Colorado Statewide Forest Resource Assessment

Map 25 – Important Habitat for Economically Significant SpeciesThe resulting layer shows 1.2 million forested acres that are of high and veryhigh importance to economically signifi cant wildlife species. Of these acres,the majority are in piñon-juniper, ponderosa pine and aspen forests. Privatelandowners control a slight majority of these acres (488,951 or 40 percent),followed by the USFS (440,169 or 37 percent).When combined with data showing areas projected to be signifi cantlyimpacted by future human development and modifi cation, the resulting layerreveals 391,023 acres of priority habitat for economically important wildlifespecies that is highly threatened by fragmentation.Forest Type Low Moderate High Very High TotalSpruce-Fir 2,079,709 559,400 77,744 928 2,717,782Lodgepole 839,315 364,578 90,789 1,884 4,014,347Aspen 2,062,317 996,044 171,876 10,003 4,536,806Mixed Conifer 654,052 500,664 135,122 13,080 4,543,159Ponderosa Pine 828,932 608,156 241,289 36,087 3,017,383Montane Riparian 341,929 199,741 48,211 5,104 2,309,448Piñon-Juniper 1,755,310 1,303,690 289,734 42,631 3,986,349Oak Shrubland 901,184 413,702 66,843 4,221 4,777,314Plains Riparian 82,105 13,348 3,431 23 1,484,858Introduced Riparian 33,997 16,118 2,272 59 151,353Total 9,578,850 4,975,441 1,127,310 114,021 15,795,622Table 25a – Habitat for Economically Important Species byForest Type (acres)60