A 100-acre forestry thinning project has begun on the Caribou Ranch and Sherwood Gulch properties. Trail users must adhere to all posted safety signage and exercise extreme caution when in the project area. To ensure safety, visitors must stay on trail and never approach active forestry operations.

Caribou Ranch will be closed Monday, February 28, through Wednesday, March 2, while work is done near the trailhead and DeLonde Trail. The park will reopen at sunrise on Thursday, March 3. This is the only planned park closure for this project, which is scheduled to be completed by late-spring 2022, depending on weather and other factors.

The main objective of this project is to establish a forest structure that is more resilient to wildfire and insect and disease issues. The treatment will aim to build a mosaic pattern of tree groups, isolated trees, and openings. The work will also strive to maintain age class, size class, and species diversity on the site. The site has aspen pockets, lodgepole pine pockets, open ponderosa, and mixed conifer, and the work will look to retain these components. Additionally, trees that are identified as legacy trees (trees with old growth characteristics) will be retained and promoted throughout the site.

The project is partially funded by a State Fire Assistance Wildland Urban Interface Grant and matched with internal funding and staff time.

For more information, please visit the Caribou Ranch & Sherwood Gulch Fuels Reduction webpage (https:// www.bouldercounty.org/open-space/ management/caribou-sherwood-gulchforestry project/) or contact forestry specialist Shane Milne at smilne@bouldercounty.org or 303-678-6089.