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Since its inception in 1999, the Forest Stewards Guild youth conservation corps (YCC) program in New Mexico has employed over 500 youth and achieved more than 200,000 hours of conservation service and education benefiting public lands.

The WildEarth Guardians, in partnership with the Forest Stewards Guild, is hiring 18-25 year old's for their Valles Caldera National Preserve restoration crew. The job runs from April 25 - October 25 2016. The crew will work planting native trees, removing or building fences, felling trees for erosion control in burned areas, and noxious weed removal. This work is part of a comprehensive education and training program.

New Mexico rare plant reports

This is a fantastic position for a seasoned professional with experience in water or natural resources, who cares about conserving nature for its own sake and its ability to fulfill the needs of people and enrich their lives. The Nature Conservancy is a global organization that offers competitive salaries and benefits. Application deadline May 1, 2016.

The 2016 Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Summit will be held March 31st through April 2nd in Silver City, New Mexico at the Besse-Forward Global Resource Center on the Western New Mexico University Campus.

Beyond hazardous fuels: Managing fire for social, ecological, and economic benefit

The Bureau of Reclamation has made two funding opportunities available to help water users develop drought contingency plans and build long-term drought resiliency as part of Reclamation's Drought Response Program. These opportunities will be allocated through a competitive process. The drought resiliency project funding opportunity is for projects that will increase the reliability of water supply; improve water management; implement systems to facilitate the voluntary sale, transfer, or exchange of water; and provide benefits for fish, wildlife, and the environment to mitigate impacts caused by drought. States, tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, and other organizations with water or power delivery authority are invited to leverage their money and resources by cost sharing with Reclamation. It is available at www.grants.gov by searching for funding opportunity number R16-FOA-DO-006. The drought contingency planning funding opportunity is for applicants to request funding to develop a new drought plan or to update an existing drought plan. Applicants may also request technical assistance from Reclamation for the development of elements of the Drought Contingency Plan. States, Indian tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, and other organizations with water or power delivery authority are eligible for this funding opportunity. It is available at www.grants.gov by searching for funding opportunity number R16-FOA-DO-005. Approximately $6 million will be available for both funding opportunities. Applicants must also provide a 50 percent non-Federal cost-share. Applications are due on April 11, 2016, by 4 p.m. MDT as indicated in the funding opportunities. For more than 100 years, Reclamation and its partners have worked to develop a sustainable water and power future for the West. This program is part of the Department of the Interior's WaterSMART Program, which focuses on improving water conservation and sustainability, while helping water resource managers make sound decisions about water use. To find out more information about Reclamation's WaterSMART program, visit www.usbr.gov/watersmart, or visit the Drought Response Program at www.usbr.gov/drought.

The Bureau of Reclamation has made a new funding opportunity available for water entities in the Western United States to conduct water reclamation research under the Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Program. This cost-shared funding opportunity, available at www.grants.gov as opportunity number R16-FOA-DO-011, helps communities address water supply challenges by providing much-needed funding for research to establish or expand water reuse markets, improve water reuse facilities, or upgrade new facilities with state of the art technology. It is expected that up to $2 million will be available for this funding opportunity. Research sponsors must provide 75 percent or more of the study costs. Funding will be awarded in three categories. Funding group I will be for projects up to $75,000 per agreement for a research study up to 18 months; funding group II will be up to $150,000 per agreement for a research study up to 24 months; and funding group III will be up to $300,000 in federal funds for a research study that can be completed within 36 months. State, regional, or local authorities; Indian tribes or tribal organizations; or other entities including water districts, wastewater districts, or rural water districts, will be eligible to apply for this funding opportunity. Applicants must be located within the 17 Western States or Hawaii. Applications are due by 4 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time on April 20, 2016. Title XVI projects provide communities with a new source of clean water, while promoting water and energy efficiency and environmental stewardship. Title XVI supports the President’s “Climate Action Plan,” and the “Executive Order—Preparing the United States for the Impacts of Climate Change.” This funding opportunity is also an important part of Reclamation’s WaterSMART Program, which supports the White House’s Water Innovation Strategy to address Water Resource Challenges and Opportunities for Water Technology Innovation. For more information about Title XVI or Reclamation's WaterSMART program, visit www.usbr.gov/watersmart. http://www.usbr.gov/newsroom/newsrelease/detail.cfm?RecordID=52767

The New Mexico Environment Department's Surface Water Quality Bureau has issued an amendment to the Request for Proposals for the River Stewardship Program. Proposal due date is March 3, 2016

USDA to Provide $9 Million, Leveraging Further Public and Private Resources to Create New Mitigation Opportunities for Farmers and Ranchers WASHINGTON, Jan. 28, 2016 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the establishment of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Wetland Mitigation Banking Program, made possible by the 2014 Farm Bill. Through the program, NRCS will provide $9 million to help states, local governments or other qualified partners develop wetland mitigation banks that restore, create, or enhance wetland ecosystems, broadening the conservation options available to farmers and ranchers so they can maintain eligibility for other USDA programs. "Over the past seven years, USDA has worked with private landowners to enroll a record number of acres in conservation practices, and we are seeing significant reductions in nutrient runoff and greenhouse gas emissions. Wetland Mitigation Banks will give farmers and ranchers more conservation options so they can find the best solution for their land and circumstances, and produce even more results," Vilsack said. Wetland mitigation banking is a market-based approach that involves restoring, creating, or enhancing wetlands in one place to compensate for unavoidable impacts to wetlands at another location. Wetland mitigation banking is commonly used to compensate for wetland impacts from development, but can also be used to offset impacts from agriculture. A small number of banks have been developed in the U.S. specifically to assist agriculture, and the mitigation banks established under this program will be used to help agricultural producers who need to mitigate wetland losses to maintain eligibility for USDA programs. NRCS is seeking applications from eligible third-parties to develop wetland mitigation banks, or modify existing banks to better serve agricultural producers. These third-parties include federally recognized Indian tribes; state and local units of government; for-profit entities; and nongovernmental organizations. The maximum award provided through this announcement is up to $1 million. This funding may be used to cover the administrative and technical costs associated with the development of a wetland mitigation bank or banking program. Funding may not be used to purchase an easement or any other interest in land. Partners will develop, operate, and manage the wetlands mitigation banks with technical oversight from NRCS, and will market mitigation credits to farmers and ranchers. Credits must be made available to producers within two years after the agreement is signed. NRCS is prioritizing funding to locations that have a significant known wetland compliance workload. These locations include the Prairie Pothole Region, California Vernal Pool Region, Nebraska Rainwater Basin Region, and other areas that have significant numbers of wetlands compliance requests. Priority will also be given to applications based on the speed with which mitigation credits can be made available to agriculture producers. USDA is now accepting project proposals for this program. Proposals are due to NRCS before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on March 28, 2016. The announcement and associated forms for this funding opportunity can be found at www.grants.gov.