Forest Restoration in Action
The Eagle Ridge project is a 130 acre forest restoration project North of Lyons, Colorado. The forest at Eagle Ridge had been densely stocked with interlocking canopies consisting of small, suppressed, pole-sized Ponderosa surrounding large diameter trees. A forest inventory and analysis has shown if wildfire should reach Eagle Ridge, it will result in a high severity and tree mortality with potential to damage local water supplies, infrastructure, and surrounding forest. Now that tree removal and fuel reduction has been completed, fire behavior is projected to be easier and safer for wildland firefighters to manage.
Timeline /Update - Foresters in partnership landowners and Boulder County, selected Markit Forestry, https://www.markitforestry.com for the project which began Summer, 2023. Logging was completed by the end of the year with replanting and spot noxious weed control underway currently.
Forest Management Plan
This 68 page plan was prepared in 2022 at the request of property owners by the Boulder/Longmont Conservation District in partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the American Forest Foundation.
logging
After one year of planning, tree are felled using a “hotsaw” which cuts, pivots, and stacks bunches of whole trees as shown in this video.
skidding
“Skidding” is the second step in logging operations.
de-limbing logs and poles with slash being piled-up for grinding
chipping and hauling off-site for restoring local quarries
Recognition
The Colorado Association of Conservation Districts recognized the Eagle Ridge project with its Conservationist of the Year award.
Forestoration
Talking about forest restoration in general and the Eagle Ridge Restoration project in Boulder County, Colorado, in particular.
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