gathering critical information that will aid New Mexicans in managing their forest resources.

JOE CARRILLO is the District’s Timber Management Officer. Joe has a B.S. in Environmental Science Management from New Mexico Highlands University and been with the Forestry Division since January 2005.

As Timber Management Officer, Joe assists landowners with forest management plans, providing on-site technical forestry advice, and inspects timber harvesting operations to ensure compliance with State Forestry’s harvesting regulations. He manages the District Tree Farm Program and educates landowners on the importance of sustainable forest management.  Joe also helps collaborating agencies such as local Soil & Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) seek funding opportunities to implement hazardous fuel removal and defensible space projects. One of Joe’s goals is to improve the capabilities of the district to provide for research opportunities for forestry students at Northern New Mexico College and New Mexico Highlands University.

PABLO MONTENEGRO, Chama District Fire Management Officer (FMO), comes to us from Las Vegas, New Mexico and is also a graduate of New Mexico Highlands University. Mr. Montenegro has been with the district since July 2008.  He is responsible for fire prevention planning, wildland fire suppression, coordinating fire training courses with Rio Arriba and San Juan Counties, and managing the District’s suppression resources. The District responds to approximately 50 wildfires each year, with another 100+ handled by cooperating rural and municipal volunteer fire departments. The District has a number of wildland/urban interface areas that are of great concern in terms of protection. Pablo works with these communities and their Volunteer Fire Departments (VFD) to educate home owners on the importance of defensible space. When various grants are available, Pablo assists the VFD’s with applying for funding to acquire apparatus and personal protective equipment.