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
Colorado State Forest Service
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Northern Water
City of Fort Collins
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
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.