Why Restore? Is there something wrong with our landscapes today?
In the early 19th Century, grasslands dominated much of New Mexico. Over the past century, however, grasses have given way to invasive and noxious species like creosote, mesquite, salt cedar and more, the result of overuse, drought and other factors. The left map shows vegetation levels before European settlement; note the overwhelming presence of grasslands across the state. The second map shows current levels of vegetation, in particular the vast expansion of shrub-dominated landscapes.
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20121018052826im_/http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/blm/nm/programs/restore_new_mexico/restore_images.Par.82554.Image.-1.-1.1.gif)
YELLOW = GRASS DOMINATED
ORANGE = SHRUB DOMINATED
GREEN = TREE DOMINATED