Near Lake George in Park County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Fire Nature's Own Cleanser
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, July 8, 2020
1. Fire Nature's Own Cleanser Marker
These open forests likely occurred because lightning caused and human-set fires eliminated some young trees, pine needles, cones, limbs, and dead snags from the understory.
After 1900, people began to suppress fires within the forests, which increased in density. Wildfires in thick forests are difficult and expensive to control. They also pose serious threats to people and property, lead to erosion and flooding, and can sterilize soils.
Forests can be protected from dangerous fires by:
Public education in wildfire prevention.
Forest thinning, which opens spaces between trees that mimic the original forest structure, reduce the risk of hard-to-control crown fires, promote vegetation diversity, and provide wildlife habitat.
Prescribed fires, which decrease or eliminate flammable material in the forest understory without harming healthy, mature trees. These burns must be done regularly and must be carefully monitored. The burned plant material acts as a fertilizer and makes an area less susceptible
this page online
In the long run, a combination of all three elements most effectively ensures the health of managed forests.
Erected by U.S. Forest Service.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Environment • Horticulture & Forestry. A significant historical year for this entry is 1900.
Location. 39° 2.267′ N, 105° 31.547′ W. Marker is near Lake George, Colorado, in Park County. It can be reached from U.S. 24. Marker is located at the Wilkerson Pass Visitor Center. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Lake George CO 80827, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Colorado High Rockies. It is also in the American Mountain West. Globally, it is in North America, the Rocky Mountains, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Digging In (here, next to this marker); Bayou Salado "Salt Marsh" (here, next to this marker); Turning Gold Fields into Fields of Green (here, next to this marker); Footpaths to Highways
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, July 8, 2020
2. Fire Nature's Own Cleanser Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on July 21, 2020. It was originally submitted on July 20, 2020, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 196 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 20, 2020, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
