(1) The general assembly hereby finds that: (a) The management of Colorado's state-owned forested land has far-reaching impacts on overall forest condition, risk of wildfire, water quantity and quality, and wildlife habitat; (b) The unnatural condition of many forests throughout the state leaves them at great risk to catastrophic fires, invasion by exotic and native pest species, and other types of damage on a landscape scale; (c) As a result of the 2002 wildfire season, the worst in Colorado's recorded history, in which two thousand twelve fires consumed over half a million acres of forested land: (I) Local, state, and federal agencies incurred one hundred fifty-two million dollars in suppression costs and at least fifty million dollars to date in rehabilitation costs on United States forest service land alone; and (II) Eighty-one thousand four hundred thirty-five residents had to be evacuated from their homes; (d) Excessive runoff and soil erosion that occurs following wildfires poses a substantial threat to water quantity and quality in areas dependent on forest watersheds, including water supplies and wildlife; (e) Since 1937, United States forest service scientists have been studying the relationship between forests and water yields in the Fraser experimental forest in western Colorado and have found that unnaturally overgrown stands reduce water yields and that carefully applied natural forest management practices can conserve a more natural water yield; (f) Decades of scientific research have built a foundation of knowledge and technologies to inform and implement sound forest management and conservation; (g) Robust, resilient forest conditions that sustain diverse forest stages are essential for productive habitat, healthy populations of wildlife, and improved water quality and quantity for Colorado's fisheries; (h) Sound forest management activities, such as thinning, prescribed burning, and insect and disease treatments, improve the overall diversity and vigor of forested landscapes as well as the condition of related water, wildlife, recreation, and aesthetic resources; (i) The Colorado state forest service has worked cooperatively and successfully with the division of parks and wildlife and the state board of land commissioners to improve the condition of forested land and wildlife habitat in selected project areas; (i.5) These goals will be further advanced through the coordination of efforts to create community-based solutions to restore Colorado forest ecosystems, promote forest industries, and stimulate rural economies through the generation of clean energy from forest biomass; (j) The executive director of the department of natural resources is authorized to enter into an agreement with the board of governors of the Colorado state university system to work cooperatively with the Colorado state forest service and to provide staff for the division of forestry to carry out its mission of improving the health and sustainability of Colorado's forested state land. (2) (a) The general assembly hereby declares that it is the public policy of this state to encourage the health of forest ecosystems through responsible management of the forest land of the state and through coordination with the United States secretary of the interior and the United States secretary of agriculture to develop management plans for federal lands within the state of Colorado pursuant to 16 U.S.C. sec. 530, 16 U.S.C. sec. 1604, and 43 U.S.C. sec. 1712, including the use of other pre-suppression activities, such as the harvest and profitable utilization of materials, in order to: Preserve forest and other natural resources; enhance the growth and maintenance of forests; conserve forest cover on watersheds; protect recreational, wildlife, and other values; promote stability of forest-using industries; and prevent loss of life and damage to property from wildfires and other conflagrations. (b) In addition to any other powers and duties conferred upon the Colorado state forest service by law, the Colorado state forest service may: (I) Value forest materials on state lands using lowest market value as an incentive to maximize the utilization of these products; and (II) Collaborate with the United States forest service and the bureau of land management to contract for a reliable source of feedstock consistent with Colorado communities' plans for utilization of forest biomass described in section 23-31-312 (3.5).
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