Boulder, Colo., February 12, 2021 – U.S. Forest Service contractors are expected to begin work on February 17 on two forest health projects improving forest resiliency on the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests in the following locations:
- Misery Project – 288 acres on National Forest System lands located in areas between Pickle Gulch and Cold Springs Campgrounds, north of Peak to Peak Highway (Colo. Highway 119), with one of the units located near the intersection of Peak to Peak Highway and Gilpin Road
- Manchester Project – 50 acres on National Forest System lands located east of Kelly Dahl Campground and north of Shoshoni Camp Road in northern Gilpin County
This type of work is designed to reduce existing fuel loading and increase the diversity of vegetation across the landscape, encouraging a healthier, more resilient forest. Diversity in the age, size, and species of trees across the landscape helps make forests more resilient to disease and insect infestations and helps reduce the spread and intensity of wildfires.
For this treatment, lodgepole pine trees have been selected to be removed in patchcuts/clearcuts to promote landscape diversity, forest health, and wildlife habitat. Lodgepole pine in both projects will be cut with mechanical equipment. Larger material will be temporarily decked and removed from the site. Smaller logs and slash material will be piled to burn and/or chip. Piled material intended to be burned will need to cure on site for at least one year. Once work begins, crews are expected to be on site for several weeks, working between the hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
The treatments for the Misery Project were analyzed in the Yankee Hill Fuel Reduction Project Environmental Assessment (2005) and Lump Gulch Fuel Reduction Project Environmental Assessment (2009). Environmental effects of the Manchester Project were analyzed in the Forsythe II Project Environmental Assessment (2017).