Colorado Springs: A Case Study
In 2012, two people died, scores of homes were lost and thousands of acres were burned as a result of the Waldo Canyon Fire. But it could have been worse. Roughly 81 percent of the threatened homes were not burned. City leaders and residents said preparing and planning helped prevent further devastation.
Your land and fire
Your first line of defense against wildland fires is knowledge. Here are resources that will help you prepare for and possibly survive a wildfire.
- Keep your property and community safe with tips from Fire Adapted Communities and Firewise.
- Learn about fire safety at Be Smart Outdoors.
- Get the kids involved with Smokey Bear.
- Know where fires are burning with Inciweb.
Make your land work for you
Agroforestry is the right tree in the right place for the right reason. Agroforestry can help the environment and maybe your bottom line.
- Working Trees is a series of brochures that serve as an introduction to agroforestry.
- Conservation Buffers provides design guidelines for buffers that protect soil, improve air and water quality, enhance fish and wildlife habitat and provide a source of income.
- Training is available through the National Agroforestry Center.
Develop your own forest plan
If you own or mange forest land, you are likely concerned about keeping it healthy and productive. The Forest Service helps private landowners protect, improve, restore and sustain their forests.
- Forest Stewardship Program
- Caring for Your Land with a Forest Stewardship Plan
- Planning for Forest Stewardship: A Desk Guide
- State and Private Forestry
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