The project will conduct several different forms of forest and rangeland health treatments to improve and restore good health conditions in aspen woodlands and rangelands on roughly between 700,000 to 750,000 acres located in the southwestern portion of Rawlins, WY. The goal is to implement a combination of treatments (mechanical removal of confier encroachment in aspen stands, prescribed burning, hazardous fuels reduction and mechanical brush beating) within identified areas of forest and rangelands within the project area to improve aspen stand, rangeland vegetation, and riparian ecosystem health; improve livestock grazing and wildlife habitat conditions; and reduce hazardous fire fuel build-up within juniper woodlands. This is in an effort to improve the overall ecosystem health and production within these identified areas.
Species benefited: elk, beaver, Colorado cutthroat trout, and white-faced ibis
Update: June 2009-September 2009 - Mechanical treatments were applied to approximately 514 acres during this time frame.