Publications

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Open Access
2001 report on the condition of Colorado's forests
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2002) Colorado. Division of Forestry, author; Colorado State Forest Service, author
This report is the first of what will be an annual investigation of critical forest health issues, including the identification of priority areas across the state where current forest conditions demand timely action. We rely on our rich forest resource for a wide variety of benefits and services, such as improved air and water quality, wildlife habitat, wood products and recreation. A number of natural and human-induced forces impact the ability of our forests to sustain this productivity over the long-term. In many regions of the state, current forest health conditions threaten this lasting sustainability. Ownership of Colorado's forests lies in the hands of a diverse group of federal, state, local, tribal, private and non-profit entities. But in a larger sense, we are all accountable for promoting the responsible stewardship of this valuable natural resource. In order to effectively redeem this stewardship responsibility, land managers, government leaders and the public should better understand the variety of interactions that led to our current forest conditions and what options we have in the future. This first annual report provides a sound basis from which to begin a public dialogue on the future management of Colorado's forests.
Open Access
2002 report on the health of Colorado's forests
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2003) Lewis, Paige, author; Wardle, Tom, author; Leatherman, Dave, author; Duda, Joe, author; Colorado. Division of Forestry, publisher
The 2002 Report on the Health of Colorado’s Forests reveals that many of our forested landscapes are under significant stress. Our changing human values and land management policies are partially responsible for this condition. But consecutive years of extreme drought have magnified existing vulnerabilities to insects, disease and wildfire.From widespread die-off in pinyon pine to record-setting wildfires on both the Front Range and the Western Slope, the events of the past year suggest that Colorado's forests need our attention. We demand and receive a number of benefits from our forested landscapes and watersheds. If we expect them to continue providing these services on a sustainable basis, we must identify those areas most at risk and work together to restore them to a more resilient condition.
Open Access
2003 report on the health of Colorado's forests
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2004) Lewis, Page, author; Colorado. Division of Forestry, publisher
The 2003 Report on the Health of Colorado's Forests is the third installment in a series of publications intended to expand Coloradans' knowledge of and interest in our state's forest resources. Beginning in 2001, each of these Reports has presented valuable information on the diversity of our forests and highlighted some of the key issues that shape their current condition. At the heart of these documents is a challenge: What do we want from our forests and what do they need in order to continue to provide our desired benefits? The members of Colorado's Forestry Advisory Board have presented this question to numerous audiences, ranging from local civic groups to state officials and various professional associations. A number of communities have taken-up our challenge and begun engaging their residents in a dialogue about the condition and stewardship of their forests.
Open Access
2005 report on the health of Colorado's forests: aspen forests: special issue
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2006) Chase, Jen, author; Colorado State Forest Service, publisher
The 2005 Report on the Health of Colorado's Forests highlights the ecology and management of the state's aspen forests and provides an expanded insect and disease update, with a particular focus on the mountain pine beetle and spruce bark beetle outbreaks currently spreading throughout Colorado's central mountains. Both sections of the Report underscore the need to address forest management in a proactive, rather than reactive, manner.
Open Access
2006 report on the health of Colorado's forests: lodgepole pine forests: special issue
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2007) Chase, Jen, author; Colorado State Forest Service, publisher
It is with a sense of urgency that we present the 2006 Report on the Health of Colorado's Forests. This is the sixth in a series of reports developed by the Colorado State Forest Service with the guidance of the Colorado Forestry Advisory Board. The 2000 legislation requiring this report proved to be timely since the forests in Colorado have experienced a series of significant ecological events over the past decade, including the dramatic fire season of 2002 and the ongoing bark beetle epidemics. The 2006 report looks in depth at lodgepole pine forests and the bark beetle epidemics which continue to grow over hundreds of thousands of acres, killing trees and affecting communities throughout the state. Beetle-killed forests reduce scenic values, impact the economy, increase fire danger, and are therefore a major concern for many Coloradans.
