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Colorado State
Forest - On the Forest
Forest Management .
Education . Wildlife
and Monitoring Projects . Grazing
Recreation . Integrated
Management on the Colorado State Forest
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Forest Management
The State Forest Service's mission on the State
Forest includes: demonstrating sound forest management
practices; researching and innovating forest practices
to improve forest health; and providing the state
trusts with direct financial and educational benefits.
The goal of the forest management program specifically
is to maintain a healthy forest capable of sustaining
a flow of values and products in perpetuity.
We define a healthy forest as one where insects
and disease levels are not excessive and capable
of supporting healthy and diverse wildlife populations.
A healthy forest should also produce a variety
of high quality wood products, clean water, and
recreation opportunities.
The Colorado State Forest Service practices an
adaptive management strategy on the State Forest.
One definition used for adaptive management, from
the Oregon Department of Forestry, is: "the
process of monitoring and analyzing management
actions to understand their effects, and then
adjust plans accordingly.
It acknowledges that we do not fully understand
ecosystem processes, especially across landscapes,
through time, and in response to natural or human-induced
changes. This is accomplished through research
and monitoring." This simply means that we
are constantly gathering data on resources within
the Forest and adjusting our management accordingly.
Forest management activities, particularly timber
harvesting, are carefully planned and coordinated
with the other management agencies on the Forest.
Different species are managed in different ways
to emulate natural processes. This helps to ensure
effective product utilization and a healthy forest
condition in perpetuity. Analysis and extensive
environmental monitoring programs are integral
components of forest management on the Colorado
State Forest.
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Education
The primary beneficiaries of the
state trust lands in Colorado are the public schools
of Colorado.
Although those benefits have traditionally been
measured in dollar terms, the Colorado State Board
of Land Commissioners recognize the important
role that some state lands can play in providing
outdoor education opportunities. The Colorado
State Forest is actively used today for ongoing
research projects and educational
programs by both the local North Park
School District and by State Universities and
Colleges. The Colorado State Forest Service, the
Colorado Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation,
and the Colorado Division of Wildlife all participate
in interpretive and educational
programming on the Forest. The Colorado
State Forest Service is part of Colorado State
University and is committed to a long term educational
role for the State Forest.
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Wildlife and Monitoring Projects
Ongoing monitoring projects have been designed
to provide indicators of relative health for the
major habitat aggregates within the State Forest.
Monitoring is done on northern goshawks, boreal
owls, macroinvertebrates and migratory landbirds.
The four species or species groups monitored are
indicators for forest habitat in general, subalpine
forest, aquatic habitats and riparian habitats.
These monitoring projects have been ongoing since
1995 and were developed in coordination with the
Colorado Division of Wildlife. They have since
been supported directly by the Colorado State
Forest Service and the State Land Board.
Wildlife on the Forest (left to
right): a Moose, a Goshawk Nest, a Ram in a clearcut,
and a Pine Marten.
Monitoring can be defined as "the
acquisition of information that allows an evaluation
of accomplishments" (Tilghman 1986).
Monitoring on the State Forest is not just an
academic exercise. Data is actively used to adjust
management techniques to meet resource needs.
| WATER QUALITY:
The water quality monitoring project on the
State Forest began in 1995 through the cooperative
efforts of the State Land Board, the Owl Mountain
Partnership, and the Colorado State Forest
Service. A grant was received through the
Environmental Protection Agency's 319 non-point
source water quality program. 319 makes federal
funds available to assist states in developing
and implementing programs for controlling
non-point sources of pollution. |
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Water Quality Monitoring
The objectives of the water quality monitoring
project are to:
1) identify stream or river segments within
the boundaries of the State Forest that may
have high sediment loads;
2) collect information that would help judge
the effectiveness of Best Management Practices
(BMPs) following their implementation; and
3) establish baseline data on current water
quality conditions.
There are currently a total of eleven water quality
monitoring sites located at various points along
the watersheds of the Canadian and Michigan Rivers,
the two major drainages on the State Forest. Cooperation
of the private landowner adjacent to the Forest
has been critical to the success of this monitoring
program as four of the sampling sites are on private
land outside the boundaries of the State Forest.
Several other sites that are on the State Forest
are most easily accessed through private lands.
Water Quality Monitoring on the
Forest
Monitoring on the sites is done twice a year,
in the spring and in the fall. The results of
the first five years of water quality monitoring
on the State Forest are good and show good to
excellent water quality across the range of monitoring
sites. Sediment loads are well within expected
and acceptable limits. These results establish
baseline data for comparison with future sampling.
The results by themselves do not conclusively
prove the health of the respective watersheds
sampled. But this information, in conjunction
with other monitoring data, does provide strong
evidence as to the ecological integrity of the
uplands in these watersheds.
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Grazing
Livestock grazing is a traditional activity
on the Colorado State Forest and surrounding private
and public lands. Ranching is an important
part of North Park's economy and way of life.
The benefits we all enjoy from ranching go beyond
the meat we buy at the supermarket. Ranching in
North Park has maintained the open space and habitat
for wildlife that is enjoyed by everyone.
There are eight active grazing allotments on
the State Forest today, six of these allotments
are held by the Silver Spur Ranch and Cattle Company.
A grazing management plan for the State Forest
and the surrounding public and private lands was
completed in the spring of 2000. The plan represented
a cooperative effort between local, state, and
federal agencies and the Silver Spur Ranches.
There is livestock grazing on the State
Forest from about the beginning of July to the
end of September. Cowboys (yes, it is
still possible to see working cowboys on the State
Forest) move the cattle through the pastures on
the Forest to manage the overall range condition
and to prevent the cows from congregating in riparian
areas. Properly managed, grazing can be
an effective means of reducing fuel loading and
stimulating range production.
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Recreation
The State Forest's recreational uses are administered
by the Colorado Division of Parks and Outdoor
Recreation, which has leased the area for public
recreation from the Colorado Board of Land Commissioners
since 1972. Eye-filling mountain beauty greets
the visitor and provides a setting unequaled for
recreational possibilities - backpacking, hiking,
horseback riding, lake and stream fishing, camping,
four-wheeling and just relaxing.
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The area boasts over 100 miles
of trails and roads for motorized and non-motorized
recreation use during all 4 seasons of the
year. Facilities available include the Moose
Visitor Center, 4 campgrounds, 2 boat ramps,
a handicapped fishing pier, and 6 cabins.
Never Summer Nordic, a private concessionaire,
also has 6 yurts and the Nokhu Hut available
for rent. |
For more information about recreation on the
Colorado State Forest, use the following:
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Integrated Management on the Colorado State
Forest
Many State Agencies, Jackson County government
and private concessions work cooperatively in
managing the activities listed on this page. Find
out more about Integrated Management on the Colorado
State Forest.
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