Keeping
Our Forests Healthy
Timely and reliable information
for all Colorado forest landowners
Last Updated January 27, 2017
Quick Quiz - What is this disease?
Click here for the answer.
****SPECIAL NOTICE***
Colorado's 2016
Tree Farmers of the Year
Colorado's 2016
Logger of the Year
Norwegians have fun in the forest
contributed by
R. Walter
"My ancestry is Norwegian and my grandfather was a lumberjack. I have ... envied those of my neighbors who split by hand. Reading this increased my envy."
R. Walter
____________
ATFS Standards of Sustainability 2015-2020
Periodically, the American Tree Farm System® Standards of Sustainability undergo review through an open, transparent process to ensure appropriate incorporation of public input, emerging developments in the forest management arena and to promote continuous improvement of the ATFS program and stewardship on America's family woodlands. In 2014, ATFS revised the Standards of Sustainability.
See the sections below for more information
View the Standards
Standards Setting Process
_______________________________
Colorado's Best Management Practices
Colorado’s forest lands provide aesthetic value, clean water, abundant wildlife, minerals, recreation and renewable resources such as forage and timber, and forest-related jobs. This publication is dedicated to the stewardship of those resources – especially clean water. It outlines Best Management Practices (BMPs) for the protection of natural resources. These BMPs apply to all forest management activities, including product harvests, fuels mitigation projects and forest health treatments
________________________________
FOREST CONDITION ASSESSMENT
Developed by Jennifer Cook
Colorado State University Extension http://www.ext.colostate.edu/
A healthy sustainable forest with minimal damage from insects and disease (such as mountain pine beetle or mistletoe) will include, but is not limited to, diverse wildlife populations, native understory plants, and conditions that reflect natural succession. The age, distribution, and number of trees per acre on your property will differ depending upon the forest type, slope, aspect, elevation, soil type, precipitation, temperature, tree species, and your land use objectives
You likely have a primary use planned for your forest which will guide your overall management activities. This worksheet will help you ensure that the vegetation and ecosystems on your forest land serve the land uses you have identified. It will also help minimize unintended consequences from improper management.
see the Worksheet
_____________________________
Be Prepared!
See the new Colorado Tree Farmer’s YouTube channel!
Wildfire!
If you're trying to prepare for the upcoming fire season, you'll want to watch the interview with Linda Masterson, author of "Surviving Wildfire." Linda is a Tree Farmer who lost her home in a wildfire tells us what she wishes she had done to be better prepared.
Linda's book has quickly become a must have handbook for all residents in the wildland/urban interface. For a small donation colorado's Tree Farmers will send you a copy.
See Linda Masterson Interview.
Donate and get the book as a free gift.
(Simply go to our Donation Page.)
___________________________
The Power of Community
If you are already collaborating with your neighbors to improve forest health or have discovered a method to more effectively reduce the damage that is being done to our forests, please let us know. We can help you tell your story with video. Better yet produce a video of your own highlighting your efforts.
See:The Power of Community Collaboration
We’ll be adding videos of inspirational stories like this to
our YouTube channel as quickly as they can be produced.
If you don’t know where to start making videos ask your grandchildren for help. Many high schools offer classes on video production, and tens of thousands of young people are already producing amazingly sophisticated videos every day.
Letting your grandchildren teach you a new skill would be a terrific way to get them interested in active forest management. You’ll all enjoy the experience and you may produce a video that could inspire others to begin actively managing their forest.
Visit the Colorado Tree Farmer YouTube channel for some ideas for stories.
_______________________________
Major Forest Threats
Links to the latest, most practical, and most up to date information on continuing spread of the mountain pine beetle and the increased danger and cost of larger and more intense wildfire that may result.
Visit our Major forest Threats page for more information.