Grassroots wildfire mitigation funding in Jamestown could be model for others in Colorado

A unique grassroots effort to fund wildlife mitigation in a small town is underway and could become a model for other communities across Colorado.

"Eight years ago, or so I started to try to beat the drum to find a way to thin the fuels but it's a lot of work, and working-class town people just don't have the money lying around to pay for it. It can cost $1,000 for a big tree," said Alan Mueller, a Jamestown property owner.

Mueller and his neighbors can't keep up and he knows the risk of a high-intensity wildfire in Jamestown is high. He also knows a wildfire here would have impacts far beyond Jamestown. Water users within the Saint Vrain Lefthand Water Conservancy District have a stake.

"If we were to see a high severity wildfire move through here, we might experience those impacts -- landslides, all that debris and ash would flow into our water systems and go all the way down to Longmont and impact water users along the way," said Jenny McCarty, Water Resources Specialist for the Saint Vrain and Left-Hand Water Conservancy District

It was thanks to Mueller, the water district not only prioritized fire mitigation in Jamestown but provided $137,000 to get mitigation started.

"It was a headache when I was heading it up and if you know anything about small towns, you would know why. They live in the mountains because they're independent people and then if one of the locals is trying to get them to do something they don't want to do, they're naturally resistant," he said.

The process to get outside entities involved initially wasn't easy, but the Watershed Center, a local non-profit helped Mueller convince his neighbors to remove more trees.

"It took me to push it and push it and push it you know I was up to 7 property owners when I gave up," he said.

It took almost a year but the 47 property owners in Jamestown agreed, and this month, tree clearing began.

"This project has been amazing be a part of, to see the 47 landowners come together on something like this, has been incredible. People live in Jamestown because they feel a connection to the mountains and the forest and to think about altering that, can be really difficult for some of us," said Maria Pezza, Community Program Manager for the Watershed Center.

"We are physically going in leaving the ponderosa, removing those lodgepole and Douglas fir that are going to burn hotter. Keep the fire in the canopies and remove those to protect ponderosa but also to mitigate risk to home and ultimately water resources," said McCarty.

Many properties have already been mitigated. Mueller's property has yet to be cleared. While it's hard for him to lose the trees that give him privacy, he understands it's necessary.

"It's not like a fire won't come but what will happen now is the fire departments would be able to stage in this hazard zone and stay in the ember storm and put out all the little spot fires," said Mueller. 

Getting to this point took massive collaboration. From property owners to the Watershed Center and the Saint Vrain Forest Health Partnership, to the water district.

"Boulder Valley and Longmont Conservation Districts dedicated their time to develop the forest management t plans for this project so individual plans for each property, which trees were to be removed and the Lefthand Fire Protection District is doing the actual implementation," said McCarty.

In addition to the funding to implement the Jamestown Fire Mitigation Project, a tax increase for all water users in the district will go toward projects for continued fire mitigation along with efforts related to improving and maintaining the quality of the watershed overall.

"It's really the collaborative process that has made this project a great model for other communities not only here in boulder county but across the front range and hopefully people realize that residents can make a big difference if they tap into their local resources," said McCarty.

For more information on the project, click here: https://svlhwcd.org/partner-funding-program/