The Daily Sentinel, December 7, 2021—A collaborative effort between landowners and partnering agencies has given many the opportunity to cut a Christmas tree on private land in the Glade Park Area.

On Dec. 2, Mesa County cut its Christmas tree from the conserved Ladder Canyon Ranch. The county’s tree-cutting event was part of a larger, multi-year effort by Colorado West Land Trust and the owners of Ladder Canyon Ranch to reduce wildfire risk, improve wildlife habitat, connect kids to nature, and help spread holiday cheer in the region by providing families with free Christmas trees.

Each year, Bert Nieslanik and Merce Cameron, owners of the 1,760-acre ranch, invite friends to their property to cut down Christmas trees to help them thin out areas with dense forest coverage, thereby mitigating against the threat of wildfire.

For the past four years, the landowners have also partnered with staff from the Land Trust and the Riverside Educational Center to host a group of students to join the event to pick out Christmas trees for their families. Students also learn the basics of conservation and wildfire mitigation during their visit.

The ranch is conserved with Colorado West Land Trust, meaning it is protected from development or subdivision pressure forever, a Mesa County news release said.

Even if the property is sold in the future, Land Trust staff will partner with the landowners to ensure that the original conservation contract is honored and the ranch remains protected open space.

Click link to read the story on The Daily Sentinel’s website: County cuts Christmas tree for a good cause | Western Colorado | gjsentinel.com