Dense stands of ponderosa pine blanket the San Juan Mountains that serve as the northern boundary of the Forest Lakes Metro District near Bayfield. Throughout this forest, the tree canopy crowds together, and pockets of dead and diseased trees dot the landscape. The forest floor is covered deep with needles and a thick cover of oak brush and white fir in the understory. Added up, these conditions could contribute to a catastrophic wildfire, and the largest neighborhood in southwest Colorado would be in its path.
There are several challenges to completing the necessary work to make this forest healthier and more resilient to wildfire. Operating machinery, removing felled trees and completing other work becomes a little trickier when working on slopes up to 30%. The forest also spans land managed by three different entities: the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and Colorado State Land Board. Fortunately, the Colorado State Forest Service is uniquely equipped to coordinate these types of complex forest management projects with multiple landowners. So the National Forest Foundation coordinated with the CSFS to develop and implement the Grassy Mountain Shared Stewardship Project.
Homes, wildlife and recreation at risk
About 1,200 homes make up the Forest Lakes Metro District near the Grassy Mountain project area. It’s a heavily populated neighborhood in the wildlife-urban interface that could face heavy losses in the event of a wildfire. This project to reduce the amount of quick-to-ignite vegetation and ladder fuels — such as shrub species like Gambel oak and small, dense trees like white fir — is essential to reduce the risk of wildfire. The Grassy Mountain project will also improve recreation opportunities such as hiking, hunting, camping and wildlife viewing that many residents enjoy.
Collaboration and forestry expertise keys to success
Using the Good Neighbor Authority and funds from the USFS, BLM and Forest Restoration and Wildfire Risk Mitigation grant program, the CSFS and NFF developed a specific plan to improve forest health on 638 acres north of the Forest Lakes Metro District. Contractors began work in April 2025 and expect the project to continue for three years.
Foresters created a treatment plan that clearly outlines which trees to cut and which trees should remain. By significantly reducing tree density, foresters and contractors will create a fuelbreak designed to starve a wildfire of fuel before it reaches the densely populated neighborhood.
The trees removed for the fuelbreak provide additional benefits to residents. On the 65 acres of the San Juan National Forest, the cut trees will be available as firewood for residents. Cascade Timber will haul logs from the State Land Board and BLM sections to Bayfield, where they’ll be transformed into firewood, custom sawlogs and potentially logs for building cabins.
This project is the first of its kind in the area, requiring the cooperation of multiple partners and residents to be successful. When forest health, homes, watershed safety, wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities are all at risk from wildfire, it takes a coordinated effort to protect all that’s at stake.
Learn more about the Grassy Mountain Shared Stewardship Project.
Video producer: Amy Bulger, CSFS; Drone pilot: Estevan Vega