The Middle Boulder Creek Fuels Reduction Partnership Project is a coordinated effort to reduce wildfire risk and enhance forest resilience across approximately 200 acres of fire-prone landscapes west of the Town of Nederland. The project spans a network of adjacent public and private properties in the Tucker and Elk Draw area.
Middle Boulder Creek Fuels Reduction Partnership Project
Project Scope and Goals
The goal of this project is to decrease the amount of hazardous forest fuels and reduce the risk of severe wildfires. This will be done using mechanical forest thinning, prescribed burning, and other treatment methods. These efforts will support resilient and diverse forests.
Work is expected to begin late 2025 and be completed in 2026.
Project Benefits
- Public safety for nearby communities, including the Town of Nederland.
- Protection of regional water supplies.
- Sustainable and resilient forest ecosystems.
By reducing forest fuels and improving forest resiliency, this project aims to protect both people and ecosystems. Working together with communities and partners across land boundaries improves our ability to take on the difficult challenges of wildfire risk and keep Colorado’s forests and communities strong.
Community Meetings
The Boulder Watershed Collective will host two community meetings this summer to present plans and discuss concerns with this project.
Thursday, July 31 from 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Nederland Community Center
Nederland Community Center
A site visit was held on May 17 where project partners met with community members and discussed the project.
Public Comments
Community members are encouraged to submit comments and attend the community meetings. Comments submitted before June 10 will be compiled and common themes will be addressed at the meeting. Project managers will consider changes that align with the project’s goals.
Tucker and Elk Draw (TED) Area
Located directly adjacent to Nederland, the TED project area includes approximately 105 acres of dense mixed-conifer forest that pose a significant wildfire threat due to high fuel loads and prevailing westerly winds. Fuel reduction treatments here will improve species diversity, spatial structure, and overall forest health. Slash and woody material will be processed for on-site use, biofuel, or responsibly burned.
Arapaho Ranch
Arapaho Ranch is privately owned land immediately south of the TED area. Work in this area will align with and expand on TED’s treatments. Work was previously done in the area in 2024 in partnership with COSWAP and the project will further reduce wildfire risk by creating a more discontinuous forest canopy and lowering the potential for active crown fires. The scope of work and ecological prescriptions will integrate seamlessly with treatments in adjacent project areas.
U.S. Forest Service Area
A 40-acre inholding managed by the U.S. Forest Service may be treated in the future if a Good Neighbor Agreement (GNA) can be established. The Colorado State Forest Service is working with the U. S. Forest Service on the GNA. Work in this area will enable coordinated fuel reduction efforts across federal and non-federal lands.
Funding and Project Partners
The project is funded by Boulder County and the Colorado Strategic Wildfire Action Program (COSWAP). COSWAP, part of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, awarded the Landscape Resilience Investment Grant for the project.
This is a collaborative effort involving multiple agencies and organizations working across jurisdictions. Boulder County Parks & Open Space is managing the project.
- Boulder County Parks & Open Space
- Boulder County Wildfire Partners
- Boulder Watershed Collective
- City of Boulder
- Colorado Department of Natural Resources – Executive Director’s Office
- Colorado State Forest Service
- Town of Nederland
- U.S. Forest Service