The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests’ Ouray Ranger District and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Uncompahgre Field Office and partners are collaborating on the Baldy Mountain Landscape Resiliency and Habitat Improvement project in Ouray County. An Environmental Assessment was signed in March 2022 to start implementation of fuels reduction activities on up to 6,106 acres to benefit wildlife habitat, reduce fuels both within and outside of the wildland-urban interface and improve landscape resiliency. The project will take place over approximately five years and provides for maintenance treatments in future years.
“This decision allows us to conduct much-needed treatment in dead, dying, and overgrown stands at a more landscape scale, including areas within the wildland urban interface,” said Ouray District Ranger, Dana Gardunio. “This will enhance forest health and wildlife habitat as well as maintain fuel breaks important for public and firefighter safety.”
The Bureau of Land Management Field Manager for the Uncompahgre Field Office shared that, "the Baldy Mountain project has fostered collaboration across jurisdictional boundaries, enabling us to leverage staff expertise and financial resources with other agencies and private landowners to reduce hazardous fuel loads, support landscape resilience and improve public safety."
