City to Expand Cattle Grazing to North Boulder to Help Reduce Wildfire Risks

The City of Boulder will expand targeted, strategic cattle grazing to open space areas near north Boulder neighborhoods in June as part of broader wildfire risk reduction and resilience efforts. For more than a decade, grazing on Shanahan Ridge in south Boulder has proven to be a cost-effective method for reducing invasive weeds that can contribute to grassfire risks.

The City of Boulder’s Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) Department will implement cattle grazing on city-managed land near Wonderland Lake in mid-June. Grazing is expected to last up to two weeks. Additional grazing is planned near the Dakota Ridge/North Briar neighborhoods in October – which will also occur for about two weeks. Grazing aims to reduce grass height and thatch fuel loads to minimize wildfire risks.

Guided by the Community Wildfire Protection Plan, the pilot grazing project in north Boulder is a collaborative, interdisciplinary effort involving city wildland fire staff, ecologists and agricultural specialists—supported by partnerships with local agricultural operators. The location, timing, and duration of grazing have been strategically planned to maximize wildfire risk reduction while minimizing impacts to sensitive natural areas.

“This new effort in north Boulder will help expand our work to reduce wildfire risk and strengthen community wildfire resilience,” said Paul Dennison, wildland fire senior program manager for the City of Boulder. “It will complement other city efforts identified in the Community Wildfire Protection Plan — such as open space mowing—to remove hazardous fuels and reduce wildfire risks on both public and private lands.”