Today’s forest health outreach update covers the following topics:
* Forestry Tip of the Day: Help Us Design Forestry Programs that Meet Your Needs
* Announcement: Nederland and Allenspark Community Forestry Sort Yards to Open in May
* Now Recruiting Volunteer Sort Yard Hosts – We need your help! 

*Forestry Tip of the Day: Help Us Design Forestry Programs that Meet Your Needs 
Forestry Tip of the Day: We are currently planning our spring calendar of forestry outreach events and would like your input on programming content. Please let us know about specific topics you would like to see offered at future trainings. For instance are you interested in learning about basic tree identification? How about ponderosa pine restoration? Or aspen enhancement? Stay in touch and let us know how we can improve the effectiveness of our programs.

Forest Health Outreach Community Meetings: Did you know our Forest Health Outreach Program is available to work with HOAs, Fire Protection Districts, and individual neighborhoods to set up local community forestry trainings? Just give us a call to schedule a date. We will customize the program content and date to meet your community’s needs.

Firewise Landscaping Workshop in Nederland: We are hosting a free “Firewise Landscaping workshop” at the Nederland Community Center on Saturday, May 11 from 9 a.m to 12:30 p.m. Program Description: Defensible space does not mean moonscape: Learn how to transform your home’s perimeter into an area that you can not only use, but looks good and helps protect your home from wildfires.  This workshop is being offered in partnership by Boulder County, Colorado State Forest Service, CSU Extensions in Gilpin County and the US Forest Service.

We need your photos! Does your home have fun and attractive examples of d-space incorporating patio design and pathways? If yes, we would like to share and highlight your hard work at our Firewise Landscaping workshop. Please email us photos of your beautiful and fire-resistant outdoor spaces!

Why is this important?  Boulder County strongly believes that a key to helping mitigate the problems that face our forests is having a knowledgeable, well-educated population that understands the ecology that drives our local forests. We want to empower and encourage all forest landowners to be active stewards of their disturbance-driven forests.

*Announcement: Nederland and Allenspark Community Forestry Sort Yards to Open in May
We are pleased to announce the Community Forestry Sort Yard operating schedule for 2013. Two sort yard locations are open each summer to provide residents a free of charge location to dispose of logs and slash cut from their land.

Allenspark/Meeker Park Sort Yard 
8200 Hwy 7, Allenspark

• Spring hours: Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 24^th thru June 15^th
• Summer/Fall hours: Tuesday thru Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 30^th thru Oct. 19^th

Nederland Area Sort Yard
291 Ridge Road, Nederland

• Spring hours: Tuesday thru Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 1^st thru July 6^th (closed July 4^th)
• Summer/Fall hours: Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 20^th thru Oct. 12^th (these dates are tentative)

As a reminder the sort yards do not accept yard clippings, raked up pine needles, root balls, construction materials, dirt, furniture, household trash or wood with metal in it. Sort yard staff will refuse loads that contain unacceptable items. The Community Forestry Sort Yards may have additional closures during the open season due to weather, staff training or other administrative requirements. To check the operational status of a sort yard please call 303-678-6368.

*Now Recruiting Volunteer Sort Yard Hosts – We need your help!
Boulder County is seeking individuals who are interested in volunteering as a Sort Yard Host at the Allenspark and Nederland sites. Volunteers help make sure that sort yards continue to be a local hub of community-based forestry information.

Volunteer Sort Yard Hosts will greet people as they enter the yard, collect data on the material they are delivering, and provide information about forest ecology, bark beetles, and wildfire mitigation. Volunteers will not be responsible for helping unload materials. We are looking for volunteers who can commit to 4 hour shifts and 15 hours per month.

Application deadline for the Meeker Park Sort Yard is May 10th. Application deadline for the Nederland Sort Yard is April 19th. For more information and an application, contact Shane Milne at 303-678-6089 or smilne@nullbouldercounty.org.

Cheers,
Ryan

Ryan Ludlow | Forestry Education & Outreach Coordinator 
Boulder County | Land Use Department
O: 720.564.2641 | F: 303.441.4856
rludlow@nullbouldercounty.org | www.bouldercounty.org/ForestHealth
*Please visit our website to sign-up to receive emails about forestry workshops, community meetings, bark beetle management tips and more!