Starting Monday, May 18th, the neighborhood will begin a project to clear fallen and standing dead trees and brush (by mulching them in-place).

Where?

1. The area between the dirt maintenance road connecting Basque Blvd and Joaquin Road and the Lynx trail.
2. The Water treatment and pump building just off Aguirre.
3. Some of the sparsely treed area downslope of the maintenance road into the Remine Creek drainage.

Why?

The main goals of this project are:

1. To reduce combustible fuel in areas with large amounts of dead and downed trees.
2. To promote the regeneration of new aspen trees. 
3. To provide defensible space around critical water infrastructure (pump station and water tanks).
4. To create a combination fire break / backup egress route from one half of the neighborhood to the other.

When?

The project is expected to start on Monday May 18th and run until June 1st. The plan is to complete everything before Elk Calving season starts.  The area around the Lynx Trail will be done first, the tanks and pump station second, and any owner lots, third.  

How?

Our contractor, VM West, will use a large front end loader with an attached mulcher to chip the trees in place. It has oversized tires to reduce the impact on the surrounding ground. 

The HOC Staff and Travis from the board walked the area with the contractor on Friday to specifically identify areas we want cleared.  The breakdown is probably 60% already downed trees 39% standing dead and maybe 1% trees that are already 50%+ dead (significant trunk damage), and will not survive   This is not an operation to cut down live trees! Tree mulch will be spread around with a depth not to exceed about 3”. 

Trail Closure – Lynx Trail

The Lynx Trail will be closed beginning this coming Monday, May 18th, for approximately 7–10 days while mitigation work is underway. Heavy equipment will be operating in the area and active mulching of dead trees presents a significant hazard. For your safety, please DO NOT use the trail during this time. We appreciate your cooperation in keeping both residents and crews safe.

Project Contractor

The HOC has engaged VM West LLC to administer and perform this work. This project is planned as a multi-year effort, allowing the HOC to strategically address the highest-risk areas over time.

Opportunities for Property Owners

With equipment mobilized in the community, lot owners are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to complete mitigation work on their own properties and benefit from reduced mobilization costs.

VM West and the HOC have developed targeted treatment approaches based on the capabilities of the equipment.

Phase 1 Treatment (Front End Loader Mulcher)

• ∙Best for open areas not near structures, as the front end loader lacks precise control. (Dead trees can only be pushed over, for instance)
• A cost-effective way to treat large areas of 1 Acre+.
• The machine needs space to get on and around your property.
• Happening in the next 2 weeks.  Get in touch soon!

Phase 2 Treatment (Defensible Space Crew — Chainsaws and Chippers)

• Focused mitigation closer to structures.
• Utilizes smaller equipment with reduced site impact (guys with chainsaws and a smaller, more mobile, chipper). This is much lighter on the land than the Phase 1 version.  
• Ideal for defensible space improvements around the home.
• Happening later this summer.

How to Participate

To participate in either phase, please pre-register with the HOC:

Email: Lynsey Wheeler at office@aldasororanch.com

When registering, please include:

• Your name
• Property address (lot number)
• A brief description of your concerns or areas of focus (e.g., dead trees, dense brush, defensible space near structures, access constraints, etc.)

The HOC is actively working with VM West LLC to negotiate group pricing discounts for owners who participate. Early registration will help us coordinate work efficiently and maximize potential cost savings by bundling projects together.

A VM West project manager will be in touch directly once the pre-registration has been submitted.

Questions

If you have any questions about the project, scheduling, or mitigation options for your property, please contact the HOC office.

This effort is an important step toward protecting Aldasoro Ranch from wildfire risk while also improving the long-term health and resilience of our forested environment. We appreciate your support and participation.