Boulder County, Colo. – As part of its Forest Health Initiative, Boulder County is offering community forestry trainings and workshops this spring to help residents.

“Bark beetle management is complicated, but people will leave these trainings with a solid understanding about how to fight beetles on their land,” said Ryan Ludlow, Boulder County’s Outreach Forester.

Key Steps to Managing Your Backyard Forest
When: Thursday, April 7, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Where: Nederland Community Center, 750 Highway 72 North
Info: Free forestry training shows how to fight bark beetles and create better defensible space around homes.

The Beetles are Coming: A Call for Community Action
When: Saturday, April 9, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Where: Jamestown Town Hall, 118 Main St.
Info: Free training will focus on what landowners and communities can do to aggressively fight bark beetles as they arrive in our forests.

The Beetles are Coming: A Hands-on Training About Beetle Identification and Management
When: Wednesday, April 13, 6 p.m.
Where: Camp Eden, 11583 Camp Eden Road, Coal Creek Canyon
Info: Free field workshop will focus on effective landowner actions and best, current beetle management strategies.

Boulder County is also offering two wildfire preparedness workshops for residents interested in learning more about creating defensible space around their homes.

“These workshops will give folks an in-depth understanding of actions they can take to help increase the chances of their home surviving the next wildfire,” Ludlow said. “We live in a fire-dependent ecosystem and it is not a question of if a wildfire is going to occur, but when.”

Wildfire Preparedness and Planning Session 1
When: Thursday, April 21, 6-9 p.m.
Where: Boulder County Courthouse, Commissioners’ Hearing Room, 1325 Pearl St, third floor, Boulder
Who should attend: Those living at lower elevations (below 7,500 feet, in ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir dominated forests)

Wildfire Preparedness and Planning Session 2
When: Saturday, April 30, 1-4 p.m.
Where: Gilpin County Community Center, 250 Norton Drive, Black Hawk
RSVP: Pre-registration is required. Call 303-582-9106.
Who should attend: Those living at higher elevations (above 7,500 feet, in mixed conifer and lodgepole pine forests)

Please visit www.BoulderCounty.org/ForestHealth to find additional details about upcoming forestry trainings in your area. Contact Ryan Ludlow at 720-564-2641 or pinebeetle@bouldercounty.org for more information about upcoming trainings and forest management.