BLACK FOREST TOGETHER

RECOVER. REBUILD. RESTORE.

2017 Annual Report: How We Continued to Answer Our Call to Action

TABLE OF CONTENTS Contents

Who We Are ________________________________________________________________________ 1

Looking Ahead _____________________________________________________________________ 2

Trees 4 Tomorrow ___________________________________________________________________ 3

2017 update at a glance ______________________________________________________________ 4

2017 Board of Directors ______________________________________________________________ 6

Your Call to Action___________________________________________________________________ 7

Contact Information _________________________________________________________________ 8

WHO WE ARE

Page 1

OUR MISSION

To help the people of the Black Forest region to recover,

rebuild, and restore their lives, to protect the Forest’s

water quality and ecological health with and emphasis

placed on community values, economic stability and the

richness of our natural environment today and in the

future.

OUR BEGINNINGS

Created in 2013 just days after the Black Forest Fire, Black

Forest Together (BFT) is the only organization in El Paso

County still providing forest recovery and restoration

assistance on private land to the Black Forest community.

El Paso County provided much-needed assistance the

few months after the fire, however their efforts were

limited to using public funds for public lands. Black Forest

Together stepped into the gap and continues to help with

tree mitigation and forest restoration on private lands

affected by the fire. Five years later, we are still here,

helping our community recover.

THE 2013 BLACK FOREST FIRE

The 2013 Black Forest Fire still stands as the

most destructive and the most expensive in

Colorado history. June 2018 will mark

five years since the Black Forest Fire. 14,198 acres

burned, 488 homes were destroyed, two lives were lost,

and hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. The fire

began June 11, 2013, and firefighters from across the

state battled it into containment June 21, 2013. Low

humidity, high winds, and temperatures near 90 degrees

created the perfect conditions for the fire to explode in

size as it jumped fire lines and roadways, expanding east,

north and west. Heavy smoke impacted the city of

Colorado Springs, located 20 miles south, and Denver, 70

miles north.

Who We Are

LOOKING AHEAD

Page 2

Looking Ahead

LOOKING AHEAD

2018 has the markings of another dry year, which drastically increases the

risk of disaster. Currently 71% of Colorado is in a drought, the largest drought

since 2013. Drought, low snowpack and high fire danger all describe the

Black Forest area in the first few months of 2018. Lack of rain leads to dry

grounds and soils, while fire danger refers to the lack of moisture in the fire

fuel such as trees and branches.

Black Forest Together continues to mitigate fire fuel from private lands and

reminds residents time and again to stay aware and prepare.

It is not a question of IF we will have another fire, but WHEN will we have

another fire?

Through our outreach and projects, Black Forest Together will be there when

we are needed, for as long as we are needed.

TREES 4 TOMORROW

Page 3

Trees 4 Tomorrow

RESTORING THE GREEN

2017 was a heavy planning year for our Trees 4 Tomorrow (T4T) program.

As part of the Black Forest Together Fire Recovery Program, we are helping landowners in

replacing their trees through the Trees 4 Tomorrow program. This program matches

landowners, unaffected by the fire but mitigating healthy trees, with fire victims in need

of low-cost trees. Donation of these healthy trees reduces the cost of program by

approximately 65%. Fire victims are given a substantial discount for their purchases.

This community program creates wildlife habitat, fire mitigation, reforestation, and re-

vegetation, prevents soil erosion, protects watersheds, and improves the morale of the

community.

It turns black to green; tears to smiles; hopelessness to promise.

Heading into 2018, T4T Program has already transplanted nearly 500 trees.

Some donor trees are sold to Black Forest residents. These trees are sold at still lower

than nursery rates and are primarily transplanted into areas near the burn scar. Proceeds

from these sales are used to fund program operating expenses.

Trees 4 Tomorrow aims to be self-sustaining by the end of the 2018 season.

Our logo for the program, created by a volunteer,

symbolizes hope while reinforcing the connection to our

Black Forest Together origins.

2017 UPDATE AT A GLANCE

Page 4

2017 update at a glance

Oldest Volunteer: 89

Youngest Volunteer: 11

1

Eagle Scout Project

4 community

outreach events

35

middle schoolers came to visit

148

green acres mitigated

250

Ponderosa Pine transplanted into the burn scar for 37 homes

and the community park

2017 UPDATE AT A GLANCE

Page 5

2017 update at a glance

2017 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Page 6

2017 Board of Directors

Chairman & Founder

Eddie Bracken

Co-Founder

Nancy Gorsich Bracken

Board President

Bill Marchant

Vice President

Bill Mantia

Chief Financial Officer

Larry Stanley

Bookkeeper

Donna Arkowski

Board Secretary

Alphie Hutmacher

Thank you to our Board Members for their ongoing time, expertise, and energies making a

difference in the Black Forest community.

YOUR CALL TO ACTION

Page 7

Your Call to Action

ACCOUNTS

When you have a document that shows a lot of numbers, it’s a good idea to have a little text that explains the

numbers. You can do that here.

DEBT

Of course, we would all prefer to just have profits. But if you’ve got any debt, this is the place to make notes

about it.

GOING CONCERN

Okay, you get the idea. If you’ve got notes to add about your financials, add them here.

CONTINGENT LIABILITIES

Keep in mind that some of these headings might not apply to your business (and you might have others to add).

This one, for example, is about potential liabilities that could arise if something happens in the future, such as a

pending legal decision.

TAKEAWAYS

What would you like your readers to understand? Add notes on key takeaways here.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Page 8

Contact Information

Black Forest Together

Trees 4 Tomorrow Program

11460 Black Forest Road

Colorado Springs, CO 80908

719-495-2445

resourcecenter@blackforesttogether.org

www.blackforesttogether.org

www.trees4tomorrow.com