Conservation Forestry

Strain Creek Stewardship Project

In September 2007, LRCD began work on a multi-faceted forestry project as a contractor with the Medicine Bow National Forest. The Strain Creek Stewardship Project, near the Lake Owen vicinity, entails service projects such as roadside clearing (2.3 miles), road/trail closure and rehabilitation (8.4 miles), aspen enhancement (24 acres), and pre-commercial thinning (10 acres). A stewardship contract/project is basically an exchange of goods (timber) for service projects such as those mentioned above. The service projects will be funded with appropriated dollars from the Forest Service as well as timber sales from five clear cut units (CC) totaling 67 acres and five leave tree mark (LTM) units for a total of 101 acres. Total timber volume of this contract is approximately 2,000 CCF (1 CCF= 100 cubic feet) of sawtimber and 1100 CCF of Product other than Logs (POL). The timber from this sale is all being marketed at local sawmills and other forest product businesses. All projects have passed National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) scrutiny.

The purpose and need of these projects are to improve forest health through active timber management. The CC units are designed to remove material that is over mature and infested with disease and insects while providing for regeneration of healthier, more vigorous stands of timber. The LTM units are designed as a commercial thinning to promoted growth, health, and vigor of the residual trees. In light of the current mountain pine bark beetle pandemic, active management of our current forest is one solution to enhancing our future forest as the beetle runs it course. Through active management we can hopefully reduce the impact that the beetle will have on our forest, while providing an economical forest product. The goal of the service projects is to promote quality wildlife habitat and forest health, increase safety and visibility on roads, and to close and rehabilitate roads/trails that present soil erosion problems.

Last Modified on January 30, 2012

The goal of LRCD with this project is to set an example in Albany County and the surrounding areas for projects that can have great conservation benefit while benefiting the local economy. While forestry projects are often times controversial, this endeavor has unanimous support of our elected board and staff. The balance of positive work to be done on this project far outweighs any negative impacts that might result. LRCD is excited to be working with the Forest Service on this excellent project.

 

Mountain Pine Bark Beetle Epidemic

LRCD is working with the Forest Service as well as local landowners in helping to mitigate the effects of the mountain pine bark beetle (MPBB). The MPBB has increased to epidemic  levels in the past few years resulting in a predicted 90% mortality in lodgepole pine in our forested areas. Without proper management now, we are setting the stage for catastrophic fires and  watershed damage in the future.

LRCD is assisting with finding new opportunities for an economical use of wood products from MPBB killed trees besides the traditional saw timber market. These trees quickly (2-5 years) lose their value for traditional saw timber products. We are working jointly with other private, local, state, and federal agencies to aid in developing markets for this material in such applications as cellulosic ethanol, cogen (combination of heat and electric generation), wood pellets, and other markets for use of this woody biomass.

Above: Lodgepole pine stands are thinned to allow remaining trees to grow larger and healthier because of reduced competition. Reduced competition will also help trees resist bark beetles while reducing fire risks. Below: LRCD removes conifer tree species out of aspen stands to encourage aspen and forage production for wildlife (pre-treatment). Bottom: Photo taken at the same location post-treatment.

Beetle Damaged Forest

Left:  This aspen stand on Jelm Mountain was treated for aspen regeneration and hazardous fuels reduction with a masticator (see above right photo). Right:  Post-treatment of the same area.  Aspen, forbs, and grasses will replace the encroachment of conifer tree species enhancing wildlife habitat and helping prevent catastrophic wildfires. Upper Right:  A Kodiak 425 grinder is used to shred conifer trees in an aspen restoration project.

Red Mountain Coordinated Resource Management Project

As the lead agency within the Red Mountain Coordinated Resource Management (CRM) planning group, LRCD has signed an agreement with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to enhance fire protection in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) and to improve rangeland conditions and wildlife habitat near one of southern Albany County’s  known sage grouse leks. Red Mountain is south of Jelm Mountain near the Colorado state line. The WUI areas to be included in the community wildfire protection planning are the greater Jelm and Woods Landing areas.

The Red Mountain CRM team consists of members of LRCD, Wyoming Game and Fish (WYGF), BLM Rawlins and Kremmling Field Office’s, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Wyoming State Lands & Investments, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NRCS, and the major grazing permittee in the area. To date these partners have appropriated or expended over $500,000 on wildlife habitat, fuels reduction, livestock grazing projects, and water developments. The major component of this project will be the removal of conifer trees in aspen and sagebrush ecosystems. There will be approximately 700 acres of aspen enhancement, 170 acres sagebrush enhancement, many water developments and associated pipelines for wildlife and livestock, and other small associated projects.