KUDOS SENT TO OUR POA FHWMC FROM OUR STATE FORESTER!

Kenneth,

I commend you and your SFTR partners on the excellent work you are doing to reduce the wildfire risk at Santa Fe Trail ranch, while improving the overall forest health as well, within your forested neighborhood. I encourage you to continue your endeavors not just to accomplish your own wildfire mitigation objectives but also because your endeavors at SFTR are a very powerful example of forest and community stewardship in the greater Purgatoire River basin. You may not know it, but your endeavors to build wildfire preparedness/mitigation capacity AND to implement effective projects within your area are well known (and yes I for one use you as an example of what is being done right as we seek to get other neighborhoods engaged or inspire others to continue this hard work). I would love to showcase this aspect of your work if you all are willing and look forward to getting on the ground with you soon.

As we mentioned, I am very excited to meet with your new Firewise team and will send you a few dates for a visit to drill down on this topic. I do understand that many topics are brought up on any singular visit and will roll with that, however I do have Firewise USA training and resources that will help that team specifically.

Again, I just want to say that you and yours are doing incredible work and are an inspiration. Keep up the good work! I look forward to seeing you soon.

Best Regards (and Happy 4th of July!)

-Paul 

Paul Branson 

Supervisory Forester Colorado State Forest Service

La Veta District Field Office

P.O.Box 81

Moore and Poplar Streets

La Veta CO 81055