2009 New Mexico Statutes
Chapter 68 - Timber.
Article 1 - Restrictions and Regulations
Section 68-1-2 - Logging operations; fire prevention; reserving young trees and seed trees; fire lines.

68-1-2. Logging operations; fire prevention; reserving young trees and seed trees; fire lines.

Any person, firm, association or corporation cutting sawtimber species from lands within the state shall:   

A.     take all reasonable precaution to prevent the starting of fires, and promptly suppress all fires that may be started on timberlands before, during or after cutting;   

B.     take all reasonable precaution in felling trees on the area being cut and to reserve uncut sufficient trees of seed-bearing size on the land being cut over to insure natural reforestation, as follows:   

C.     reserve and leave uncut, in operations cutting logs for lumber and timber manufacturing purposes, all trees measuring twelve inches or less in diameter outside bark, at a point four and one-half feet from the ground an in addition, leave not less than two live wind firm seed trees per acre measuring seventeen inches or more in diameter outside bark, at a point four and one-half feet from the ground; provided that in operations removing trees twelve inches or less in diameter outside bark at a point four and one-half feet from the ground, for nonlumber manufacturing purposes, such as railroad ties, mine props, stulls, poles or wood for products manufactured from pulp, or any combination thereof, trees required to produce said items may be cut to a minimum diameter of five inches outside bark at a point four and one-half feet from the ground, but in such cuttings there shall be reserved and left uncut not less than four live, wind firm seed trees per acre measuring seventeen inches or more in diameter outside bark, at a point four and one-half feet from the ground; provided, further, however, that in the event that no live, wind firm trees measuring seventeen inches or more in diameter outside bark at a point four and one-half feet from the ground exist on said area at the time of cutting, then the largest live, wind firm trees available on said area shall be left for seed trees in the number prescribed above for operations cutting logs for lumber and timber manufacturing purposes and for operations removing trees twelve inches or less in diameter for nonlumber manufacturing purposes respectively; provided, however, on spruce-type areas or mixed spruce and fir-type areas, an adequate stand of young growth shall be reserved and left uncut or, if such young growth is not present, there shall be reserved and left uncut not less than five percent of the coniferous trees, a substantial portion of which shall be of seed-bearing size; such trees may be reserved in long corners of creeks, across valleys, along ridges or natural firebreaks or in isolated settings of timber;   

D.     construct fire lines by piling and burning slash on a strip fifty feet wide on each side of main hauling roads.