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68905BC38254BEC38725882F007027AA Hearing Summary




PUBLIC
BILL SUMMARY For UPDATE FROM COLORADO STATE FOREST SERVICE

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK, & WATER
Date Apr 25, 2022      
Location HCR 0107



Update from Colorado State Forest Service - Committee Discussion Only
02:25:03 PM  
Matt McCombs, Director
of Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) and the State Forester, introduced
the presentation.  The following handouts were distributed to the
committee:

- Five Year Strategic Plan, which can
be found here: https://csfs.colostate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/CSFS-StrategicPlan-2016-2020.pdf

- The Home Ignition Zone, which can be
found here: https://csfs.colostate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021_CSFS_HIZGuide_Web.pdf




He briefed the
committee on the 2021 Report on the Health on Colorado's Forests, which
can be found online here: https://csfs.colostate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/2021_Forest_Health_Report.pdf
02:29:26 PM  
Director McCombs
discussed the activities of CSFS and the need to maintain forest health.
 He discussed the relationship between water resources and forest
health and how dry, warm weather has stressed forests in Colorado.
02:32:41 PM  
Director McCombs
spoke about investing in Colorado's forests, including the different grant
programs that are currently available and the current projects that the
grants are funding.
02:37:01 PM  
Frank Beum, Deputy Regional Director of
the Rocky Mountain Region of the US Forest Service (USFS) spoke about his
role, the role of the USFS in Colorado, and their main priorities.
02:44:47 PM  
Director Beum discussed
the potential for wildfire, wildfire assessments, and drought monitoring.
 He discussed the federal infrastructure bill, including how it addresses
wildfire risk reduction, the national forest system, state and private
forest industry, and research and development.  
02:47:19 PM  
Director Beum spoke about the next steps for his agency and the plan for long-term forest maintenance. He discussed the Colorado Front Range Project and high-risk firesheds.
02:49:12 PM  
Director Beum told the committee about disaster relief funding and recreation in the national forests in Colorado.
02:51:18 PM  
Molly Pitts, Executive Director of the Colorado
Timber Industry Association, spoke about her organization's role in Colorado.
She told the committee about the risks the forests are facing and the need
to invest in forest management.  She distributed a handout to the
committee (Attachment A).
02:52:48 PM  
Director Pitts thanked
the committee for investing in Colorado forests and helping to fund the
different grant programs.  She spoke about forest products and employing
individuals in the timber industry.
02:55:28 PM  

Lyle Laverty, Association of Consulting Foresters, spoke about his role and his experience in the forest industry. He discussed the impacts of the recent large fires in Colorado and how Colorado can work to recover.  He distributed a handout to the committee (Attachment B).
02:59:32 PM  
The presenters responded to questions from the committee members.
03:13:25 PM  
Questions continued.
03:25:11 PM  
Questions continued.