From October 2023-July 2024, Hillary Hiett regularly loaded up a Colorado State Forest Service pickup and drove to the McArthur Gulch State Trust Land. Hiett is a forester in the Golden Field Office, so making the one-hour drive through beautiful foothills is just part of the job. This project area just outside of Bailey is special: A few houses dot the landscape, and cattle graze in the rural area with Colorado’s breathtaking scenery all around. But the mixed-conifer forest was greatly overgrown and showing signs of insect infestation and disease. The area was at risk of a devastating wildfire, with far-reaching consequences.
Safe drinking water, homes at risk
The forest in McArthur Gulch stands above the North Fork of the South Platte River. The river is a significant source of water for the Strontia Springs Reservoir that supplies 80% of Denver’s drinking water. A catastrophic wildfire in McArthur Gulch could result in ash, soil and debris flowing into the river, killing fish and wildlife, reducing water quality and damaging water infrastructure. These devastating consequences would be felt not just in the immediate area but by anyone who relies on drinking water from Denver Water.
The CSFS, Denver Water, U.S. Forest Service, State Land Board and Colorado Parks and Wildlife recognized the risk and teamed up to develop and complete a fuels reduction project in the area. In McArthur Gulch, a coordinated forest management project led by the CSFS was the best course for forest and watershed health.
Perfect forest conditions for devastating wildfire
The forest in McArthur Gulch comprises upper montane ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir and lodgepole pine. The trees were overly dense and showed serious signs of insect infestation and disease, including a significant outbreak of dwarf mistletoe. These parasitic plants usually affect ponderosa and lodgepole pines; the dwarf mistletoe slows growth and reduces seed production and wood quality, eventually killing the trees.
The overstocked forest and infected trees together create ideal conditions for a hot, fast-burning fire that could result in a total loss of vegetation. Without any trees to hold the soil in place, future rain would cause the topsoil, ash and debris to rush down the mountainside and into the river, harming the water quality and damaging water infrastructure. Water isn’t replaceable, so thoughtful, effective steps had to be taken to preserve this indispensable resource.
Actions to reduce the risk
The CSFS worked on previous projects in the area in 2016 and 2017, so CSFS staff were familiar with the area and its needs. They got to work designing a forest treatment plan that would strategically link the previous projects to a new 153-acre forest management area. Building on the previous projects allowed the CSFS to create a landscape-scale fuelbreak to protect critical water resources, the local community and recreational opportunities.
The CSFS brought multiple partners together, at the local, state, regional and federal levels to address the serious need for a fuels reduction project at McArthur Gulch. Together they secured funding through the Forest Health and Wildfire Risk Mitigation grant program, Denver Water’s Forests to Faucets, Aurora Water and State Land Enhancement Funds to complete the forestry work.
From October 2023-July 2024, contractors completed forest treatments:
- Removed ponderosa pine heavily infected by dwarf mistletoe
- Harvested trees according to treatment plan to ensure future forest health and resilience
- Managed slash mainly by mastication, a method that breaks down debris to even out the fuel load and promote decomposition
- Supplied woody material to Charm Industrial, who converts biomass into a stable bio-oil used to sequester carbon
Results of removing excessive trees and vegetation
The results of opening up the forest were immediate and broad, affecting everything from scenic views to increase in wildlife:
- Lower risk of catastrophic wildfire
- Easier, safer access for firefighters
- Excellent conditions for seedlings and grass to regrow
- More ponderosa pine that had been crowded by Douglas-fir and lodgepole pine
- Space and more forage for elk, mule deer and wild turkey
- Improved views of surrounding mountain peaks
With the help of multiple partners and funding sources, the McArthur Gulch Forest Restoration & Fuels Reduction Project is a testament to the value of true collaboration and the impact it has on the health of Colorado’s forests. The CSFS diligently works to improve forest health across the state, and each project, like this one at McArthur Gulch, boosts forest resiliency and mitigates risk of wildfire in the local area and helps better the quality of our forests statewide.