After wildfire, dozer lines and hazard tree removal often leave behind bare, compacted soils that are vulnerable to erosion and invasive plants. As part of the Querencia in Action landowner workshop series, NMFWRI’s Fire Informed Restoration Education New Mexico (FIRENM) initiative hosted the Plants as Restoration Tools workshop, welcoming 22 students and landowners.
Participants discussed beneficial and invasive plants, appropriate seed mixes for degraded sites, weed suppression, and strategies to improve the success of reseeding and revegetation efforts. The workshop emphasized practical, low-cost restoration techniques that landowners can use to stabilize soils, reduce erosion, suppress invasive plants, and promote healthy, resilient plant communities. Each participant also received native seed to begin applying these restoration practices on their own properties.