Silviculture of the Colorado Front Range Landscape Restoration Initiative

We discuss innovative silvicultural practices and implementation methods through 3 years of fuels reduction and restoration treatments for the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Project, Colorado Front Range Landscape Restoration Initiative (Front Range Project). The Pike National Forest is implementing large-scale landscape restoration projects to address the departure of montane forests from historical conditions and increased susceptibility to uncharacteristic high-severity wildfire. Restoration on approximately 1,600 acres is implemented annually through stewardship contracting. Treatments are shifting from traditional fuels reduction treatments to restoration treatments designed to achieve heterogeneous conditions at a variety of scales. Future treatment areas will include more upper montane mixed-forest types as we transition out of the lower montane ponderosa pine forest. Silvicultural practices include variable tree spacing, variable densities, and openings. Treatments are implemented via designation by prescription (DxP), tree marking, and a combination of both methods. We also discuss the status of monitoring protocols, both established and under development.