Community Meetings

Evergreen Fire/Rescue Wildland Division presents an online five-part speaker series, taking a deeper dive into our forested environment. Join online for these free webinars:

Mountain Pine Beetle along the Colorado Front Range

Presenter: Dan West, PhD Entomologist, Colorado State Forest Service
Monday, February 23 from 6 to 7 p.m.

Overview: Dr. Dan West will provide an overview of emerging mountain pine beetle activity along Colorado’s Front Range, with an emphasis on current population trends and the conditions contributing to their increase.
Attend virtually - Zoom Link for Feb. 23, 6-7pm

Effects of disturbance on tree level resistance in ponderosa pine trees along the Colorado Front Range

Presenter: Kelby Woodard, Clear Creek Watershed and Forest Health Partnership, Forest & Mitigation Program Manager
Monday, March 2 from 6 to 7 p.m.

Overview: My thesis research shows that thinning and low-severity wildfire not only reduce fuels, but significantly increase growth and resin-based defenses in ponderosa pine trees, strengthening resistance to beetles and drought.
Attend virtually - Zoom Link for March 2, 6-7pm

Co-Benefits of Fuel & Restoration Treatments

Presenter: Caden Chamberlain, Senior Forest and Fire Ecology Research Associate, CO Forest Restoration Institute
Monday, March 9 from 6 to 7 p.m.

Overview: I will discuss recent empirical research from across the western US exploring the effects of fuel reduction and restoration treatments on outcomes including burn severity, infrastructure survival, containment success, landscape
resilience, and wildlife habitat.
Attend virtually - Zoom Link for March 9, 6-7pm

Aspen as a Green Fuel Break: Opportunities & Challenges

Presenter: Max Cook, Senior Wildfire Analyst and Research Associate, CO Forest Restoration Institute
Monday, March 16 from 6 to 7 p.m.

Overview: Aspen trees have long been considered less flammable than conifers, especially across the intermountain West. Still, they do burn when the conditions align. This presentation will highlight the recent science on fire behavior in aspen forests and focus on the opportunities and challenges associated with using targeted aspen management to create and maintain green fuel breaks.
Attend virtually - Zoom Link for March 16, 6-7pm

Saturday, February 21 from 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Hosted at the Jefferson County Open Space office, 700 Jefferson County Parkway #100, Golden

Free event, more information, registration required.

Saturday, February 28
CSU Spur campus, Denver CO

On Saturday, February 28, 2026 the Landscaping with Colorado Native Plants Conference will offer a full day of educational programming promoting the cultivation and maintenance of native plants in the landscape. Join in for an inspiration-packed day at the 11th annual Landscaping with Colorado Native Plants Conference. Visit Landscaping with CO Native Plants website for a complete schedule, session descriptions, registration, speaker bios and volunteer opportunities. If you have questions about the conference, please reach out to Allisa Zurbuchen (allisa.zurbuchen@colostate.edu) or Deryn Davidson (deryn.davidson@colostate.edu).

Wednesday, March 11 from 5 to 6 p.m.
Old Courthouse, 203 Eureka Street, Central City

Gilpin County Public Health will host an informational meeting to review upcoming changes to the Onsite Wastewater Treatment System (OWTS) regulations.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment recently updated Regulation 43, which governs septic systems serving flows of 2,000 gallons per day or less. Gilpin County has adopted the updated state regulation, along with additional local requirements. The new regulations will take effect March 13, 2026.

This meeting will provide an overview of the major changes, answer questions, and offer an opportunity for feedback from contractors, installers, and industry professionals.

Attendees are encouraged to review the regulations in advance on the Public Health Septic and Well Information page of the Gilpin County website.

If you are unable to attend but would like to submit questions or comments, please email myaun@gilpincounty.org.

Gilpin County values a collaborative approach to ensuring high-quality OWTS installations, inspections, and repairs throughout the community.

Saturday, April 25 from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.
Timberline Fire Station 3 - 19126 Highway 119, Black Hawk, CO 80422

Filmed over two years across Colorado’s Front Range, Fire Lives Here showcases the year-round work of Fireshed Partners working to return controlled fire back to Colorado’s forests. Directed by Aaron Colussi and Left of Frame Pictures, the film showcases the coordinated planning, implementation, and preparation involved in prescribed fire—and examines the effects of the Alexander Mountain Fire as it moved through areas that had undergone forest treatments.  Created by the Northern Colorado Fireshed Collaborative, in partnership with the National Forest Foundation, the US Forest Service Arapaho & Roosevelt, and Rocky Mountain PBS. A discussion and Q&A will follow, including new fire and building codes, defensible space, and fire mitigation in the County. Optional tour of new fire station immediately after event. Free event, but space is limited. Advanced registration required here.