Exploring Public Lands

Exploring Public Lands. . , The Effects of Wildfire , Wildfire is a part of nature. It plays a key role in shaping ecosystems by serving as an agent of renewal and change., Low-severity wildfire events produce positive effects on forests, such as eliminating vegetative competition and promoting regrowth., High-severity fires, such as the 2012 High Park and 2020 Cameron Peak wildfires, caused the channeling of sediment into local waterways and disrupted regenerative growth for native plant communities., Land management agencies continue to work on post-fire mitigation in burn scars to support watershed recovery and restore native vegetation., Be a Steward of the Land! , Care for our lands and communities by conserving and protecting public lands. Do your part, be a land steward and follow Leave No Trace Principles: , 1. Plan Ahead and Prepare , 2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces , 3. Dispose of Waste Properly , 4. Leave What You Find , 5. Minimize Campfire Impacts , 6. Respect Wildlife , 7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors , Check on fire restrictions at www.fs.usda.gov/arp. Remember when putting out a campfire, everything should be cold to the touch., History of the Landscape , Before Euro-American settlement, this area was predominately Ute, Arapaho, and Cheyenne territory. Many other roving tribes frequented these lands, such as the Kiowa, Apache, Comanche, Pawnee, Lakota, and Shoshone., According to legend, the Cache la Poudre River got its name in the 1800s when French fur traders stashed gunpowder near the river due to a snowstorm. The order was given to "cache la poudre" or "hide the powder" so it could be retrieved the following spring., The upper stretch of the Cache la Poudre was designated under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in 1986 for its outstanding recreation, scenic, and hydrologic features. The Poudre Canyon offers campgrounds, picnicking, fishing. hiking, white-water rafting, kayaking, horseback riding, mountain biking, and more., Did you Know? Many plants have evolved to exist with wildfire. They have adaptations like serotinous cones which are sealed shut with resin and then burst open during a fire, flame-resistant leaves and bark, and below-ground bud banks that sprout quickly after a forest fire.