Open Access
2007 report on the health of Colorado's forests: forest challenges today and tomorrow: special issue
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2008) Chase, Jen, author; Colorado State Forest Service, publisher
The 2007 Report on the Health of Colorado’s Forests comes at a time when unprecedented changes are occurring in our natural environment. Never before have we experienced forest health issues of such multitude and magnitude. The health of our forests has immediate and long-term impacts on our communities and economies. Now, more than ever, what is happening to our forests affects all of us, from cities and suburbia, to rural dwellers. Because this is a critical time for our forests, this year's report provides a lookinto our future forests and how Colorado's people and forests overlap. It is a forward-looking document that will help guide our decisions and policies. Bringing a broad spectrum of forest health issues to light is the purview of this report. Taking action is the responsibility of Colorado's citizen and government leaders. Our actions will shape future forests, and thus the benefits that forests provide us.
Open Access
2008 report on the health of Colorado's forests: high elevation forests: special issue
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2009) Leatherman, David A., author; Colorado State Forest Service, publisher
The 2008 Report on the Health of Colorado's Forests focuses on our high country forests and the insects and diseases that threaten them. It also takes a look at the connection between humans and these forests, which provide unparalleled recreational opportunities, food and shelter for a diverse array of animals, and raw material for homes. They also capture, purify, and release water for our use. Recent aerial surveys confirm that our high elevation forests are being threatened by spruce beetle, sudden aspen decline, and mountain pine beetle. But change in our forests is inevitable. To truly understand what is occurring in Colorado's high elevation forests, it is important to understand how these forests die, renew, grow, and function. That is the purpose of this report.This is the eighth in a series of forest health reports developed by the Colorado State Forest Service with guidance from stakeholders who share our concern for Colorado’s forests. As you begin reading the report, you will notice that we took a different approach in telling the story about our high country forests. The report still contains the latest scientific forestry information that readers have come to expect, but it also tells a story that considers the human connection with our forests. During my travels around the state, I have been reminded about the importance of that connection. Many of us choose to live here because of the quality of life our forests provide. And it is up to each of us to take the necessary action to protect them. The action we take now will shape the forests of the future - and the benefits they provide.
Open Access
2010 report on the health of Colorado's forests: continuing challenges for Colorado's forests: recurring & emerging threats: 10th anniversary report
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2011) Ciesla, William M., author; Colorado State Forest Service, publisher
The 2010 Report on the Health of Colorado's Forests, Continuing Challenges for Colorado's Forests: Recurring & Emerging Threats, provides an overview of the current health and conditions of Colorado's forests. This report documents the status of established forest pests, such as mountain pine beetle, spruce beetle and western spruce budworm, as well as several emerging threats to our forests, including walnut twig beetle/thousand cankers disease, white pine blister rust and gypsy moth. This report is the tenth annual report prepared by the Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) on the health of the state's forests. Information sources include the forest health aerial survey, a cooperative project of the CSFS and the USDA Forest Service (USFS), and on-the-ground observations of CSFS field personnel. The CSFS has a team of trained aerial observers who work in partnership with a USFS aerial survey team to collect data on the location and intensity of insect and disease damage throughout Colorado's forests. In 2010, more than 95 percent of the state's forest lands, excluding piñon-juniper forests, were included in the survey.
Open Access
2011 report on the health of Colorado's forests
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2012) Ciesla, William M., author; Colorado State Forest Service, publisher
It is once again my pleasure to present the annual report on the health of Colorado's forests. This is the 11th consecutive year we have produced a report on the issues affecting Colorado's forests, as well as the actions we can take to address those issues for the benefit of present and future generations. Over the last 10 years, Colorado's forests have undergone significant changes. I have heard the public and political concerns about the condition of our forests, and related questions regarding what the future holds. The information we have developed and presented in this series of forest health reports, along with our collective experience in managing forested land, addresses these concerns and provides a sound foundation for planning. The fundamental questions we need to ask are What do we want our future forests to look like? and What do we want them to provide for us? Now is the right time to address these questions. We depend on our forests to provide a variety of resources and values; one of the most important is clean water. Forest planning is a long-term process, and the decisions we make today will have profound impacts on the form, function and productivity of our future forests.
