City will host a community meeting from 4 to 6 on Tuesday, June 3, about the grazing project
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.”
Supporting Neighborhood-Level and Community Wildfire Preparedness
Planned grazing aligns with the city’s prioritized wildfire risk reduction actions and complements broader efforts in and adjacent to Boulder neighborhoods, such as Detailed Home Assessments and grant funding to help residents implement home hardening measures and manage vegetation on their properties. Read more about 2025 wildfire resilience priorities.
Grazing as Part of Wildfire Mitigation and Ecosystem Health Strategies
Observations and monitoring following the 2022 NCAR Fire indicated that targeted cattle grazing—when combined with rapid emergency response and other mitigation work, including forest thinning—helped slow the fire's spread and reduce its intensity. Grazing is one of many practices the city uses to help manage wildfire risk on open space, along with tree thinning, invasive weed removal, prescribed burning, and vegetation management in agricultural ditches.
Trail Access and Safety During Grazing Operations
Upcoming grazing near Wonderland Lake will occur west of the Wonderland Lake Trails. The city may close undesignated, unmaintained trails in the area as part of this effort. The city reminds visitors to respect cattle, which will be contained within temporary electric fencing. Visitors should not approach the fences or the cattle, and they should bb mindful of their pets while recreating in the area. Please respect all closure signs.
Wildfire resilience in the City of Boulder is a shared responsibility. The city has numerous other projects that complement targeted grazing and help reduce our wildfire risk. Learn more at Boulder Wildfire Projects.