Healthy forests lead to healthy watersheds that provide drinking water to millions. In a changing climate, our forests need to be resilient in the face of drought, wildfire, insects and diseases to ensure water remains clean and accessible to people, wildlife and the landscape.
The Colorado State Forest Service published its annual forest health report this week, highlighting the current conditions of forests across Colorado and how the agency is improving the health of the state’s forests in the face of persistent drought and historic wildfires.
Despite snow falling in many regions of Colorado recently, most of the state is still experiencing drought conditions after an abnormally dry period at the end of last year, according to the National Drought Mitigation Center.
Despite occasional rain showers in areas of western Colorado over the spring and summer, persistent drought conditions have parched soil over much of the western part of the state, stressing irrigated lawns and larger landscape trees.