Open Access
2012 report on the health of Colorado's forests: forest stewardship through active management
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Duda, Joseph, author; Halford, Meg, author; Lockwood, Ryan, author; Marcus, Naomi, author; Pfohl, Benjamin, author; Rogers, Kelly, author; Rossiter, GayLene, author; Tansey, Matt, author; Ciesla, William M., author; Colorado State Forest Service, publisher
The theme of this year's report is "Forest Stewardship through Active Management," with an emphasis on the link between healthy forests and sound forest management efforts. This is the 12th consecutive year we have produced a report on the state of Colorado's forests and actions we are taking to mitigate forest health concerns. This report provides an overview of the current condition of Colorado's forests and the recent activity of various insects and diseases. It demonstrates how responsible forest management - from wildfire risk mitigation around a single residence to the maintenance of large-scale watersheds - can be achieved. It also provides examples of how active forest management and stewardship will help ensure that Colorado's forests continue to provide all the benefits we enjoy.
Open Access
2013 report on the health of Colorado's forests: caring for Colorado's forests: today's challenges, tomorrow's opportunities
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2014) Duda, Joseph A., author; Barry, Pete, author; Lockwood, Ryan, author; Mason, Lisa, author; Schaubert, Katherine Timm, author; Ciesla, William M., author; Colorado State Forest Service, publisher
The theme of the 2013 report is Caring for Colorado's Forests: Today's Challenges, Tomorrow's Opportunities. How best to care for this vital resource has been a major topic of discussion. This year's report focuses on the values our forests provide and includes several examples of the successful collaborative forest management programs that were created to address the impacts of mountain pine beetle, threats associated with wildfire, and protection of critical watersheds and other values at risk. Hopefully theseexamples will lead to the identification of other potential solutions to the challenges our forests are facing. One thing is clear: forest stewardship is best achieved through the collective efforts of private landowners, public land managers, non-governmentalconservation organizations, elected officials and other interested stakeholders. The mission of the Colorado State Forest Service is to "achieve stewardship of Colorado's diverse forest environments for the benefit of present and future generations." At no time in Colorado's history has the CSFS mission been so relevant - and working with stakeholders to identify and implement innovative programs will help us further our mission.
Open Access
2014 report on the health of Colorado's forests: urban and community forests: an investment in Colorado
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2015) Barry, Pete, author; Duda, Joseph, author; Lockwood, Ryan, author; Mason, Lisa, author; Matthews, Susan, author; Mueller, Kim, author; Ciesla, William M., author; Colorado State Forest Service, publisher
The objective of the annual Report on the Health of Colorado's Forests is to inform state legislators, citizens and other stakeholders about the condition of our forests, to provide a basis for public dialogue. Each year, the report provides a broad update on forest insect and disease activity throughout the state. This year's report also focuses on the importance of our urban and community forests, challenges we face in managing them, and the actions we can take to address those issues. We chose this emphasis to highlight the contributions that our urban and community forests make to quality of life, and to underscore the importance of proper care for forests at risk to insects, diseases and challenging environmental conditions. Trees provide numerous benefits, whether growing in our mountain forests or in urban settings. The former provide benefits such as clean water, wildlife habitat, recreation and economic benefits. Equally important are the benefits of urban trees, which help clean our air, provide shade, control storm runoff and contribute to quality of life. They are one of the few components of a community's infrastructure that actually increase in value over time.
Open Access
2015 report on the health of Colorado's forests: 15 years of change
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016) Duda, Joseph, author; Lockwood, Ryan, author; Mason, Lisa, author; Matthews, Susan, author; Mueller, Kim, author; West, Dan, author; Ciesla, William M., author; Colorado State Forest Service, publisher
This year marks a milestone in tracking forest health and management in Colorado, with this publication representing the 15th annual report on the health of Colorado's forests. Throughout this period, we've witnessed many landscape level changes across Colorado. The forces and circumstances that have come together - climate and weather events, insects and diseases, wildfire and human impacts - have contributed to dramatic changes in the age and structure of our forests. And substantial growth is predicted in our wildland-urban interface, where human habitation intersects with natural vegetation and undeveloped land - an area currently only about 20 percent developed in Colorado. Increased development will make forest management even more challenging than in the past. The focus of these reports has varied over the years. Broader themes have included overarching topics such as forest stewardship and active management. Other, more focused reports provided readers with detailed descriptions of emerging and recurring threats, and specific forest types, such as high-elevation forests, lodgepole pine, aspen, ponderosa pine and urban and community forests. In this year's report, you will read about not only the current condition of our forests, but reflections on changes since the first report in 2001.
