forest projects

Cold Fire Partnership

EVWC is excited to partner with the Coalition for the Upper South Platte (CUSP) and Coalitions & Collaboratives (COCO) to mulch and inoculate chipped slash piles on a private property. The Cold Fire Project uses locally harvested mushrooms to innoculate and break down woody biomass. This project will also support community outreach efforts about biomass removal in Estes Valley. EVWC is partnering with another group to inoculate additional chipped piles in 2025. If you are interested in this biomass disposal method you can click here to read more about the Cold Fire Project and process.

Completion Date: Q4 2026

Phase I: Partnership outreach (Ongoing)

Phase II: Mulch and inoculate chipped piles (Inoculation scheduled for Spring 2025).

Phase III: Community Outreach (Ongoing)

Thunder Mountain Fuel Reduction Project

The goal of this project is to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire. This will not only reduce wildfire impacts to the Estes community, but also the waterways and water supply of the Estes Valley and the Colorado Front Range. This project will also connect and amplify mitigation work that has been or is planned for Rocky Mountain National Park.

Currently the project is in Phase IV and has started hand thinning in the forested areas. 

Completion Date: Estimated 4Q 2030

Phase I: Identification of High-risk Treatment Areas (Completed)

Phase II: Forest Inventory (Completed)

Phase III: Analysis & Final Recommendation Report (Completed)

Phase IV: Treatment (Ongoing)

EVWC Community Wildfire mitigation project

The Estes Valley Watershed Coalition (EVWC) is partnering with EVFPD, WM, and NW for a sixth year of providing 30-yard roll-off containers for slash, pinecones, and pine needle disposal. Between 2020 and 2024, this collaboration has helped remove over 770,000 lbs of slash, pinecones, and pine needles across the Estes Valley. 

Round 1 Applications: April 1st - May 15th

Round 2 Applications: June 1st - June 30th

Click here to read more about guidelines & suggestions.

Completion Date: 4Q2025

EVWC will again partnered with the Town of Estes Park and the Estes Valley Fire Protection District to offer a community pine cone/pine needle drop off day on September 20, 2025. More details to come!

2025 ROUND 1 APPLICATION OPEN APRIL 1.

Thanks to our Supporters:

Estes Valley Fire Protection District, Northern Water, and Waste Management

Marys Lake Forest Health

The goal of this project is wildfire mitigation to help reduce wildfire impacts to the community and the waterways/water supply of the Estes Valley and the Colorado Front Range. The project is in a steep area that is difficult to access, and has a high susceptibility to wildfire that would directly impact the CB-T water supply. This project will also connect and amplify mitigation work that is an ongoing effort by the Town of Estes Park and the Bureau of Reclamation around Marys Lake.

Completion Date: Estimated 4Q2025

Phase I: Identification of High-risk Fuels (Completed)

Phase II: Forest Inventory (Completed)

Phase III: Analysis & Final Recommendation Report (Completed)

Phase IV: Treatment (partially completed 4Q2024)

Estes Valley High Priority Mitigation Efforts

The goal of this project is to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and wildfire impacts to the Estes Valley. In collaboration with the Estes Valley Fire Protection District, EVWC is coordinating with private landowners and other partners to support mitigation efforts that will establish links to landscape mitigation efforts in the Estes Valley. These connections will play a critical role in supporting resilience within the Big and Little Thompson Watershed systems.

Phase I: Identification of High-risk Treatment Areas (Completed)

Phase II: Planning & Outreach (Ongoing)

Phase III: Analysis & Mitigation Recommendations

Phase IV: Treatment

Northern Colorado Fireshed Collaborative (NCFC)

EVWC’s goal is to address wildfire risk through cross-boundary forest and fire management across northern Colorado’s Front Range. We are working with the NCFC to build and engage with a network of organizations that are collaboratively identifying strategic areas, and coordinating with Fireshed efforts,. This will help EVWC increase agency, community, and private landowner understanding of, and support for, active wildland fire risk management activities at the landscape-scale.

To read more about the NCFC click here.

Completion Date: Ongoing collaborative project.