forest projects
Protecting the Estes valley from forest fires through outreach and mitigation
Cold Fire Partnership
EVWC is excited to partner with the Coalition for the Upper South Platte (CUSP) and Coalitions & Collaboratives (COCO) to mulch and inoculate chipped slash piles on a private property. The Cold Fire Project uses locally harvested mushrooms to innoculate and break down woody biomass. This project will also support community outreach efforts about biomass removal in Estes Valley. Read more about the Cold Fire Project and process.
Completion Date: Q4 2026
Phase I: Partnership outreach
Phase II: Mulch and innoculate chipped piles
Phase III: Community Outreach
Thunder Mountain Fuel Reduction Project
The goal of this project is to reduce the risk of wildfire. This will not only help protect the Estes community, waterways and water supply of the Estes Valley and the Colorado Front Range, it will address an area that has a high susceptibility to wildfire and potential impacts the water supply infrastructure. This project will also connect and expand on mitigation work that has been or is planned for Rocky Mountain National Park.
Fuel reduction and mitigation is planned to start mid-2024.
Completion Date: Estimated 4Q 2026
Phase I: Identification of High-risk Treatment Areas (In Progress)
Phase II: Forest Inventory
Phase III: Analysis & Final Recommendation Report
Phase IV: Treatment
EVWC Fuel reduction event
The Estes Valley Watershed Coalition (EVWC) is partnering with WM for a fifth year of providing 30-yard roll-off containers for slash, pinecones, and pine needle disposal. In 2023, this partnership helped remove about 110 tons (or 220,000 lbs) of slash, pinecones, and pine needles across 280 properties.
Round 1 Applications: April 1st - May 15th
Round 2 Applications: June 1st - June 30th
Completion Date: 4Q2024
EVWC has also partnered with the Town of Estes Park to offer a community pine cone/pine needle drop off day on Sunday, September 22nd from 9 AM- 12 PM. The limit will be 6 bags per car and you can click here to read more details.
EVWC and WM will work with properties in the Estes Valley to help remove slash and pinecones/pine needles during 2024.
ACCESS ROUND 1 APPLICATION HERE
Thanks to our Supporters:
Estes Valley Fire Protection District, Northern Water, and Waste Management
Northern Colorado Fireshed Collaborative
EVWC’s goal is to address wildfire risk through cross-boundary forest and fire management across northern Colorado’s Front Range. Building and engaging a network of organizations to collaboratively identify strategic areas and plan Fireshed efforts, EVWC will increase agency, community, and private landowner understanding of, and support for, active wildland fire risk management activities at the landscape-scale.
To read more about the NCFC click here.
Completion Date: Ongoing collaborative project.
Marys Lake Forest Health
The goal of this project is fire mitigation. Because our goal is to protect the waterways and water supply of the Estes Valley and the Colorado Front Range, we need to address an area that has a high susceptibility to wildfire and directly impacts the water supply. By reducing the fire fuel load in a forest, any wildfire is more easily contained and the amount of ash and other debris that flows into the water supply is reduced.
Completion Date: Estimated 4Q2024
Phase I: Identification of High-risk Fuels (Completed)
Phase II: Forest Inventory (Completed)
Phase III: Analysis & Final Recommendation Report (Completed)
Phase IV: Treatment (partially completed 4Q2023)
“Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much” – Helen Keller.
We rely on community involvement and support to ensure the continued success of our projects. Most of the grant funding we receive requires a small percentage of matching funds raised from individuals, meaning that even a modest donation can have a big impact on our valley. You can help to sustain our efforts by donating using the link below.