About Forests
Colorado’s forests are expansive,
diverse and beautiful. They provide vital shelter
for both people and wildlife, improve the quality
of our water, filter pollutants from the air,
enrich our outdoor experiences, and furnish products
and jobs that strengthen local economies. A number
of natural and human-induced forces influence
the ability of Colorado’s forests to sustain
this diversity and productivity over the long-term.
In many regions of the state, current forest conditions
threaten this lasting sustainability.
Forest condition, or health, can
be defined by the interaction between three components:
1) a forest’s resilience to disturbance;
2) its ability to sustain a natural range of biological
diversity; and 3) its ability to meet the current
and future needs of people in terms of values,
products and services.
A number of issues and influences
contribute to the current condition of Colorado’s
forest resources. Those of primary concern are:
trends in forest cover change; insect and disease
cycles; expansion of the wildland-urban interface;
and watershed health. Additional issues of note
include threats to the health of the state’s
urban and riparian forests, and implications of
Colorado’s air quality for future forest
conditions.
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A lack of large-scale
disturbance is the culprit behind many of
the state’s forest health challenges.
The majority of Colorado’s forested
landscapes are considered disturbance driven,
meaning they evolved with natural cycles
of wildfire, insect and disease infestations,
flooding, avalanches, or windstorms. Changes
in human values and the resulting shift
in land management practices interrupted
these disturbance cycles, primarily through
aggressive fire suppression and reduced
harvesting activity on public lands. |
Without these disturbances to periodically
rejuvenate forest stands and ensure a variety
of forest types, ages, and densities, many of
Colorado’s forests have become overly dense
and concentrated in older age classes. This lack
of diversity, along with intense competition for
resources such as water and light, has left many
forest stands vulnerable to insect and disease
attack, catastrophic wildfire, and other types
of damage at an inordinately vast scale.
In recent decades, scientists and
land managers have begun to re-emphasize the importance
of fire and disturbance in many of Colorado’s
forests. But restoring fire as a functioning,
natural component of these ecosystems poses a
number of challenges. Tools such as prescribed
fire must be used appropriately and with attention
to fuel loads and smoke management. Thinning of
forest stands is often needed in advance of prescribed
fire and to restore proper spacing and distribution
across the landscape, but thinning of small-diameter
trees can be expensive and currently offers little
economic return. The rapid growth of homes and
other development in the wildland-urban interface
(WUI) poses the additional challenge of trying
to manage natural resources while also providing
for the protection of lives and property.
Management decisions regarding forest
health issues are necessarily subjective and require
a balance of public and private values. In order
to make these decisions in an informed, effective
manner, land managers, government leaders, and
the public must better understand how the interactions
between natural and human forces shape our forests
and influence their ability to sustainably provide
a variety of benefits.
Check out these Forest Restoration
sites:
Upper
South Platte Watershed Protection and Restoration
Project
Front
Range Fuels Treatment Partnership
Colorado
Forest Restoration Institute
Ecological
Restoration Institute
Colorado
Wildfires and Ecosystem Health
Colorado's Forest Types
Learn
more about Colorado's Forest Types
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Managing the Forest
Colorado’s forests are known for their
diversity and beauty. They provide home to many
species of wildlife, improve water quality, filter
pollutants from water and air, enhance outdoor
and recreational experiences, provide wood products,
and supply jobs in local economies. However, Colorado’s
forests have changed over the years and their
sustainability has been challenged.
Forests, like most natural resources, require
proper management to be healthy and productive.
Forest management is the practical application
of biological, physical, quantitative, managerial,
economic, social, and policy principals to the
regeneration, management, utilization and conservation
of forests to meet specific goals and objectives
while maintaining the productivity of the forest.
By managing your forest you can protect water
quality, increase habitat diversity for wildlife,
and increase the growth rate of your trees. In
addition, properly managed forests can provide
income, reduce the risk of wildland fire, help
protect trees against insects and diseases, and
even increase the value of your property.
Learn more about
Managing the Forest.
See the Northwest Colorado Forest Health Guide (2.65 MB PDF)
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Protect Your Home, Forest and Property From
Wildfire
Homeowners can take a number of steps to protect
their property and ensure that they do not assist
in the spread of wildland fires. This includes
clearing excess fuel, creating defensible space
around their homes, and using FireWise practices.
Many Coloradoans living in the foothills in ponderosa
and lodgepole forests need to consider the fire-prone
nature of these ecosystems.
Learn more about how to Protect
Your home, Forest and Property from Wildfire.
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Tree Insects & Diseases
Insects and diseases pose two of the most serious
threats to your tree’s health. As soon as
you notice any abnormality in your tree’s
appearance, you must begin a careful analysis
to gain an understanding of the problem. By examining
the specific symptoms of damage and understanding
their causes, you can make a reasonable diagnosis
of the problem and select the proper treatment.
If you are uncertain about the disease, or do
not know how to treat it, contact your Colorado
State District Forester to conduct a homesite
assessment of the trees on your property.
Learn more about Insects
and Diseases in Colorado.
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Buying Trees for Your Property
Each day, ever-increasing demands are placed
upon our land and its natural resources. People
can help lessen the impact of these demands by
making a personal commitment to their own property
through tree planting. Few conservation efforts
provide the extensive and enduring benefits that
a well-designed and installed tree planting does.
Tree planting is a step anyone can take to become
a better steward of the land. Join the 5,000 Coloradoans
who annually plant trees to benefit the environment,
themselves and their neighbors.
Please visit the Colorado
State Forest Service Nursery more detailed
information about the nursery and their Tree Seedling
Program.
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