New forester in the Durango Field Office

The Colorado State Forest Service announces Luke Dittrich as a new forester in the southwest region, based out of the Durango Field Office.

The area encompasses the agency’s Montrose, Gunnison, Salida and Alamosa field offices.

Dittrich will focus on Archuleta, La Plata, San Juan and Montezuma counties. He will assist communities and private landowners with tree-related projects and issues, help manage state trust lands and administer the Forest Agriculture Tax Program.

Dittrich worked as a private forestry consultant in Colorado for three years before pursuing a master’s degree in ecological restoration from Colorado State University.

His previous experience includes employment with AloTerra Restoration Services, private forestry consulting, Environmental Consultants Inc., The Nature Conservancy and Molpus Timberlands Management.

He also has a bachelor’s degree in forest management from the University of Tennessee.