Ricketts Tree Diversity Team  

Judy Dunn has generously has offered to fund some work NoFloCo undertakes to improve fire mitigation and forest health in our community in honor of her father.

At about the same time, I attended some online forest health training referencing trees grown by Colorado State Forest Service nurseries, the benefits of improved tree diversity, and how small actions now lead to big results down the road. 

Fortunately, we have a NoFloCo volunteer and leader who has much training and experience in growing, Andrew Folender. Andrew was positive and enthusiastic and shared some great ideas and action plans with me right away. 

We look forward to making this an important part of NoFloCo moving forward. Diversity species like lodgepole pine and bristlecone pine will be our primary focus at first, tree seedlings will be planted, protected by wire fencing, GPS coordinates recorded, and a spreadsheet of the plantings maintained to track our success and the success of the seedlings.  Using water-retaining polymers, good seed stock, propagation, and protection from grazing deer will be the primary costs involved, as the labor for site analysis, plantings, growing expertise, and follow-up will be from volunteer labor. 

Thanks to each of you as you have motivated this exciting new opportunity for our organization and our community. Reach out to this committee with ideas, thoughts, and helpful advice.I f you know of others who would want to take a leadership role in making this a success, please advise me (Toni Moore, Toni@NoFloCo.org) of their contact info and possible interest and I will reach out to them.