Survey Shows Strong Support for Forest Management on Public Lands in the St. Vrain Watershed
A recent survey by The Watershed Center, found strong public support for a wide range of wildfire risk reduction strategies, particularly those focused on proactive forest management in the St. Vrain watershed. The Living with Wildfire in the St. Vrain Watershed in 2024 survey was mailed to 3,680 households across the western portion of the St. Vrain Watershed, with 1,128 responses returned — a 31% response rate. The results provide important insight into how residents of the wildland urban interface want to see public lands managed to protect homes, forests, and water resources from the threat of wildfire.
The Watershed Center, a local nonprofit in the Northern Colorado Fireshed, coordinates the St. Vrain Forest Health Partnership and worked with The Wildfire Research Center and four local fire protection districts—Allenspark, Lyons, Lefthand, and Pinewood Springs—to conduct the survey. The survey aimed to understand community perspectives on wildfire preparedness, forest treatments, and land management. The responses will help shape local efforts to create fire-adapted communities and more resilient
forests.
Survey results about acceptability of fuels treatments on public lands:
- 74% of respondents rated thinning of trees and vegetation on nearby public lands as
“extremely” or “very” acceptable. Only 3% of respondents rated thinning as “not at all
acceptable”. - 67% of respondents rated burning piles of cut vegetation (slash piles) on nearby public
lands as “extremely” or “very” acceptable. 5% of respondents rated burning piles as
“not at all acceptable”. - 65% of respondents rated creating fuel breaks on public lands by removing trees in
strips near communities as “extremely” or “very” acceptable. 6% of respondents rated
fuel breaks as “not at all acceptable”. - 58% of respondents rated prescribed fire ignited by fire professionals on public lands
as “extremely” or “very” acceptable. 6% of respondents rated prescribed fire as “not at
all acceptable”. - 46% of respondents rated allowing a naturally ignited fire to burn on public lands, when and where appropriate, as “extremely” or “very” acceptable. 11% of respondents rated managed wildfire as “not at all acceptable”.
- 40% of respondents rated creating patch cuts (removing all trees from a defined area)
on public lands as “extremely” or “very” acceptable. 15% of respondents rated patch
cuts as “not at all acceptable”.
“These results reflect strong public support from mountain communities when it comes to taking
action to reduce wildfire risk and promote forest resilience on public lands,” said Chiara Forrester,
Forest Program Director at The Watershed Center. “While acceptability varies by treatment type,
and more education and communication are needed, these results show that residents
understand the importance of proactive management.”
The St. Vrain Forest Health Partnership includes federal, state, local, and community partners – including the USDA Forest Service, Colorado State Forest Service, Boulder County, St. Vrain and Left Hand Water Conservancy District, and many others – working together to prepare the landscape and community to receive wildland fire as a natural part of the ecosystem. The Partnership will use the survey findings to guide future forest treatments, emergency preparedness strategies, and community education initiatives. Results from the full survey will be shared in the coming months.
“Allenspark is surrounded by public lands, which means decisions about how those forests are
managed directly impact our community,” said Chief Mike Cousineau of Allenspark Fire Protection
District. “This survey gives residents a voice in shaping how wildfire risk is reduced around us.”
High acceptability of treatments like forest thinning on public lands isn’t only found in the St. Vrain
Watershed – it’s also shown in other communities along the Colorado Front Range. The same
survey was conducted in Estes Park and in Genesee Fire Protection District within the past four
years. In Estes Park, 66% of respondents rated thinning as “extremely” or “very” acceptable, with
only 1% of respondents rating it as not acceptable at all. In Genesee, 78% of respondents said
thinning is “extremely” or “very” acceptable, with only 2% rating it as not acceptable at all.
“We believe that every community member plays a role in creating wildfire-ready communities and
ecosystems,” Forrester added. “Hearing directly from residents helps ensure that our efforts
reflect the values, experiences, and priorities of the people who live here.”
For more information, read the press release.