Spring 2022 Partnership Peaks

Turning to the Mountains

As the rivers swell with spring runoff and the earliest pasqueflowers unfurl their delicate pedals, San Juan National Forest employees and our partner organizations start counting the days to field season. We sharpen our tools and our skills, recruit employees and volunteers, all with our eyes turned to the mountains. Eager to get our hands dirty and our bodies moving, we easily lose sight of winter promises to savor downtime and read more books. Spring is when we must strike a balance between relaxation and longing.

All of the Spring Issue's stories are results of winter planning, dreaming, and reflecting. Now, as we head toward field season, it's time to shed some light on them so they can grow! Whether it's the Dolores District's Wood for Life program pilot, area-wide prescribed fire planning, or the burgeoning shared stewardship ideas for Pagosa's Jackson Mountain, these highlighted projects are rooted in partnerships and in new beginnings.