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Larimer County Forestry Department


Forest near Horsetooth Mountain Park

The Larimer County Forestry Program is dedicated to serving the citizens of Larimer County and assisting with questions and concerns of vegetation, primarily woody plant material or related issues on their properties and on county lands including rights of ways. Larimer County has a diverse landscape and the issues of the property owners of Larimer County are as diverse. It is our intent to respond to all questions in a timely manner, which may be a site visit, a telephone call or directing one to the person or agency which will provide the best information to the question.

Functions

  1. Promote forest health education and awareness by way of community presentations and site visits.
  2. Forest and landscape information upon request to county residents.
  3. Assist other County Departments with matters concerning vegetation on County lands including county rights-of-way.
  4. Landscape installation inspections for the Larimer County Planning Department.
  5. Enforcement of state statutes (C.R.S. 35-4) the "Pest Control Act", dealing with mountain pine beetle, spruce ips, Douglas fir beetle, thousand cankers disease and Dutch elm disease. (County pest inspector description)

Current pest issues in Larimer County

At the present time and for the next 5-10 years the citizens of Larimer County will be dealing with an epidemic and the aftermath of the mountain pine beetle (MPB), a native bark beetle of western North America. Currently there are 412,000 acres affected by MPB in Larimer County, this is up from 190,000 acres in 2008. Due to what is believed to have been a wind event during the 2008 MPB flight the beetle is affecting pines in the urban corridor of the Front Range and further east. For more information and links go to MPB.

Increased spread of mountain pine beetle from 2009-2010

MPB MPB

The Northern Front Range Mountain Pine Beetle Working Group or NFRMPBWG, is a partnership between a number of government agencies working together and across agency bounties to address the MPB problem. The group has developed a web site, held several educational meetings for the public and has put together several educational publications for the public. Much beneficial information can be obtained from this web site including the most resent publication the "Landowner Guide to Living with Bark Beetle".

Another pest of concern is the thousand canker disease (TCD). TCD affect black walnut, and is a result of an attack of the walnut twig beetle and associated fungus. TCD has killed most of the black walnut trees in the Colorado Springs and the Boulder areas. Thousand canker disease was detected in southern Larimer County in 2009. At the present time there is no preventive or therapeutic treatment for TCD.

Peak to Peak
Peak to Peak Wood

Contact Information

To schedule site visits, educational presentations or for management recomendations please contact:

Larimer County Forester
Dave Lentz
dlentz@larimer.org

Physical Address
2649 E. Mulberry St, Suite 6
Fort Collins, CO 80524

Mailing Address
PO Box 1190
Fort Collins, CO 80522

Phone
(970) 498-5765
(970) 498-5776 Fax

Office Hours
7:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Monday - Friday
(except Holidays)

For information on tree problems within Fort Collins city limits, call the City of Ft. Collins Forester at 221-6660.

For information on wood or tree cutting permits, call the U.S. Forest Service at 295-6700.

Information on the Firewood Collection Program.

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