National Wildlife Federation to provide over 2,000 seedling trees for High Park Fire restoration

The National Wildlife Federation is providing the Colorado State Forest Service funding to supply more than 2,000 seedling trees for High Park Fire reforestation work this spring. Planting seedlings will ultimately help protect water supplies, restore wildlife habitat and reduce flooding and erosion.

The NWF is providing the funding for the native trees as part of its 75th Annual National Wildlife Week, March 18-24, designed to teach children about the wonders of nature and inspire their interest in spending more time outside. This year National Wildlife Week features trees, with a theme of “Branching Out for Wildlife,” intended to educate children on the importance of trees and their benefits to ecosystems and wildlife. The NWF Legacy Society is making a monetary donation to purchase native seedlings grown at the CSFS Nursery in Fort Collins.

“We want to thank the National Wildlife Federation for their generous donation to help restore the burn area,” interim state forester Joe Duda said. “Our foresters will provide the know-how and resources landowners need to get these trees in the ground.”

Landowners impacted by the High Park Fire will be receiving the NWF seedlings. These landowners join many other High Park landowners who this spring are receiving more than 4,000 additional free seedlings from the CSFS-administered Restoring Colorado’s Forests Fund. All of these seedlings were paid for by donations from Colorado businesses and private citizens, in a larger effort to help reforest state and private land impacted by wildfires and other disasters.