Treat ~25,450 acres using prescribed fire and mechanical treatments within mountain shrub oak and pinyon juniper communities to improve habitat quality for elk and deer on winter range throughout the Paonia Ranger District with CPW, NWTF and BLM.
The Paonia Ranger District of the Grand Mesa Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests has identified a need to improve habitat quality for elk and deer on winter range in selected areas across the district. The district is partnering with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, National Wild Turkey Federation, and Bureau of Land Management on this project. We are proposing to treat about 25,450 acres using prescribed fire and mechanical treatments within mountain shrub oak and pinyon/juniper communities. The proposed treatments would be located in four main areas: low-lying areas surrounding Mt. Lamborn and Landsend Peak, Cathedral Peak, Buckhorn Gulch, and McClure Pass (see linked map).
These proposed treatments would enhance habitat conditions by increasing the palatability of shrub (browse) species, increasing grass/forb production, providing openings in pinyon/juniper woodlands, reducing fuels available for wildfires, and returning fire to fire-adapted landscapes. The desired condition is a mosaic of age classes across vegetation types within the landscapes. Additionally, reduction in mature and over-mature oakbrush and pinyon/juniper would provide reduced fuels available for wildfires which could threaten municipal and irrigation water systems, adjacent non-National Forest System (NFS) lands, and conifer stands on the flanks of Mt. Lamborn and Landsend.
To be most helpful, please focus comments and concerns on project area.
