The San Juan National Forest will receive funding to improve forest health and resiliency and decrease threats of wildfire and beetle infestation on public lands adjacent to private property.
Mechanical-thinning and prescribed-fire projects will be undertaken through partnerships with the Natural Resource Conservation Service, state of Colorado and local communities.
The Pagosa Ranger District will receive $920,000 from the Joint Chiefs’ Landscape Restoration Partnership for fuels reduction next to several subdivisions south of Pagosa Springs. Private contractors will thin 1,400 acres, while larger trees will be harvested on 500 acres.
The Pagosa District will receive an additional $515,000 for two Archuleta County projects to restore watersheds and treat hazardous fuels in the San Juan-Chama and Rio Grande watersheds. Private contractors will mechanically thin 600 acres adjacent to subdivisions near Pagosa Springs. Prescribed fire will be reintroduced in the Turkey Springs/Brockover Mesa area on 1,000 acres to protect subdivisions near the most densely populated section of Archuleta County.
Another $350,000 will go toward prescribed fire to reduce hazardous fuels, protect communities and improve habitat and watershed conditions on 5,000 acres across the San Juan National Forest. On the Columbine Ranger District, prescribed fire will be reintroduced on 2,500 acres adjacent to the Deer Valley and Sauls Creek subdivisions east of Bayfield. On the Dolores Ranger District, prescribed fire will be used to treat 2,500 acres along the Dolores River Canyon. Local partners include the Dolores Watershed and Resilient Forests Partnership.
For more information, call Travis Bruch at 385-1317 or email tbruch@fs.fed.us.
