Colorado Statewide Forest Resource Assessment

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Forest Type Low Moderate High Very High TotalSpruce-Fir 519,602 1,526,558 1,358,911 1,004,218 4,409,289Lodgepole 233,352 340,973 430,058 577,318 1,581,701Aspen 860,915 1,107,401 1,216,205 1,012,802 4,197,323Mixed Conifer 343,178 363,601 371,825 290,146 1,368,751Ponderosa Pine 546,789 367,818 391,566 365,069 1,671,242Montane Riparian 177,760 117,011 204,689 217,211 716,671Piñon-Juniper 760,013 947,362 1,038,715 895,362 3,641,452Oak Shrubland 528,863 342,902 288,806 208,470 1,369,041Plains Riparian 62,704 3,111 5,339 8,369 79,524Introduced Riparian 32,674 5,403 9,104 13,436 60,617Total 4,065,850 5,122,140 5,315,219 4,592,401 19,095,610Table 27a – Density of Recreation Opportunity by Forest Type (acres)Owner Low Moderate High Very High TotalUSFS 653,229 3,464,773 3,826,417 3,348,742 11,293,161BLM 305,500 1,564,022 1,376,019 1,000,044 4,245,586NPS 41,549 47,199 86,838 212,727 388,313USFWS 10,661 72 185 21 10,939DOD 1,784 33 3 - 1,820Federal-Other 6,285 443 648 553 7,929State 355,860 4,797 2,933 15,507 379,097Tribal 11,672 131 46 16 11,864Local Govt. 117,746 5,917 5,133 5,515 134,311Private 2,555,472 34,634 16,966 9,258 2,616,330Total 4,059,760 5,122,019 5,315,187 4,592,384 19,089,350Table 27b – Density of Recreation Opportunity by Ownership (acres)Data Gaps• Need consistent data on forest-based recreation facilities and relatedopportunities for all ownerships in the state.• Need consistent data on visitor use, particularly from public agenciesand private industry, for forest-based recreation facilities and relatedopportunities on all ownerships in the state.Connect People to Trees and Forests through Engagement inCommunity-Based Environmental StewardshipOverview: Trees and forests provide much more than beauty and shade toColorado’s cities and towns; they also help improve public health, enhanceenvironmental quality and promote economic sustainability (Alexander). 46Researchers have found that trees in urban and suburban environments canpromote feelings of relaxation and well-being, improve relationships betweenneighbors, reduce noise pollution and speed recovery from illness. Strategicplanting and maintenance of trees also can slow stormwater runoff, reduce airpollution, sequester carbon and trim energy use, all of which provide much46Much of the information contained in this paragraph is adapted from the Colorado Tree Coalition (CTC) website atwww.coloradotrees.org.64
needed cost-savings to local governments. Community trees and forestsprovide food and cover for myriad birds, squirrels, bats, butterfl ies and otheranimals, and they often serve as critical corridors that enable wildlife to safelynavigate through developed areas. Trees also support local economies byattracting businesses and tourists, increasing real estate values, improvingworker productivity and reducing energy and maintenance costs.Because of their ability to reduce the environmental impacts of urban growthand improve quality of life, many believe that trees and forests should beconsidered an essential part of the community’s infrastructure – its green infrastructure.A number of efforts are underway to help towns and cities quantifythese benefi ts so they can plan for the use and maintenance of trees andforests over the long-term, as they do other infrastructure components. A 2001examination of the Denver metropolitan area and northern Front Range foundthat trees provide $3.2 million in annual stormwater management services,facilitate $4.5 million in residential summer energy savings and mitigate 2.2million pounds of pollutants at a value of $5.3 million per year. Unfortunately,no similar studies are available to quantify this value for the entire state.One way communities can increase the benefi ts they receive from their treeand forest resources is by hiring or contracting with trained foresters and/orarborists to assist decision-makers in strategically planting and maintainingcommunity trees. In Colorado, very few communities possess this kind ofexpertise on staff, nor is it available through private contract; the majorityof communities with this capacity exist in the larger metropolitan cities andtowns. The CSFS and its partners offer both technical and fi nancial assistanceprograms to help communities plan and care for their trees and forests. 