Volunteers make an impact on Colorado forests, one pine cone at a time

Wildfires in Colorado can burn thousands of acres, destroy hundreds of homes and leave long-lasting negative impacts on large swaths of natural space. But one organization is helping to fight back with something as small as a pine cone.

“We focus on collecting ponderosa pine cones to reforest areas of the Cache la Poudre River watershed that have been burnt by high-severity wildfires over the past 10 to 15 years,” said Megan Maiolo-Heath, the communications, outreach and marketing manager for Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed, or CPRW.

The organization works alongside landowners, public agencies, water providers, and nonprofit organizations to handle challenges impacting the watershed and the surrounding area and protect and improve the health of the Poudre River watershed.

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