2022 Chief's Award - Post-Fire Collaborative Recovery & Assessment Team

The Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed (CPRW) is part of a collaborative effort that recently received the 2022 Chief's Award for the group's efforts in creating a successful model of shared stewardship in postfire recovery.

In 2020, confronted by the two largest wildfires in Colorado history (the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome Fires), the forest convened stakeholders to form the Post-Fire Collaborative Assessment and Recovery Team. The team identified information needs, lines of communications, organizational structure, roles and responsibilities, and critical steps to prepare for postfire recovery. Subgroups collaborated in areas such as water recovery, community recovery, and public and environmental health. As the fires grew in size and new fires broke out, the model was replicated in three Colorado counties, with leadership passing from the Forest Service to partners. The teams were able to share capacity while planning for and carrying out activities for postfire recovery. Their partnership resulted in the Forest Service’s first Post-Fire Recovery Playbook.

UNITS: Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland

PARTNERS: Larimer County, Boulder County, and Grand County, CO; Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed; Northern Water; Big Thompson Watershed Coalition; Natural Resources Conservation Service; City of Greeley, CO; Left Hand Watershed Center

TEAM MEMBERS: Monte Williams, Lori Hodges, Therese Glowacki, Katherine Morris, Hally Strevey, Esther Vincent, Laura Quattrini, Clint Evans, Sean Chambers, Jessie Olson, Robert Skorkowsky, Max Forgensi, Kevin McLaughlin, Katie Donahue, Angie Gee

Learn more about the award at www.fs.usda.gov/inside-fs/recognition/chiefs-honor-awards-recognize-employee-excellence-delivering-agencys-mission