FOX31 Denver

Mulch eyed as erosion control following severe wildfires

In this Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021 photo, a helicopter picks up mulch to spread in Poudre Canyon, about 50 miles west of Fort Collins, to try to stem silt runoff during large rains near Red Feather Lakes, Colo. (Kevin J. Beaty/Colorado Public Radio via AP)

DENVER (AP) — An aerial landscaping team has taken flight in the mountains west of Fort Collins.

Colorado Public Radio reports a helicopter crew has been lifting about 1,300 pounds of shredded wood per load and dumping it over a section of land that was burned by the massive Cameron Peak Fire last year.

The mulching project is an attempt to help the forest recover as quickly as possible by preventing erosion and has required a coordinated effort to win government approval and gather funding.

With the helicopter team costing between $2,500 and $3,000 an acre, it’s unclear if it can be completed.