Forest Stewardship Tip of the Day: Bring us your slash and logs!

Both of our Community Forestry Sort Yards are open (on a limited basis) for slash and log collection. The fall is one of the best times of year to be out in the woods cutting and we highly recommend you haul your cut material to one of our sort yards. Right now is a good time to cut beetle infested trees, improve your homes defensible space and make your backyard forest healthier.

If you aren’t sure where to begin or have questions about forest management please feel free to give us a call or email! We can even set up a time for an outreach forester to visit your backyard forest to help evaluate the types of action you can take on the ground. 

The south county Nederland area sort yard is open on Fridays and Saturdays for the rest of October from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This week is the final days of operation of the north county Allenspark area sort yard site. It will close for the season at 5 p.m. on Saturday Oct. 15.  For complete details about our Community Forestry Sort Yard Program please visit www.BoulderCounty.org/ForestHealth.

October Wildfire Awareness Month: This weeks events!

Events this Week: October Wildfire Awareness Month! Visit www.BoulderCountyCWPP.org for a complete list of events and activities! 

What: Fire Aviation Operations Presentation
When: TONIGHT Wednesday, Oct. 12, 7-8:30 p.m.
Where: Boulder County Courthouse, 1325 Pearl St., Commissioners’ Hearing Room, 3rd Floor
*Please note that the location for the fire aviation operations presentation has been moved. It now will be held at the Boulder County Courthouse.

The presentation will teach about the types of aircraft used for fire aviation, their capabilities and limitations, Colorado’s current aviation program, where these aircraft come from, who flies them, and what it takes to become a firefighting pilot. A question and answer session will follow the presentation. For more information, contact Dave Zader at 303-441-4353 or zaderd@nullbouldercolorado.gov. Dave is the Fire Management Officer for the Wildland Division of the City of Boulder Fire Department.

What: Volunteer Forestry Project: Restoration and Reseeding
When: Sat. Oct. 15th, 2011 – 9am – 1pm
Where: Reynolds Ranch Open Space
For more info and registration visit: http://www.bouldercounty.org/apply/volunteer/pages/jobdetails.aspx?jobID=115

What: Fire on the Mountain: One Year after the Fourmile Canyon, Fire Ecology Hike 
When: Sun. Oct. 16th, 2011; 10 a.m. – noon
(a moderate one mile hike)
Where: Location will be announced after registration – Register at 303.678.6214

You are invited to a Fourmile Fire Assessment Open House this Friday!

Just days after the Fourmile Fire began in September 2010, Sen. Mark Udall requested a study of the fire similar to the one he requested after the Hayman Fire in 2002.The preliminary findings of that study will be presented to Boulder County residents and any interested members of the public at an open house this Friday afternoon in Boulder.

What: Public open house to discuss findings presented in the preliminary report of the Fourmile Canyon Fire Assessment
When: Friday, Oct. 14, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. A presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer session with the assessment researchers
Where: Commissioners’ Hearing Room, Boulder County Courthouse, third floor, 1325 Pearl St., Boulder
*Light refreshments will be provided.

Researches will be available to answer specific questions regarding the report and representatives from Sen. Udall’s office, Boulder County, the U.S. Forest Service, Colorado State Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management will also be available.

Background: USFS agencies collaborated with the CSFS and assembled a team to conduct the study in December 2010. The study was led by scientists with the USFS’ Rocky Mountain Research Station.
Issues on which the study focuses include the:

•                      Existing on-the-ground conditions and how they influenced fire behavior

•                      Success or failure of specific aspects of firefighting activities

•                      Factors that influenced how and why structures burned

•                      Existing science related to restoration and protocols in place to learn about recovery.

Cheers,
Ryan
Ryan Ludlow | Forestry Education & Outreach Coordinator 
Boulder County | Land Use Department
P.O. Box 471, Boulder CO 80306
O: 720.564.2641 | F: 303.441.4856
rludlow@nullbouldercounty.org | www.bouldercounty.org/ForestHealth