Open Access
2016 report on the health of Colorado's forests
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2017) Duda, Joseph, author; Lockwood, Ryan, author; Mason, Lisa, author; Matthews, Susan, author; Mueller, Kim, author; Peterson, Courtney, author; West, Dan, author; Colorado State Forest Service, publisher
Fire and water. The words themselves evoke contrasting forces of nature - fire, often viewed as an all-consuming inferno of destruction; water, a quenching and life-sustaining means of rejuvenation. But such generalizations are not always accurate, especially in Colorado. Fire is necessary to the ecology of healthy forests, and can be a useful wildland firefighting tool for containment and fuels reduction, while life-giving streams and rivers may turn into raging torrents that cause heavy erosion and loss of property and life. So important are these two natural elements that we've chosen them for the focus of this year's forest health report, to give you a better understanding of their impacts on Colorado's forested lands. Fire and water are integrally linked as necessary components in shaping a healthy, natural forest environment; in return, both are heavily influenced by forests themselves. Fire has significant impacts on people and forests; less obvious are the effects it has on the quality and quantity of water available for human and agricultural consumption. The demand for water, of particular concern in rapidly developing sections of our state, underscores the need to work across organizational boundaries to develop effective solutions. Interagency efforts highlight the importance of forest management to safeguard water supplies from post-fire erosion so water providers can maintain their ability to provide safe, clean water to Colorado residents in a cost-effective, consistent manner. In this report, we take the opportunity to highlight collaborative partnerships and projects with Denver Water, Northern Water, the City of Ouray and professionals implementing Colorado's Water Plan.
Open Access
2017 report on the health of Colorado's forests: meeting the challenge of dead and at-risk trees
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2018) Barry, Pete, author; Duda, Joseph, author; Garrison, Kristin, author; Lockwood, Ryan, author; Mason, Lisa, author; Matthews, Susan, author; Mueller, Kim, author; Reader, Tim, author; West, Dan, author; Colorado State Forest Service, publisher
Frequently being outdoors to enjoy Colorado's diverse and scenic environments is one of the reasons many of us call this state home. You don't have to drive, hike, pedal or paddle very far to appreciate the value that forests and trees bring to our lives, our communities and the natural world. Along your way, it may become apparent that many of our forests are overly dense and unhealthy; millions of acres of Colorado forestland also have been impacted by bark beetles in recent decades. But there's a silver lining to the problem of dead and dying trees in our forests: standing dead trees often continue to hold value for years, and currently are being utilized by wood products businesses in efforts that support forest management efforts. The annual Report on the Health ofColorado's Forests provides an overview of current forest conditions, the forces that are shaping them and actions being taken to address challenges. This year, we hope you will find of particular interest the special section on dealing with dead trees and forests at risk of insect mortality.
Open Access
2018 report on the health of Colorado's forests
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2019) Aspelin, Carolyn, author; Barry, Pete, author; Duda, Joseph, author; Garrison, Kristin, author; Lockwood, Ryan, author; Matthews, Susan, author; Previant, Wilfred, author; Underhill, Jeff, author; West, Amanada, author; West, Dan, author; Colorado State Forest Service, publisher
Annual reports on the health of Colorado's forests summarize the current health and condition of forests across the state. The primary measures for assessing broad forest health conditions are the severity and scope of insect and disease issues impacting forest ecosystems. For this reason, the backbone of this report offers a detailed summary of 2018 insect and disease activity in Colorado. This year's report also offers a special focus on how the Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS), working with key partners, is able to help protect communities from wildfires and other threats, through the use of forest management.
Open Access
2019 report on the health of Colorado's forests: celebrating the diverse regions of our state
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2019) Colorado State Forest Service, author; Colorado. Division of Forestry, author; Colorado State University. Warner College of Natural Resources, author
Open Access
2020 report on the health of Colorado's forests: protecting our future after a historic wildfire year
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2020) Colorado State Forest Service, author; Colorado. Division of Forestry, author; Colorado State University. Warner College of Natural Resources, author
Open Access
2021 report on the health of Colorado's forests: managing Colorado's forests during drought
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2021) Colorado State Forest Service, author; Colorado. Division of Forestry, author; Colorado State University. Warner College of Natural Resources, author
Open Access
2021-2025 five-year strategic plan
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2021) Colorado State Forest Service, author