Mission Statement
"It is our mission to efficiently supply professional forest management services that promote the stewardship of the public and private forests of the Southwest and the communities that depend on them for current and future generations".
About US
Operational Forestry. Real Solutions. Lasting Resilience.
We approach every project with a simple belief: stewardship is a form of service, and healthy forests are built for generations. We work alongside the people who care for the West’s working landscapes: Non‑Industrial Private Forest (NIPF) owners, farms, ranches, rural subdivisions, and high‑risk WUI communities. We believe every acre matters in the endeavor of active forest management and long‑term resilience of our forests. That’s why we focus on the landowners who too often fall through the cracks — the families, farms, ranches, and rural communities who need clear direction and practical, on‑the‑ground solutions, not shifting priorities or one‑size‑fits‑all programs. Our approach is operational from the start: assess the conditions, identify the real constraints, and build a plan that can be executed safely, efficiently, and in alignment with the landowner’s long‑term vision.
What We Believe
🌲 People are part of the landscape — the work we do in the forest directly shapes the safety, stability, and future of the communities within it.
🔥 Fire is a natural process — a force that shapes ecosystems and the communities within them, and one we must learn to work with through disciplined, proactive management.
🛠️ Stewardship requires action — progress is measured by the work we put on the ground.
🧭 Service shapes the standard — as a veteran‑owned business, Legacy brings mission‑focused discipline and integrity to every decision made on the land.
What We Deliver
Forest management & improvement plans — clear, site‑specific strategies that align landowner goals with ecological needs.
Fuels reduction & thinning — treatments that reduce wildfire risk and strengthen forested communities.
Timber inventory & marking — accurate data and professional marking to guide responsible harvest and stewardship.
Forest health & pest mitigation — integrated approaches to protect high‑value trees and support resilient stands.
Hazard tree assessments — objective evaluations to keep homes, roads, and shared spaces safe.
Stewardship consulting — practical guidance to help landowners understand their forest and make informed decisions.
Contractor coordination & oversight — hands‑on management ensuring safe, efficient, high‑quality field work.
Post‑fire recovery support — clear steps for assessing damage and guiding natural regeneration.
WE Work For You (Why Choose US)
Healthy forests aren’t created through one‑size‑fits‑all programs or shifting funding priorities. They’re built through clear communication, accountable service, and a genuine commitment to the landowner’s goals above all else. At Legacy Forest Management, we take the time to understand your land, your objectives, and your long‑term vision, then deliver work that’s precise, transparent, and aligned with what matters most to you.
Legacy Forest Management is led by a forester who upholds the professional standards of the Association of Consulting Foresters and the Society of American Foresters, organizations committed to verified experience, peer‑reviewed practice, technical competence, and a strict code of ethics. Our work reflects the national standards of ACF and SAF: independent judgment, client‑centered service, disciplined analysis, and stewardship grounded in integrity and long‑term forest health.
We provide forestry expertise that protects landowners, strengthens communities, and delivers results that speak for themselves without the politics, bureaucracy, or grant‑driven agendas that often complicate landowner needs.
What Sets Legacy Forest Management Apart
Professional Forestry Delivered with ACF Standards
Legacy Forest Management is led by an ACF consulting forester — a professional committed to verified experience, peer-reviewed practice, and a strict code of ethics. Our work reflects the national standards of the Association of Consulting Foresters: independent judgment, client-centered service, and stewardship grounded in integrity. We provide forestry expertise that protects landowners, strengthens communities, and delivers real results without the politics, bureaucracy, or grant-driven agendas that often complicate landowner needs.
Forestry Expertise Delivered with SAF Standards
Legacy Forest Management is led by a forester whose work reflects the professional expectations of the Society of American Foresters which includes a commitment to technical competence, disciplined analysis, and science‑based decision‑making. Our practice is built around the skills essential to complex forest management: accurate inventory, sound silvicultural judgment, clear risk evaluation, and the ability to translate stand dynamics into rational, real‑world strategies. Legacy provides technical forestry expertise that protects landowners, strengthens communities, and delivers results that speak for themselves — without the politics, bureaucracy, or grant‑driven agendas that often complicate landowner needs.
