Free Trees – A Message from Colorado State Forest Service Nursery

Greetings Landowner,

We want to let you know about a possibility to receive no cost trees from Colorado State Forest Service Nursery, for your land that was affected in the fires this last summer….

The Restoring Colorado’s Forests Fund was established to provide the opportunity for the CSFS to accept donations and use them to pay for shrub and tree seedlings supplied by our nursery, which are then planted in areas affected by natural disasters.  State lands and private landowners impacted by recent wildfires or other natural disasters may be eligible to receive seedlings purchased through the Restoring Colorado’s Forests Fund. Through a competitive process, seedlings will be provided to private landowners or state land management agencies impacted by natural disasters in areas that directly affect important watersheds and provide the most public benefit.

Applicants may be individual landowners, homeowner associations, groups of landowners or state land management agencies. Planting projects must be (1) on private or state land within Colorado; (2) on property currently, partially or previously forested, and impacted by a natural disaster; (3) on property to which the applicant has legal authority to implement the planting project; and (4) based on CSFS district forester site visit and recommendation for planting site and seedling selection.

Please follow the instructions on the Application.  When you describe your planting project please address how much of the work of removing the burned, dead trees you have accomplished so far.  In general, the best practice is to plant seedlings in areas where most of the tree removal work has been done.  If you have already identified your labor source for getting the trees planted, please let us know that as well.  If you are still looking for some help to plant trees, please explain that in the Application.  We may be able to connect you with a volunteer group.

To select seedlings and quantities on your request please refer to the CSFS Nursery Buyers Guide and Species Suitability Guide for Colorado on the following link: http://csfs.colostate.edu/pages/buying-trees.html

If you are interested in applying for seedlings from the Restoring Colorado’s Forests Fund please complete the attached Application and send to Peggy.Ely@ColoState.edu  at CSFS Fort Collins District or you can call (970) 491-8660 for more details.  TheApplications are due to CSFS Fort Collins District on January 18, 2013.

The Restoring Colorado’s Forests Fund also welcomes donations to pay for shrub and tree seedlings supplied by the CSFS Nursery.  You can make a donation on line at: https://advancing.colostate.edu/RestoringColoradosForests

The seedlings awarded in the Restoring Colorado’s Forests Fund are done so on a competitive basis.  There is a chance that your request might not be awarded or might be partially awarded because of competition.  Consider placing an order for the purchase of seedlings in addition to the Restoring Colorado’s Forests Fund Application.  The CSFS Nursery has the 2013 Application for Seedling Trees available for purchasing seedlings as we have had every year – feel free to place an order. http://csfs.colostate.edu/pdfs/CSFSNursery-2013Appl-www.pdf .

Peggy Ely

Colorado State Forest Service

Fort Collins District