PARTNERS IN ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT The Winiger Ridge Project is designed to bring a collaborative, community-supported land stewardship plan for the 38,000 acre project area, a "Stewardship Across Boundaries." As such, a primary focus is to sponsor participation from private landowners, who own 29 percent of the property within the project boundaries. Private property owners within the project are able  to receive professional forestry and technical assistance for a variety of management activities from the Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS).
	However, there are other agencies responsible for land management in the project area -- a situation common to this wildland/urban interface -- many of which contribute management expertise, as well as funds, to the Winiger Ridge effort. In all, 22 percent of the land within the project area is owned by the City of Boulder, 14 percent is owned by Boulder County, 25 percent is owned by the federal government, 2 percent is owned by the State of Colorado and another 8 percent is owned by other entities.
Eldorado Canyon State Park is currently conducting wildfire mitigation and noxious weed control activities. The state park just south of Boulder is a popular recreation and climbing area. The Colorado State Forest Service provides technical assistance to private landowners throughout the state. Craig Jones of the CSFS Boulder District serves as Interagency Project Coordinator. The U.S. Forest Service manages approximately 10,000 acres of public land across the project area. Ecosystem health, wildlife habitat improvement, wildfire mitigation and responsible recreation use are of primary concern to this land management agency. Boulder County is a key partner is the ecosystem management effort, with extensive and ongoing efforts on its Walker Ranch and Reynolds Ranch open space properties. The City of Boulder provides significant support to this overall effort. The newly formed Open Space and Mt. Parks Department and the Wildland Fire Division are conducting thinning, prescribed burns and noxious weed control activities on the nearly 4,400 acres of land within the project boundaries. Denver Water owns and manages nearly 1,200 acres of property, including Gross Reservoir and the surrounding land. Primary areas of focus for  Denver Water here is wildfire mitigation and watershed health and improvement. The Boulder County Ecosystem Cooperative (BCEC) -- the parent organization of the Winiger Ridge Project -- was established to identify and promote innovative ecosystem restoration management opportunities. A  consortium of environmental groups, private and public land owners collaborated to form goals for the BCEC. Fire Protection Districts (FPDs) There are five Fire Protection Districts in the Winiger Ridge Project area. These FPD's provide operational support and assist with education activities involving wildfire mitigation. The Cherryvale FPD has been involved with the project since the formation of the Boulder County Ecosystem Cooperative and is actively involved in this partnership effort. Private Landowners are a key constituent to the project. In order to implement “stewardship across boundaries," landowners and homeowner associations are encouraged to work  with public land management agencies to improve ecosystem health and reduce wildfire hazard.