Reforestation efforts inside the High Park Fire burn zone are gearing up for the spring season.
The National Wildlife Federation has donated 2,000 seedling trees to be planted on barren and burned hillsides.
Michael Hughes with the Colorado State Forest Service, says they have also raised $18,000 through public donations to purchase additional seedlings for private properties impacted by the blaze.
“There were over 500 landowners affected in this fire. So realistically most people will only be planting 100 to 200 seedlings in a given year because of the effort needed to plant them and also maintain them. So it’s a good start," says Hughes.
Spring planting is scheduled to begin in late April or early May and Hughes says reforestation will be a multiyear effort.
All seedlings planted will be native Colorado evergreens. They require 60 to 80 years to reach maturity.
- Ponderosa Pine
- Douglas Fur
- Lodgepole Pine
- Rocky Mountain Juniper
- Spruce
Hughes says most of the trees burned by the High Park Fire were more than 100 years old. Public donations for the High Park Fire reforestation are accepted online.
