The Colorado Sun released an article this week about the influx of funds for wildfire mitigation work in Colorado. More importantly, the article highlights the San Juan Headwaters Forest Health Partnership, as well as our very own Dana Guinn who discusses the “invisible success” of the mitigation work in 2021 that helped Pagosa Springs prepare for the Plumtaw Fire in 2022. Read the article here.
From Mary Jo Coulehan, Sun Columnist Membership We also welcome the San Juan Headwaters Forest Health Partnership. The members of this group are individuals and groups representing business interests, conservation organizations, local, state and federal government agencies, recreational interests, ranchers, property owners associations, scientists and interested citizens. The group is interested in sharing and strengthening…
By Aaron Kimple, in the Pagosa Sun Forest health is a term we hear a lot about these days. We hear it in relation to bugs and wildfire and water quality. But what does it mean to have a healthy forest and how do we know if a forest is healthy? San Juan Headwaters Forest…
By Melissa Stedman, Pagosa Sun staff The San Juan Headwaters Forest Health Partnership (SJHFHP) is beginning an assessment and prioritization of risks from wildfire on watersheds, such as on water supplies and facilities, in order to asses their vulnerability to wildfire and highlight areas in need of mitigation or treatment to reduce the impact of…
MESA & GARFIELD COUNTY, Colo., 18 August 2020 Navigating novel protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among wildland firefighters as they battle one of the largest wildfires in the state’s history is not easy, to say the least. Everything from operations meetings to incident commander communications to social norms that help strengthen morale and…
By Melissa Stedman and Randi Pierce, Pagosa Sun Staff Writers Just over one year ago, on May 13, 2012, a lightning strike ignited a fire in the Piedra area northwest of Pagosa Springs. At first, U.S. Forest Service personnel let the blaze continue burning for the benefit of the natural resources, with the area previously…
By Melissa Stedman, Pagosa Sun Staff Writer On Tuesday, April 9, the San Juan Headwaters Forest Health Partnership (SJHFHP) (previously the Mixed Conifer Working Group), Firewise Communities of Southwest Colorado (Firewise), and the Mountain Studies Institute (MSI), will offer presentations by Western Water Assessment discussing the effects of beetle infestations on water supply and water…