The Issues

Since the mid-1800's, human influence on the land has resulted in forests that are very different than those prior to settlement. In general, tree densities have increased and forests have become more uniform in age, species type, and structure (less variation including meadows, streams, etc.). As a result, diversity in forest ecosystems has declined over time. Since wildlife species require a variety of habitat types to thrive, forest structural diversity is critical to the success of wildlife populations. Disturbances such as pests, diseases, and fires can destroy an entire forest when the trees do not reflect historical conditions. In addition, our highly dense forests lead to intense wildfires that travel far and wide, impacting human lives.

Our Solutions
The Fort Collins Conservation District strives to restore forests to their historical state prior to human influence. Restoring our forests to a condition that is more representative of how they were structured over 100 years ago, our forested land will have a higher degree of resilience to wildfire, pests and diseases, and severe weather events. When creating a Forest Conservation Plan, we consider all of these ecosystem services to ensure we’re providing an all-inclusive and ecology-based conservation plan.

Contact us to learn more about how we can help you conserve your forest resources!
A video about our most recent forest restoration project at Shambhala Mountain Center:

Our partner organization, the Big Thompson Conservation District's Forest Restoration Project on MacGregor Ranch - Estes Park, CO:

Informational Slideshow:

Why have wildfires gotten worse? 
Copyright © 2015