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Your Conservation District Forester can help you with your project by:
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Restoring your forest to its historic condition will make it more resilient to the threats of fire, insects and diseases. This resiliency will help preserve your forestland for future generations. In addition, your property value could increase and your insurance premiums could decrease based on the fact that you have actively mitigated fire threat to your trees and structures by creating a healthy stand of trees on your property.
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While the NRCS and Conservation District philosophy does not specifically address or guarantee the safety of your home in the event of a wildfire, restoring your forest to its historical structure may inherently provide wildland fire protection near and around your home because the forest itself will be resistant to the intense, destructive, and severe wildfires that we’ve seen on the Front Range over the last several years.
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Getting your neighbors involved is one of the best things we can do for our privately-owned forests. We can help an entire neighborhood apply for EQIP, enabling treatment to a much larger area of land and maximizing the benefits of a more resilient forest for many residents at a time.
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Depending on how dense your forest is, the volume of trees that need to be removed to achieve a healthy structure could be a few to many. Before we submit your EQIP application, you will have a chance to visit other properties where similar treatments have been done. This will give you a good idea of how your property will look after treatment and help you understand our goals. Since many of us have grown up with very dense forests, it can be surprising to see how open a Ponderosa Pine forest should be, based on historical research. Once we are in the middle of a treatment, if you choose not to continue, you will not receive your EQIP funding and you will be liable for all costs incurred by the project. Your District Forester will do their best to help you visualize the effect to your land before you enter an EQIP application to ensure you understand, and are excited for, the results of your project.
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Generally, since tree stands are so dense that a chainsaw crew could not manage the treatment efficiently, we utilize heavy ground-based equipment. Logs that can be marketed will be removed intact and will support the local lumber industry. Logs that are cut in pieces, branches, and slash can be dealt with in a variety of ways, which your Conservation Forester will help identify and outline in your treatment plan (i.e. firewood, mulch, etc.).
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Since improper logging practices can have long-term impacts on a landscape, we strive to address those potential impacts during the design phase of the project to minimize potential damage. If temporary roads and bridges were installed to facilitate logging equipment, they will be taken out and the area will be restored to as close to its original condition as possible immediately post-treatment. Most forest restoration projects will be paired with weed control treatments to mitigate invasive species that often follow ground disturbance. These treatments will be built into your conservation plan, and the cost-share funding will apply to these practices in addition to the forest improvement work.
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The timeline of your project depends on how large your treatment area is. Generally, we try to create plans that are achievable within 1-3 years. Your Conservation Forester can help provide you with an estimate of how much can be done per year based on the size of your land and the intensity of forest improvement work that is required to meet historical forest conditions.
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FCCD can guide you through the Natural Resources Conservation Service's cost-share program called the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). FCCD may also be able to apply for certain grants on your behalf to cover additional costs. Contact the FCCD or Fort Collins NRCS office for more information.
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The general eligibility requirement for EQIP are:
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Applications are ranked based on a number of factors including conservation benefits and cost effectiveness of the proposal. Factors such as this are given weights, and the calculation of your project's rank is done through an objective worksheet. Your NRCS District Conservationist will help with this portion of your application.
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EQIP pays a fixed amount for each project, so the total amount of coverage depends on many factors. Some projects will cost more for a logger than others, so FCCD will work with you to cover any short-falls in EQIP funds by applying for additional grant or partner dollars. However, there is no guarantee of 100% cost coverage.
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