47Many of the state’s communities are projected to grow signifi cantly by 2030,so it is important that more communities take advantage of these resourcesto ensure that they are as prepared as possible to mitigate the environmental,social and economic impacts of urban development and growth.Analysis: To assist the CSFS and its partners in focusing available resourceson the communities most in need, subject-matter experts from the CSFS andUSFS developed a data layer highlighting Community Forestry OpportunityAreas. The U.S. Geological Survey’s Night Lights data set for Coloradowas used to identify urban and suburban areas, as well as the communityinfl uence zone that surrounds and impacts the health and sustainability of thecommunities in those areas. The foundation then was overlaid with data onprojected housing change between 2000 and 2030 to identify communitiesthat are likely to experience signifi cant growth. This combined layer thenwas analyzed with a mask indicating which communities currently have paidforestry expertise on staff.47For more information on CSFS programs for urban and community forestry, please see the agency’s website athttp://csfs.colostate.edu/pages/urban-community-forestry.html.65
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Colorado Statewide ForestResource A
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Table of ContentsI. Executive Summa
Page 6 and 7:
II.BackgroundThe Colorado Statewide
Page 8 and 9:
National Guidance for Statewide For
Page 10 and 11:
III. Overview of Colorado’s Fores
Page 12 and 13:
Spruce-Fir 9Spruce-fi r is among th
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Mixed Conifer 14The mixed conifer f
Page 16 and 17:
Oak ShrublandsOak shrublands cover
Page 18 and 19: Windbreaks, shelterbelts and their
Page 20 and 21: Owner Spruce-Fir Lodgepole Aspen Mi
Page 22 and 23: forest management costs per acre ha
Page 24 and 25: include standard ownership data and
Page 26 and 27: The second metric is an estimate of
Page 28 and 29: Map 4 - Colorado Forest Legacy Area
Page 30 and 31: NATIONAL THEME: Protect Forests fro
Page 32 and 33: Map 7 - Wildland Fire Susceptibilit
Page 34 and 35: Map 8 - Wildland Fire Intensity Ind
Page 36 and 37: ot (CSFS 2001 and 2002). Some insec
Page 38 and 39: Map 10 - Insect and Disease Mitigat
Page 40 and 41: is legally mandated, as well as dal
Page 42 and 43: change, including species extinctio
Page 44 and 45: transport of materi als that can ad
Page 46 and 47: Map 15 - Post-Fire Erosion RiskMap
Page 48 and 49: environment, many homes and other s
Page 50 and 51: Owner 0.5 mile 1 mile 2 mile TotalU
Page 52 and 53: Map 18 - Wildland-Urban Interface w
Page 54 and 55: Map 20 - Wildland-Urban Interface w
Page 56 and 57: They also are important partners in
Page 58 and 59: Forest TypeAcres for Wood Products
Page 60 and 61: of fragmentation to help forest man
Page 62 and 63: Forest Type Low Moderate High Very
Page 64 and 65: Map 25 - Important Habitat for Econ
Page 66 and 67: ACRESImp. Habitat for Econ.Imp. Spe
Page 70 and 71: Map 28 - Community Forestry Opportu
Page 72 and 73: Enhance Public Benefits from Trees
Page 78 and 79: VI. ReferencesAlexander, K. [Intern
Page 80 and 81: Neely, B., Comer, P., Moritz, C., L
Page 82 and 83: VII. Statewide Assessment Steering
Page 84 and 85: APPENDIX A - Colorado Statewide For
Page 86 and 87: • Identify and conserve high prio
Page 88 and 89: assessments and resource strategies
Page 90 and 91: National Theme: Protect Forests fro
Page 92 and 93: Protect, conserve, and enhance wild
Page 94: States are encouraged to draw from
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Colorado Statewide Forest Resource Assessment

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