Field Operations, Delivered with Professional Precision
Legacy Forest Management is built on the operational standards we set for ourselves. These standards are shaped by years of front‑line experience in complex forest and WUI environments. Our field work is grounded in disciplined coordination, clear communication, and the ability to make sound decisions in real time as conditions shift on the ground. Complex operations demand more than a plan; they require a forester who can read terrain, anticipate risk, manage crews, and adapt treatments without losing sight of safety, efficiency, or landowner goals. Legacy’s strength lies in this operational realism. We oversee daily work, maintain tight control of field quality, and keep projects moving in environments where access, safety, and community expectations intersect.
Get in Touch
Legacy Forest Management, LLC delivers professional, high‑quality forest and natural resource management services designed to help you achieve your stewardship objectives. Drawing on extensive experience across forestry, rangeland, and related disciplines, we build customized solutions for every client. Reach out today to schedule your appointment—we look forward to working with you.
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Legacy Forest Management’s Leadership
Tyrell “Ty” Mares | Founder & Principal Forester
Tyrell “Ty” Mares is the owner and principal consulting forester of Legacy Forest Management, LLC, serving southern Colorado and northern New Mexico. His professional identity is shaped by a lifelong commitment to service, stewardship, and honor—values strengthened during his time as a light infantryman in the U.S. Army, including a formative deployment to Kandahar Province, Afghanistan in 2009–2010. The discipline, resilience, and mission‑first mindset forged in those years continue to guide his work as a professional forester.
Ty holds a Bachelor of Science in Forestry with a concentration in Forest Management from Colorado State University, an SAF‑accredited program, along with a minor in Rangeland Ecology reflecting his agricultural and rural background. He is an active member of the Society of American Foresters (SAF), participating in continuing education, professional development, and the advancement of science‑based forestry. His involvement with SAF reinforces his commitment to ethical practice, technical competence, and stewardship grounded in professional standards.
Ty’s operational capability is a defining strength of Legacy’s work. In addition to his consulting services, he leads the hands‑on implementation of hazardous‑fuels reduction and timber‑stand improvement projects tailored to the complexities of wildland–urban interface (WUI) zones. These environments demand precise coordination, clear communication, and a steady presence at the front line — roles Ty fills as the tip of the spear in implementing Legacy’s field operations. He is recognized for his ability to integrate technical forestry expertise with strategic WUI risk‑reduction planning and comprehensive hazard‑tree program design. His practice reflects a rare hybrid capability that spans both professional consulting and practical field operations, allowing him to evaluate risk, develop defensible strategies, and oversee implementation with operational realism that landowners can trust.
As an ACF consulting forester, Ty’s work is grounded in independent judgment, verified experience, and a strict code of ethics. As an ACF consulting forester, Ty places a strong emphasis on serving small‑acreage landowners and high‑risk WUI communities who are often overlooked by larger agencies and programs. His practice is built around providing these landowners with independent, defensible, and stewardship‑driven forestry that protects homes, families, and landscapes. He provides landowners with straightforward guidance and practical, stewardship‑minded forestry that protects homes, communities, and the land they care about. His practice centers on forest management planning, silvicultural prescriptions, hazard‑tree assessment, wildfire mitigation, forest inventory, and stand‑alone forestry services such as contract timber marking and inspections — all delivered with the operational realism and clarity landowners expect from Legacy.
He provides landowners, HOAs, and high‑risk WUI communities with a trusted advisor who understands the full wildfire context — from landscape‑scale vulnerabilities to parcel‑level hazards. Tyrell’s work emphasizes phased, priority‑driven mitigation planning; contractor coordination and QA/QC oversight; and long‑term stewardship strategies that strengthen community resilience. His approach ensures that every recommendation is technically sound, strategically aligned, and feasible to implement on the ground.
He remains dedicated to serving rural and high‑risk communities across southern Colorado, northern New Mexico, and the broader southern Rockies and Southwest, providing professional forestry grounded in service, stewardship, and a deep respect for the land. His practice is grounded in service, stewardship, and a deep respect for the land, providing professional forestry to regions that face increasing wildfire pressure and limited access to independent, client‑centered expertise.
Education
Colorado State University
B.S., Forestry, 2017
Major: Forestry (Forest Management Emphasis)
Minor: Rangeland Ecology
Activities & Affiliations
🌲 Association of Consulting Foresters — Full Member
🪓 Colorado Timber Industry Association (CTIA) — District 5 (San Luis Valley) Board Representative
🌿 Society of American Foresters — Full Member