Creating Resilient Forests: Colorado State Forest Service Nursery

The Takeaways

• The Nursery is one of only five state-managed nurseries in the country and carries out its operations in over 18,000 square feet of greenhouse space for propagating plants from seed.

• Throughout the year they grow a diverse set of tree and plant species that are natively found across the state, and they take effort to stockpile appropriate seeds to ensure they’ll have an adequate supply of needed plants in the future.

• Along with their post-wildfire recovery efforts, the Nursery staff has been a key component to flood restoration work throughout the state.

Seeding at the CSFS Nursery

“Every tree that leaves the Nursery keeps the lights on. ”

— Joshua Stolz, CSFS Nursery Manger

The Case Study

The Colorado State Forest Service Nursery (the Nursery) is located in Fort Collins on CSU’s Foothills Campus and produces seedlings and shrubs that are native to Colorado for conservation and resiliency purposes. Across its 130-acre facility, the Nursery staff grow seedlings for over 50 species of trees, plants, and shrubs, and then sell these products to both public and private landowners throughout Colorado to assist in conservation efforts. The Nursery is one of only five state-managed nurseries in the country and carries out its operations in over 18,000 square feet of greenhouse space for propagating plants from seed.

The Nursery assists public and private landowners in their land conservation efforts and plays a vital role in protecting natural habitats both before and after a disaster. The seedlings they sell are provided at low cost to customers and are used for a number of natural habitat conservation efforts such as:

• Reforesting areas impacted by wildfires, floods, and pest infestations;

• Stabilizing soil and reducing the risk of erosion;

• Improving wetlands;

• Improving wildlife and pollinator habitats;

• Creating wind rows that protect homes, crops, and livestock;

• Sequestering carbon.

The work that the Nursery does contributes to a more resilient Colorado. The Nursery sells nearly 1 million seedlings to private landowners, farmers, and ranchers at a low cost every year, providing a good economic benefit-cost for customers. Seedlings help lower the risk and vulnerability to natural systems in communities all across the state, and provide a number of co-benefits like property protection, improving water quality, improving crop yields, and lowering atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. Innovative strategies like growing plants in containers to allow them to have deeper roots and take hold faster, and adaptive measures like stockpiling the most commonly needed plants after a disaster mean that the Nursery can respond to communities’ needs post-disaster more efficiently.

Want more information?

• For more information about the Nursery, its operations, or to schedule a tour, contact the Nursery.

• Colorado State Forest Service Nursery website.

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