2012 Features
- Funding Available for Forest Restoration Projects
- U.S. Forest Service and CSFS Announce 2011 Aerial Forest Health Survey Results
- CSFS Accepting Nominations for 2011 Outstanding Forest Stewardship
- Forest Biomass Use Work Group Submits Final Report to General Assembly
- Green-Up the New Year – Recycle Your Tree
- 2011 Features
- 2010 Features
Funding Available for Forest Restoration Projects
Colorado landowners and communities wanting to protect forested areas from severe wildfire or other forest health concerns that ultimately impact water supplies may be eligible for grant funding from the Colorado State Forest Service.
Through March 8, the CSFS is accepting proposals for the Colorado Forest Restoration Pilot Grant Program, which helps fund projects that demonstrate a community-based approach to forest restoration.
Proposals must address the protection of water supplies or related infrastructure, as well as the restoration of forested watersheds. Projects are encouraged to utilize forest products, and where feasible, involve the Colorado Youth Corps Association or an accredited Colorado Youth Corps to provide labor.
Projects also should mitigate threats that affect watershed health, such as the build-up of wildland fuels that increase the risk for a severe wildfire. Large, intense wildfires negatively impact watersheds through increases in runoff and erosion, diminished water quality and accelerated loss of snowpack.
“This program encourages local stakeholders to work together to develop forest restoration proposals that address diverse forest health challenges, including community and water-supply protection, ecological restoration, forest product utilization and wildfire risk reduction,” said Jeff Jahnke, state forester and director of the CSFS.
Colorado landowners and anyone with legal authority to contract for work on relevant properties are eligible to compete for grant funding. The state can fund up to 60 percent of each awarded project; grant recipients are required to match at least 40 percent of the total project cost through cash or in-kind contributions, including federal funds.
Proposed projects must be located in communities with a CSFS-approved Community Wildfire Protection Plan.
An interdisciplinary technical advisory panel, convened by the CSFS in partnership with the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, will review project applications. The CSFS will notify successful applicants by this summer.
Applications and additional information about the Colorado Forest Restoration Pilot Grant Program are available on the CSFS Funding Opportunities page.
U.S. Forest Service and CSFS Announce 2011 Aerial Forest Health Survey Results
On January 31, the U.S. Forest Service and Colorado State Forest Service released the results of the annual aerial insect and disease survey in Colorado, which indicate that the most significant forest health concern continues to be the spread of the mountain pine beetle.
Although an additional 140,000 acres of tree mortality were detected across the state, the epidemic has slowed down in many areas. The 2011 survey results bring the total infestation to 3.3 million acres in Colorado since the first signs of the outbreak in 1996.
For the second consecutive year, the Front Range, particularly Larimer County, continues to experience the highest mortality rates affecting ponderosa and lodgepole pine trees.
Read more in the news release
Aerial survey maps and related materials are available on the USFS Region 2 website.
CSFS Accepting Nominations for 2011 Outstanding Forest Stewardship
In October 2011, Don and Mari McDavid of Tabernash, Colo., were recognized as the 2010 Outstanding Forest Steward of the Year.
Don McDavid is a Master Gardener, Tree Farmer and Forest Ag Program participant who also constructed a personal nursery and shade house to propagate his own seedling stock.
Nominations are currently being accepted for 2011 outstanding forest stewardship. If you know of a landowner who has a forest stewardship plan and is actively managing their forest and promoting forest stewardship for greater public awareness, please consider submitting a nomination for the individual(s). To learn how to recognize someone for this award, read more.
Forest Biomass Use Work Group Submits Final Report to General Assembly
On Jan. 1, the Colorado Forest Biomass Use Work Group submitted its final report to the General Assembly on how to promote forest health, woody biomass energy development and viable markets that encourage active, sustainable forest management in our state.
During the 2011 legislative session, the Colorado General Assembly passed Senate Bill 11-267: The Forest Health Act of 2011. This legislation created the Colorado Forest Biomass Use Work Group convened by the CSFS.
The work group consisted of forestry, economics and alternative energy professionals selected from the public, private and non-profit sectors; the CSFS provided staff assistance.
Main Objectives of the Colorado Forest Biomass Use Work Group were to:
- Identify barriers pertaining to the creation, development and sustainability of our forest products industry, including efforts to develop forest energy.
- Develop recommendations to improve the efficacy of the CSFS with regards to managing for a forest energy industry, including but not limited to compiling and disseminating information, participating in the development of policy and executing and improving several forest management tools.
This report compiles the efforts of the work group, and:
- highlights problems with accessing and moving forest biomass material in Colorado;
- focuses on financing and planning issues; and
- details problems with current forest energy-related policies and utilization efforts.
Colorado Forest Biomass Use Work Group Members
- Joe Duda, Colorado State Forest Service
- Doug Robotham, Colorado Department of Natural Resources
- Rob Davis, Colorado Forest Health Advisory Council
- Stacey Simms, Colorado Governor's Energy Office
- Dave Ferrill, Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade
- Rebecca Lim, Colorado Public Utilities Commission
- John Stulp, Compact Negotiations/Interbasin Compact Committee
- Susan Ford, US Forest Service
- Dan Bihn, Bihn Systems, energy/natural resources
- Norm Birtcher, Western Excelsior Corporation, forest products industry
- John Scahill, U.S. Department of Energy (retired), biomass technology industry
- Phil Kastelic, Colorado Forest and Energy, biomass technology industry
- Joe Pandy, Mountain Parks Electric, utility infrastructure
- Tim Sullivan, The Nature Conservancy, forest ecology
The Report on the Implementation of SB11-267: The Forest Health Act of 2011 (368 KB PDF) assumes a certain degree of familiarity and experience with forest biomass and forest energy.
For those interested in additional background information, please read Where Wood Works in Colorado (4.9 MB PDF).
Green-Up the New Year – Recycle Your Tree
Trees are a valuable renewable resource, and recycling holiday trees naturally contributes to the process of giving these evergreens a second life.
Chipping the trees for mulch or compost is a common recycling practice. Many community recycling programs use the mulch in flowerbeds and around trees, and the wood chips also provide natural material for walkways and trails. Some programs allow residents to pick up the free mulch in the spring for personal landscaping purposes.
To prepare your tree for recycling, remove all ornaments, lights, tinsel, hooks, nails, wire, garland and any wrapping used to transport the tree. Flocked and artificial trees are not accepted at drop-off sites.
To locate a tree recycling program in your county, please visit the Recycle Your Tree website or contact your local recycling center or landfill.