A year after the 2014 cutting of decadent vegetation at Sky Mountain Park, new growth had filled in the area, improving the habitat for wildlife.

Sometimes, looks can be deceiving. That is certainly true when dense stands of overly mature trees suggest a healthy landscape. In reality, those forests may need help. This summer, Pitkin County Open Space and Trails is working independently and with other land managers to provide that aid in several locations. We’re regenerating vegetation by cutting it down.

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Desiccated cheatgrass, now gone from Red Wind Point Open Space.

On a wind-swept mesa perched above the Crystal River at Red Wind Point Open Space, what’s most noticeable on the landscape is what’s not there – cheatgrass.

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A cow elk and calf at Sky Mountain Park in July 2022.

The hikers and mountain bikers who hit the trails of Sky Mountain Park on opening day (May 16) will join an impressive array of mammals and birds on the landscape – a testament to successful management of the area for both wildlife needs and human recreation.

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