Hello COSA community,
We have several opportunities for engagement in forest restoration and fire mitigation planning coming up, and we are hoping to have representation from many community members.
If you want to have a voice in whether and where forest restoration/fire mitigation occurs on Forest Service Lands, engaging in public comment periods for proposed management actions is a great way to start. It’s absolutely critical to this process to have broad public engagement during the comment period. Come join us on June 2nd to learn how to get involved!
The U.S. Forest Service is planning forest management actions in the St. Vrain watershed and is currently going through the NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) process. As part of this process, there is a public comment period. The Watershed Center will be holding a webinar and Q&A to provide community members with an opportunity to learn about what is being proposed and how to comment on that proposal. Please learn more about this NEPA at our Story Map. Public land management is a collaborative effort with YOU! Please get engaged using the resources below:
- May 24th, 2022 – Materials available for review here: fs.usda.gov/goto/StVrain
- June 2nd, 2022 – Informational webinar hosted by the Partnership: https://calendly.com/watershedcenter/st-vrain-forest-health-project-nepa-webinar. To submit questions ahead of the webinar: https://forms.gle/rtwYv9Rp2VsvRX4A7
- June 8th, 2022 to July 8th, 2022 – Public comment period is open. Comments must be submitted within this time period to be officially considered: US Forest Service NEPA Projects Home (usda.gov)
We also have several other upcoming opportunities for engagement:
Antelope Project Forest Health Tour
Wednesday, June 1st, 4:30-7pm with City of Longmont, Colorado State Forest Service and Boulder County. Come take a guided tour with City of Longmont, Colorado State Forest Service, and Boulder County to learn about the Antelope Park forest restoration project being implemented this summer at Button Rock! We will meet at Sandstone Park in Lyons and carpool in vans to get closer to the project site.
Community Planning Meetings across the Watershed
Please join us for a community conversation about forest health and fire mitigation! Participation from land owners, managers, and community residents is vital to this work, and we want to hear from you about what community members envision for the forests that surround your neighborhoods. We were thrilled to host ~90 people from the Allenspark and Meeker Park communities a few weeks ago, where we heard some incredibly useful insights, values, and priorities for forest management that we will incorporate into our planning efforts. We will be hosting meetings throughout the summer for the communities listed below. All meetings will take place from 5:30-7:30. Click the registration link below to learn more.
- Button Rock, Lyons, and Conifer Hill neighborhood- June 7th
- Tahosa Valley/Big Owl/Cabin Creek- July 12th
- Raymond/Riverside/Peaceful Valley- July 19th
- Olde Stage Rd/Lee Hill/Left Hand Canyon- August 9th
- Pinewood Springs and Big Elk- August 18th
Register here for your community meeting: Calendly – Left Hand Watershed Center
Webinar: June 22, 5:30-7:00pm with Wildfire Partners, the Watershed Center, and Boulder Valley Longmont Conservation District
In this evening talk on Zoom, we will provide an overview of some general forest ecology principles, the legacy of fire suppression and changes in the forest that have occurred, and the desired future conditions ecologists see for our forests. We will also discuss the current work that is occurring in the St. Vrain Watershed across many partners and communities to respond to forest management needs across boundaries. Lastly, Wildfire Partners, a resource for homeowners in Boulder County, will provide an overview of defensible space principles, and resources available to home/landowners.
Forest Forensics Field Trip (with Boulder County Nature Association)
Field class: June 25, 9am – 12pm with St. Vrain Forest Health Partnership, Left Hand Watershed Center, and Jonas Feinstein (NRCS)
On this forest forensics field trip, we will talk about how ecologists and foresters use on-the-ground observations and historical data to understand what a “healthy forest” should look like in a given location. Participants will walk away with more knowledge of how to get a glance into the past and desired future conditions of the forest through observations. This includes observations of old tree stumps, productivity gradients (soil moisture gradients and associated plant productivity), and topography. We hope you’ll join us to get one step closer to being a “forest detective”!
Thanks so much, hope to connect with you all at some of these events! Feel free to reach out to me at cforrester@watershed.center with any questions.
Thanks,
Chiara