Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests

The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests in Colorado have faced severe ecological challenges over the past decade, primarily due to the widespread infestation of spruce bark beetles. These beetles have caused large-scale mortality of Engelmann spruce trees across hundreds of thousands of acres, prompting an ongoing series of reforestation efforts to restore forest health, watershed stability, and wildlife habitat.

In 2025, two major planting efforts were carried out. The Willow Park Planting project resulted in the planting of 153,000 Engelmann spruce seedlings in beetle-impacted areas. The project focused on reestablishing forest cover, improving biodiversity, and stabilizing soils in priority landscapes. Also this year, the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests Ancestral Youth Corps Pine Planting – Iron Beetle Toe project added 40,250 trees, emphasizing youth involvement and cultural stewardship while supporting ecosystem recovery.

These efforts followed the 2024 North Zone Planting project, which planted 30,600 Engelmann spruce seedlings in severely affected areas. The project aimed to jumpstart regeneration, improve watershed health, and create critical habitat for species dependent on mature spruce forest.

In 2022, the Gunnison Spruce Beetle Tree Planting project introduced 154,640 trees, reinforcing recovery in high-impact zones of the Gunnison Ranger District. Additionally, the Grand Mesa Planting for Wind and Spruce Beetle Restoration project added 23,855 trees to support slope stability and improve forest resilience in previously damaged areas.

In 2020, the Spruce Bark Beetle Reforestation project planted 140,000 Engelmann spruce trees across 834 acres in the Gunnison Ranger District. This planting effort targeted core areas affected by the beetle outbreak and played a key role in restoring habitat for wildlife such as elk, bear, and Canada lynx.

The earliest of the projects in this reforestation timeline was the 2019 Sheep Flats Spruce Beetle Reforestation project, which planted 148,745 trees on 420 acres in the Grand Valley Ranger District. The initiative aimed to restore old-growth characteristics, stabilize the Grove Creek watershed, and support local drinking water supplies and wildlife populations.

Together, these projects demonstrate a long-term and coordinated effort to restore ecological function in the GMUG National Forests. Through strategic planting of native conifers and targeted habitat restoration, the forests continue to recover from severe insect outbreaks and maintain their role as vital landscapes for biodiversity, clean water, and public recreation.