Northern Colorado nursery prepares to grow millions of seedlings to help forests recover from wildfires

A newly remodeled and expanded nursery in Northern Colorado is preparing to grow millions of tree seedlings that could help reforest areas damaged by wildfires and support conservation efforts across the state.

The Colorado State Forest Service recently completed renovations at its nursery in northwest Fort Collins, where the first seedlings are already growing inside the facility's greenhouses.

"What we're doing here is a major part of the reforestation pipeline," said Laura Miller, nursery manager for the Colorado State Forest Service.

The project was made possible by $10.3 million in state funding and $5.3 million from the U.S. Forest Service.

"Today is a culmination of three years of hard work," said Kristin Garrison, associate director of forest planning and implementation for the Colorado State Forest Service.

The nursery is designed to produce low-cost seedlings for conservation, with some trees available for purchase and others used to restore forests affected by wildfires.

"The Colorado State Forest Service is the leader in producing low-cost seedlings for conservation," Miller said.

Inside the greenhouses, staff are growing a variety of tree species, including ponderosa pine. Each species is tracked to help ensure seedlings are planted in environments where they have the best chance of surviving.

Miller said the seedlings typically grow for about a year and are only sent for planting in regions in which specific species thrive. 

"With our new facility, we're able to give the seedling exactly what it needs in terms of temperature, relative humidity, and with irrigation," Miller said. "So the whole goal is to have a high-quality seedling that will survive when it is out planted."

The nursery could eventually hold up to two million seedlings at a time when operating at full capacity.

The trees will be available for orders in the spring, with customers expected to pick up their seedlings in late spring or early summer.

After years of planning and construction, Miller said the completed facility will help the Colorado State Forest Service expand its work supporting forests and conservation throughout the state.

"It's just exciting to see the facility come to life and be able to support our mission here at Colorado State Forest Service," Miller said.