A Colorado forest surrounded by mountains

Colorado

Forest Action Plan

Rooted in science. driven by collaboration.

Colorado’s forests contribute greatly to the state’s economic and social wellbeing. Covering about 24 million acres, they range from riparian habitat at 3,350 feet, dominated by plains cottonwoods, to spruce-fir forests growing up to about 12,000 feet. Colorado’s forests provide us with what we need to survive and thrive, including clean air and water, habitat for wildlife, forest products that support local economies, world-renowned recreation opportunities, and more. Like many other states, Colorado is facing challenges to its forests, including uncharacteristic wildfires, insect and disease outbreaks, and expansive population growth in the wildland-urban interface.

As stewards of the state’s forests, the Colorado State Forest Service and its partners produced the Colorado Forest Action Plan — a roadmap that guides forest management for the next decade. The plan provides an in-depth analysis and solutions to improve the health of Colorado’s forests and ensure they persevere – so our state continues to keep its “Colorful Colorado” nickname living strong.



Best Management Practices

Colorado’s best management practices (BMPs) program is non-regulatory. The agency responsible for BMPs policy development is the Colorado State Forest Service.

Click here to view the most recent BMPs recommendations on the state forestry agency website.

Click the following links to view available BMP monitoring data and implementation rates from NASF’s 2015 BMP survey and NASF’s 2019 BMP survey.

Colorado Forestry Publications

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