The Art of Generosity is a storytelling series made possible through underwriting by the Santa Fe Community Foundation. Each feature shines a light on a local nonprofit shaping the cultural, social, and economic fabric of our region. By elevating these stories, the Foundation furthers its role in connecting people with the organizations as well as causes that help our shared home thrive.
The Forest Stewards Guild (FSG), founded in Santa Fe in 1995, recently celebrated 30 years promoting responsible forest management across the United States. FSG fills a vital niche connecting science, policy, and also landowners across the nation. They offer programs as varied as research, youth training and intern initiatives, to tree planting and innovative wildfire prevention. FSG’s small, passionate staff of 35 is stationed across the country. They operate with a budget of about $5.5 million per year – a combination of federal funding, grants, sponsorships and dues from its almost 900 person membership. Most members also professionally engage with the life of forests such as foresters, wildlife professionals, and water quality experts.
Inside the Forest Stewards Guild: 30 Years of Innovation in Forest Management
Executive Director Zander Evans’ extensive background in ecological research and the human impact on forests took him from Providence, RI to work as a cartographer and spatial analyst with the US Geological Survey, to a PhD from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.
“My wife is from Santa Fe. As soon as I finished my PhD in 2006, she was waiting in the driveway with a moving truck ready to return,” he says of his move to New Mexico. He became FSG’s first Director of Research that year, moving into the Executive Director role in 2017.
A New Headquarters
This year, the organization purchased its 5,600 sq. ft. building on Warner Circle with help from the Santa Fe Community Foundation, the New Mexico Finance Authority, and Washington Federal Bank. Now the staff has office and meeting space. The garage houses firefighting tools, camping gear as well as other equipment vital to its mission of protecting forest health.
Evans believes that responsible forest management is about doing, learning, and collaborating for the long-term. His philosophy is reflected in FSG’s ongoing growth and also community-focused approach.
“The Guild’s work is incredibly rewarding because we see the positive impact of responsible stewardship every day. What I most pride myself on is identifying gaps where we can make a difference. For example, we introduced AI wildfire detection cameras in New Mexico, which was a small but impactful project. It makes me feel good when a small organization like ours can jump in and solve a problem. We have a great team, creative ideas, and are making connections. Those connections are only possible because of individual relationships and trust built over a long time.”
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Story by Kelly Koepke
Photos Courtesy of Forest Stewards Guild
Santa Fe Community Foundation
TABLE New Mexico’s non-profit profiles are supported by the Santa Fe Community Foundation. Together, we spotlight nonprofit leaders and organizations who are finding inventive ways to do the impossible in the midst of multiple crises. In the months ahead, TABLE will bring you stories of how they are helping our neighbors get access to the opportunities as well as services they need in the areas of Community Leadership, Education, Early Childhood, and in our Native American, Black, and LGBT+ communities. For more details: santafecf.org.
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