Protecting What Matters in Northern Colorado
Caring for the forests that sustain us
For Coloradans, these places and experiences are part of what makes this landscape special. Protecting them starts with healthy, resilient forests. The National Forest Foundation works with partners across Northern Colorado to restore forests, reduce wildfire risk, and care for the places people and communities depend on today, and for generations to come.
The new film Protect What Matters, developed in partnership with Forest Trends and the U.S. Forest Service, explores the importance of healthy forests to Coloradans from all walks of life.
How the NFF Cares for Forests in Northern Colorado
Fire has long shaped the landscape of Northern Colorado. In 2020, two of the largest wildfires in Colorado history (the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome fires) burned nearly 400,000 acres across the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and surrounding public and private lands.
In the years since, NFF has worked alongside communities, land managers, and conservation organizations on both sides of the fire. This includes preparing forests for future wildfires, restoring areas affected by past fires, and helping communities recover.
Building Resilience Before the Flames
The NFF works with partners in the Northern Colorado Fireshed Collaborative to increase the pace and scale of proactive forest management, including wildfire risk reduction, prescribed fire, and other forest restoration treatments.
Across Colorado, many of the actions needed to build healthier, more resilient forests are increasingly becoming known. But putting those actions into practice takes capacity, coordination, and resources.
The NFF helps bring those pieces together by leading and managing the Northern Colorado Fireshed Fund. The Fund brings together federal and private dollars to help partners build capacity, develop forest management plans, and put more proactive treatments on the ground.
Since its creation in 2023, the Fireshed Fund has awarded more than $2.6 million, helping communities and organizations expand their ability to address wildfire risk at the local level.
Protecting Colorado’s Heritage
That investment in local capacity is making a difference at places like MacGregor Ranch, a historic working ranch in the heart of the Estes Valley near Rocky Mountain National Park.
With support from NFF and a Fireshed Fund grant, the Larimer Conservation District hired two new foresters, increasing its ability to plan and implement forest restoration projects. Local partners subsequently treated more than 300 acres around the ranch, reducing wildfire risk to the property and surrounding Estes Park community.
The work also helps safeguard a historic working landscape that has been part of the Estes Valley for generations.
Planting for Resiliency
Beginning in 2025, the NFF has led reforestation efforts on U.S. Forest Service lands, planting 140,000 trees across 570 acres, and plans to expand this work in future years. Efforts include collecting native seeds, identifying potential planting sites, and determining where reforestation can have the greatest impact.
By helping establish new trees where natural regeneration may be limited, these projects support wildlife habitat, protect watersheds, and maintain genetic diversity across the landscape.
Photos from tree planting project in Poudre Canyon on the Arapho & Roosevelt National Forest (ARP) in June 2026. 
Photos by Shawn Phillips 
Photos from tree planting project in Poudre Canyon on the Arapho & Roosevelt National Forest (ARP) in June 2026. Rebuilding the Places We Play
The Cameron Peak Fire also damaged one of Northern Colorado’s beloved recreation areas: Jacks Gulch Campground in the Poudre Canyon.
After six years of closure, the NFF plans to begin a significant campground rebuild in 2027 in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service. The project will restore the campground while updating its infrastructure and amenities.
The reconstructed campground will include approximately 90 campsites, including a new loop with equestrian amenities, two group sites, and modernized electric and water infrastructure. Campsites will also include new toilets, fire rings, picnic tables, and bear boxes.
Once the work is complete, Jacks Gulch will once again provide opportunities for camping, horseback riding, and spending time in the Poudre Canyon.
Forests are woven into daily life across Northern Colorado, from the water flowing through our communities to the trails, wildlife habitat, and working lands that surround them.
The National Forest Foundation is proud to work alongside the people and organizations caring for these landscapes, helping turn shared priorities into action on the ground.