Caring for Colorado’s Forests
The mission of the Colorado State Forest Service is to achieve stewardship of Colorado’s diverse forest environments for the benefit of present and future generations.
The Colorado State Forest Service is headquartered in Fort Collins and is a service and outreach agency of the Warner College of Natural Resources at Colorado State University (CSU).
Our agency also provides staffing for the Division of Forestry within the Colorado Department of Natural Resources.
Approximately 105 full-time and 30 seasonal employees help improve forest conditions and serve Coloradans from 19 field offices throughout the state.
Each year, the CSFS helps treat more than 20,000 acres of forestland and assists approximately 6,400 landowners and hundreds of communities to improve forest health.
CSFS funding is obtained from the USDA Forest Service, the state general fund and state service-based revenues, self-generated revenues and severance taxes.
“Our forests supply many critical benefits for the State of Colorado. The Colorado State Forest Service, leveraging the resources of the Warner College of Natural Resources at CSU, provides the leadership and commitment to ensure healthy and resilient forests for Coloradans now and for the future,” said Mike Lester, State Forester and Director of the CSFS.
CSFS Programs and Services Include:
- forest and timber management
- insect and disease detection, including invasive species planning and response
- growing trees and shrubs for conservation
- wildfire mitigation assistance and outreach
- wood utilization assistance and outreach, and
- education for forest landowners, communities and teachers.
“The CSFS plays a critical role linking on-the-ground management to cutting-edge research findings and education of landowners and Colorado’s public.”
Dr. John Hayes
Dean, Warner College of Natural Resources
CSFS Districts & Field Offices
