Lory State Park Forest Management Project

 
 

Project Background

The Colorado Parks and Wildlife forest management plan for Lory State Park helped to identify high priorities within the park for forest restoration and wildfire risk reduction. This area of the Poudre River Watershed is of high value due to its proximity to values such as Horsetooth Reservoir and neighboring communities within the wildland-urban interface (WUI) zone. This project builds on past and planned fuel mitigation work at Lory State Park and Horsetooth Mountain Open Space.

Methods for the fuel treatment are chosen to have the least impact to the ecology and the aesthetics of the park. These projects should also improve resistance to insects and diseases in these forests.

Partners

 

Project Goals

  • Reduce forest density and hazardous fuels

  • Restore forest structure and composition

  • Enhance wildlife habitat

  • Protect water quality

  • Provide opportunities for demonstration and outreach to the community

Total Acres Treated: 146

Completion Date

September 2019

lory-state-park-forest-health-project.jpg
Lory 2.jpeg
Lory 5.jpeg

Long-Term Benefits

These fuel treatments will result in a varied, open ponderosa pine and Douglas-fi r woodland that will have an increased resistance to catastrophic wildfi re, insects, and diseases. There will be a greater variety of tree ages and forest stand densities than is currently seen. The new generation of trees will be able to grow with fewer dwarf mistletoe infestations and replace aging trees.