Contact

➤ LOCATION

434 Jefferson St.
Monte Vista, CO

☎ CONTACT

legacyforestco@gmail.com
(719) 850-2095

Overview

Here at Legacy Forest Management, LLC we talk a lot about forest restoration but what is it? Simply put forest restoration is the practice and science of managing forests to a desired reference condition. Commonly restoration forestry looks at a historical reference condition such as forests prior to fire exclusion and poor management practices that predated Anglo settlement in the mid to late 1800’s that have altered forest structure and composition away from the range of variability we might have seen historically. A reference condition helps us establish a base line in which we base our management strategies on.

Reference Conditions

One of the most common ways foresters can reconstruct historical forest conditions is with the study of tree age (dendrochronology) with trees that predated an establish reference date. For example let’s say the reference date is 1860. Data to include species, growth ring spacing, and fire scars are collected for trees that were alive prior to 1860 to understand the general species composition of the forest along with disturbance regimes and historical growing conditions. Sometimes reconstruction is difficult due to the lack of available samples so using a similar site, ideally adjacent to the area of interest, is done. Reference conditions are not a complete fix all but they help us understand the background of forests so we can develop management strategies that are best suited for that forest.

Forged From Fire

Much of the discussion around restoration forestry came about from ponderosa pine forests with frequent fire regimes. For forests in Colorado and elsewhere in the mountain west, wildfire plays an important role in regulating forest biomass and other ecological processes under natural conditions. Under historic conditions, fire in these forests were generally lower intensity as the forest was better regulated. Without wildfire or other disturbance that mimics wildfire such as timber harvesting, many forests across Colorado have departed from natural conditions. This departure has helped give rise to many of the issues facing Colorado forests such as catastrophic wildfire that are costly and cause significant damage. In recent years, catastrophic wildfires have devastated ecosystems and communities alike and have been very expensive for the West. The Rodeo-Chediski Fire of 2002 in Arizona burned nearly a half million acres and destroyed nearly 500 homes, ushering in the “era of catastrophic wildfire”. The dawn of this new era holds much significance for Legacy Forest Management as it helped give birth to restoration forestry in the west and was one of the biggest influences on founder Tyrell Mares in becoming a forester.
 

The Wildland-Urban Interface

Restoring historical/ natural fire regimes is obviously not practical in all places in Colorado. In recent years human development has moved further into forests. The area where human development meets forested lands is called the wildand-urban interface (WUI). Living in WUI zones comes with the risk of wildfire so adapting to the forest is a must. Reducing forest fuels through creating defensible space around homes and infrastructure is one of the most important practices for mitigating such risk. This is done through a combination of timber harvesting/ thinning, moving, and/or brush removal. Taking additional risk mitigation measures such as upgrading infrastructure with more fire resistant materials is highly recommended. Our company provides wildfire mitigation services to assist land owners. Lastly, Legacy Forest Management, LLC urges it’s customers and partners in the community to take steps to prepare for a wildfire to include an emergency plan. For more preparedness tips go to www.fema.gov.

From Fuels to Forest Products

Using the biomass that accounts for potential wildfire fuels can be a challenge given declining sawmill infrastructure and the logging/ lumbering workforce. Numerous forest product companies around the state are engaged in the shared endeavor of forest management and make the work we do possible. Supporting Colorado forest product companies helps our forests and provides money to our local economies. When foresters, landowners, loggers, and sawmills work together we have healthy forests and healthy communities.

Applied Forest Ecology

Management decisions are used with the practice of silviculture. Silviculture is the art and science of managing forests for a specified purpose using scientific forestry principals. A more basic definition is applied forest ecology. In order to understand silvicultural principals a working knowledge of tree biology, ecology, soils, and plant community dynamics is essential. Silviculture emphasizes trees but it includes looking at the grasses, forbs, shrubs, and trees found within a forest and how they all interact with each other. Don’t forget about the wildlife because silviculture looks at that too.