Planting, caging, irrigating, moving logs…the tasks on a forested property never seem to end, especially if that land just experienced a devastating wildfire. But Roger Dev and Marolyn Kvols have approached this work with enthusiasm, consistency and a willingness to learn new things. That’s why Roger and Marolyn are Colorado’s Tree Farmers of the Year.
Reforestation in Action: 11 Years After the High Park Fire
Originally from New England, Roger and Marolyn purchased their 43-acre mountain property after the 2012 High Park Fire burned 87,284 acres and destroyed 259 buildings. Everything was black when Roger and Marolyn first saw the lot; the hard work of reforesting was just about to begin.
Roger and Marolyn’s decade of effort was recognized and celebrated at the 2023 Tree Farmer Picnic, held on a sunny and warm September morning in Rist Canyon, northwest of Fort Collins. Roger entertained about 40 attendees by sharing his experiences planting trees and guiding a tour of the property situated at an altitude of about 6,500 feet.
During their first year on the property, Roger and Marolyn optimistically and energetically planted 950 trees. Roger admitted he learned a lot from that experience; about 20 percent of those seedlings survived. The second year Roger and team planted 650 trees, and they now have a more sustainable pattern of planting about 40-100 trees each year.
Roger and Marolyn approached the tree planting with a focus on species diversity. They planted just about any species that’s drought tolerant and hardy to 20 degrees below 0, learning along the way which trees survive in these difficult growing conditions. Having enough water for trees to grow is a perennial problem, prompting Roger & Marolyn to add more than 60 acres to their property to access gulches that have water all year.
A mixture of deciduous tree and conifers are near the house, as well as an orchard with apple, cherry and plum trees. Rocky Mountain juniper, ponderosa pine, white fir, bur oak, honey locust, New Mexican privet, Siberian elm and a silver maple from an Arbor Day giveaway are just a sample of the variety of trees growing here.
Beyond Planting Trees
Managing a property in a recently burned area requires more work than just planting trees.
“Planting is the easy part,” Roger told the audience, made up mainly of other participants in the Tree Farm program.
Roger noted that drought, mulching, caging trees, deer browsing and free-range cattle grazing add significant challenges to growing trees in this area.
Roger cut and removed dead trees and processed wood, which he uses in numerous ways. Some of the finish carpentry in their mountain home is made from downed trees on the property, and Roger and Marolyn offer firewood to neighbors. Creating trails on the property is another important task to access areas where logs need to be cleared.
American Tree Farm System
Landowners in the American Tree Farm System follow sustainable forest management practices to meet a range of objectives. The most common goals tree farmers stated for participating in the program include conserving wildlife habitat, enjoying the forest and trees, and leaving the land better for the next generation.
Mike Hughes, a forester in the Fort Collins Field Office, organized the Tree Farmer picnic and gave the award to Roger and Marolyn. The Tree Farm Program started in Colorado in the mid-1980s. It’s mainly a recognition program to acknowledge the hard work and dedication tree farmers undertake to grow trees and leave a living legacy to future generations.
Roger and Marolyn have been in the program for 11 years, and their dedication to planting trees, providing habitat for wildlife and creating a beautiful landscape are commendable. Congratulations, Roger and Marolyn, Colorado’s Tree Farmers of the Year!