Sustainable Forestry Initiative

Transcription

1 Sustainable Forestry Initiative Mike Lester, Colorado State Forest Service October 16, 2018

2 The Colorado State Forest Service: Managing Forests Statewide Active management of Colorado s diverse forest environments provides clean air and water, enhances wildlife habitat, improves resiliency, reduces wildfire risk and supplies essential forest products to Colorado s citizens.

3 About the CSFS Mission: To achieve stewardship of Colorado's diverse forest environments for the benefit of present and future generations. The CSFS is the lead state agency providing forest stewardship and wildfire mitigation assistance to private landowners. Agency of the Warner College of Natural Resources at CSU. Provides staffing for the Division of Forestry at DNR. State Office in Fort Collins; 4 Areas consisting of 19 field offices throughout Colorado.

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5 Bark Beetle Impacts in Colorado 3.4 million acres of pine forest impacted by mountain pine beetle since Another 1.78 million acres of Engelmann spruce impacted by spruce beetle. Tree mortality on roughly 20% of CO forestland in the past two decades.

6 Unhealthy Forests Increase Risks to Communities, Water Supplies Unnaturally dense, overcrowded forests are prone to insect infestations and can fuel large, destructive wildfires Post-fire erosion and runoff impacts drinking water, infrastructure, municipal costs, etc. Much of Colorado s wildland-urban interface (WUI) located in overly dense forests Dead/beetle-killed trees can affect fire behavior and tactics Forest management efforts that address insect concerns and overly dense forests increase public safety, improve forest health and protect water supplies Taking advantage of past forest management treatments can pay off in suppression efforts and reduce negative post-fire effects

7 What We Do Works: Fuels Treatments 2018 Buffalo Mountain Fire, Silverthorne: 10+ years of CSFS, USFS fuels treatments and mitigation work 1,400 evacuated homes Fuelbreaks offered safe and effective location to halt fire No homes lost Image: Summit Daily News

8 What We Do Works: Watershed Protection Longstanding relationships with water utilities to reduce wildfire risk and potential watershed impacts 30+ years of CSFS work with Denver Water, and ongoing agreement now focused on forest management on 50,000+ targeted acres

9 Colorado is the nation s water tower. Water from melting snowpack helps meet the needs of 19 states, including Colorado.

10 How We Are Effective Use science and GIS data to focus on areas of greatest impact/need Priority maps based on WUI populations, critical watersheds and forest health Updates to CO-WRAP (Colorado Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal) Incorporate latest science from CSU s Warner College and USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station Leverage funding sources Work with key partners

11 Partnerships Key to Success Water providers (e.g., Denver Water, Colorado Springs Utilities, Northern Water, Aurora Water) Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control Colorado Department of Natural Resources State Land Board Colorado Parks and Wildlife U.S. Forest Service (including through the Good Neighbor Authority, From Forests to Faucets)

12 Partnerships Key to Success Upper South Platte Partnership Protect key water supply in Strontia Springs Reservoir Partners include Denver Water, USDA Forest Service, American Forest Foundation, NRCS, Jefferson Conservation District, Coalition for the Upper South Platte

13 Challenges Approx million Colorado acres classified at moderate or higher risk for wildfire Approx. 1.2 million of these acres in the WUI Cost/acre for forest management/wildfire mitigation treatments is generally more than $1,500/acre 30% of Colorado forestlands privately owned How can CSFS mirror Colorado s population? 85% of Colorado s population is on the Front Range How do we keep them engaged with the importance of healthy forests?

14 Challenge Response Project Learning Tree As the Colorado s Forestry agency, connecting youth to natural resources is our job future generations From participants in 99 professional development workshops Colorado has 40 active PLT facilitators We need to continue to build on the significant work done by our just retired PLT Coordinator and develop new partnerships in youth education

15 Thank You! (970)