Fuel removal at Grassy Mountain protects 1,200 homes near Bayfield
Stakeholders shared the Stewardship project by Grassy Mountain. This is a vast fuel reduction project near the Forest Lake Subdivision north of Bayfield, and will move forward next month as Logger begins treatment on 638 acres. (Courtesy San Juan National Forest)
As Logger begins treatment on 638 acres, a vast fuel reduction project near the Forest Lake Subdivision north of Bayfield will move forward next month. The Grassy Mountain Shared Stewardship project creates a fire that protects approximately 1,200 homes.
Bayfield company Cascade Timber Salvage has won a contract for the three-year project. Heavy machinery and logging trucks will soon be operating on the subdivision next month, making them visible moving around the neighborhood along a given route.
The crossboundary project will take place on public land managed by the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, and the Colorado Land Commission. Leading by the National Forest Foundation, USFS, BLM, Colorado State Forest Service and the state land committee, they are working together in southwestern Colorado to work innovate.
Contractors use a variety of techniques to create shaded fuel destruction consisting of larger, openly spaced trees, with little to no interfering with the fuel on the ground or ladder.
As Logger begins treatment on 638 acres, a vast fuel reduction project near the Forest Lake Subdivision north of Bayfield will move forward next month. (Commentary of San Juan National Forest)
“The lower tier – young trees, thick oak brushes, deep needle layers, downlogs – we’ll remove them to reduce fuel,” said Lorena Williams, the San Juan National Forest spokesman. “It won’t be a clear cut fire break. A shady fuel break is how it sounds. The exaggeration remains and the lower levels become thinner.”
The completed project looks like a healthy forest, Williams said. This is better to deal with wildfires without the fire being strong and producing catastrophic consequences of lowering the fire on the ground. It resembles the shaded fuel destruction built north of Edgemont Highlands.
The timber for the project will be available to Forest Lakes residents for Fire Wood.
Stakeholders will visit the Grassy Mountain Shared Stewardship project site. Contractors use a variety of techniques to create shaded fuel destruction consisting of larger, openly spaced trees, with little to no interfering with the fuel on the ground or ladder. (Commentary of San Juan National Forest)
The completed project looks like a healthy forest suitable for handling wildfires with low fires and without the devastating consequences of keeping the fire low on the ground. It resembles the shaded fuel destruction built north of Edgemont Highlands. (Commentary of San Juan National Forest)
Log transport does not occur on weekdays from 6:30am to 8am and from 3:30pm to 5pm to avoid periods of residential traffic. Additionally, certain work restrictions are in place at various times to avoid conflicts with recreational use and bird movement on certain lands within the project.
Project NFF information page, accessible bit.ly/3fca4g2, Specific information is continuously updated about where and when work occurs.
Virtual Questions and Answers session for the project will be held on March 25th at 6pm
Meeting ID: 288 240 474 181
Passcode: vq2av3nu
The Grassy Mountain Project is ongoing without issue, but other Forest Service projects may be caught up in the chaos caused by sudden freezing federal spending, firing, and future cuts (which could put ongoing projects at risk). It is unclear when the Durango Hills Project, a 1,100-acre fuel reduction effort to protect the northeastern part of Durango, and the Junction Falls Integrated Resource Management Project, which includes wildfire mitigation and other work on 7,000 acres north of Durango. The USDA reviews collaboration with projects, multiple sources of funding, and administrative priorities to determine what will progress.
rschafir@durangoerald.com
