JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO • FALL 2026
Jefferson County
Reimbursement Program.
Could you qualify for help paying for mountain pine beetle mitigation? Learn who is eligible, what work qualifies, how to apply, and how Stone Elk Land Services can help you plan a contractor-ready project.
Illustrative cost-share guide • not an official county form
Protect your forest.
Understand the funding before you begin.
Jefferson County’s Mountain Pine Beetle Landowner Assistance Program offers a limited, first-come, first-served cost share to help private landowners address green pine trees containing live mountain pine beetle stages. The goal is to reduce further spread of the insect.
This is not a general tree-removal grant or a blanket wildfire-mitigation subsidy. Trees that turned red or died in earlier seasons, preventative spraying, and Verbenone treatments are not eligible under the Fall 2026 pilot.
Stone Elk Land Services can discuss field conditions, available mitigation methods, a written project estimate, and the documentation needed for an informed application. Jefferson County alone decides eligibility, approvals, funding amounts, and reimbursement.
Apply before you authorize work.
The Fall 2026 application deadline is Thursday, November 5, 2026 at 5 p.m. Mountain Time. Jefferson County may close the window sooner if funds are committed. County review and on-site inspection can take approximately two to three weeks; starting treatment before written approval makes that work ineligible for this cost share.
Six requirements to know before applying.
Use this as a quick orientation to the Fall 2026 rules, then review the official county instructions for your specific ownership and treatment proposal.
Own 40+ acres in Jefferson County
For Fall 2026, owners must hold at least 40 acres within Jefferson County in total, including land held singly, in part, in trust, or through other ownership arrangements.
Private Jefferson County land
The land where work takes place must be privately owned and wholly within Jefferson County, Colorado.
Currently live-infested pine
The target is green pine containing live stages of mountain pine beetle. Red or dead trees from previous seasons do not qualify.
Qualified outside contractor
The company must be registered and in good standing with the Colorado Secretary of State. The owner and their family cannot have an interest in it.
County inspection first
All proposed trees must be marked for the county site visit. Work that starts before county approval is ineligible.
Limited, competitive funding
Complete applications are reviewed in the order received. Meeting the basic criteria does not guarantee an award.
Important: The earlier Spring 2026 round served smaller acreage holdings; the current Fall 2026 round is not an open reimbursement opportunity for owners below the 40-acre total-ownership threshold.
Does your project appear to fit the program?
Mark each item as you verify it. This is a planning checklist, not an application or a determination of eligibility.
Checkbox selections stay on this page and are not sent to Stone Elk or Jefferson County.
Eligible beetle control is narrower than general wildfire mitigation.
The county funds specified methods applied to qualifying live-infested pines, not every beneficial forestry practice.
County-listed treatment methods
- Felling and debarking eligible infested trees.
- Chipping on site or hauling chips offsite within county size and slash specifications.
- Hauling logs to a preapproved site when the contractor has the required Compliance Agreement.
- Mastication meeting Colorado State Forest Service operational guidelines.
- Solar treatment under the county’s detailed method requirements; limited to projects of 10 trees or fewer.
Common expenses that do not qualify
- Older red or dead pines without qualifying live infestation.
- Routine wildfire mitigation, thinning, or brush removal that does not meet this program’s live-MPB criteria.
- Spraying, insecticide injections, Verbenone pouches, and other unlisted methods.
- Owner-performed work, sales taxes and consulting fees.
- Work started before county approval or completed after the required deadline.
Treatment specifications are detailed and affect eligibility, including material size, on-site slash depth, handling of infested wood, and stump height. The county’s written approval controls.
What could a 50% cost share look like?
These hypothetical project totals demonstrate the program’s up to 50%, $10,000-per-owner annual cap. They are not funding quotes or estimates from Stone Elk.
Assumes the full illustrated amount is eligible and the county approves the maximum share. Actual reimbursements depend on county review, remaining funds, method eligibility, any per-tree or per-acre caps, and timely documentation. Homeowners pay the contractor first.
Your six-step Jefferson County application roadmap.
Following the sequence matters. Skipping inspection, marking, approval, or documentation can make a project ineligible.
Check the property & trees
Verify the county, total ownership acreage, and suspected live infestation. Confirm you can complete approved work by the 2026 deadline.
Choose a contractor
Obtain a written quote with per-unit and total costs, methods, and dates. Have the contractor mark each proposed tree; logs hauled offsite require a Compliance Agreement.
Prepare the application
Include a PDF property map showing boundaries, structures, access points, and marked trees or numbered groups. Add the PDF quote and trust documentation if applicable.
Apply to Jefferson County
Submit the official online application or mail a paper application by November 5. Applications cannot be emailed.
County visit & approval
Allow roughly 2–3 weeks. The owner must attend the county site visit. Do not begin work before approval; the approved trees, method and contractor cannot then be changed.
Complete, pay & request funds
Finish approved contractor work by December 12. Pay the invoice and submit the county reimbursement request and paid invoice by December 15, 2026.
Four dates to put on your calendar.
The county’s Fall 2026 pilot has tight timing. Verify that funds are still available before starting the application process.
Important: A county review period of about 2–3 weeks makes early preparation especially important. Application deadlines and award availability are county-controlled.
What about Colorado’s wildfire mitigation tax credit?
The Colorado state tax credit is separate from Jefferson County’s mountain pine beetle reimbursement, with different rules. For tax year 2026, some qualifying wildfire mitigation work may earn a nonrefundable credit up to $1,000, subject to the applicable income limit and eligible out-of-pocket costs.
Starting with tax year 2027, state law expands qualifying beetle-related thinning, makes the credit refundable, and raises the maximum to $2,000 for eligible taxpayers. The expanded 2027 rules do not retroactively make every 2026 beetle-removal job credit-eligible.
No double counting: costs reimbursed by a grant or incentive cannot also be claimed for this credit. Unreimbursed expenses could qualify only if they independently meet the tax credit’s rules. Consult a tax professional.
Maximum nonrefundable state wildfire mitigation credit for taxpayers and expenses that qualify under 2026 rules.
Maximum refundable credit under the expanded law, including qualifying mountain pine and spruce beetle-related thinning.
These are potential tax credits, not payments from Jefferson County. The 2026 income threshold is inflation-adjusted; inspection fees and grant-reimbursed amounts do not qualify. See Colorado Office of the State Auditor’s June 2026 evaluation and current tax guidance.
A better project begins with
a clearer plan.
We work with Colorado foothills landowners on beetle assessments, tree removal, defensible space, and forestry management. For a potential county cost-share project, the first step is understanding the tree conditions, access, approved methods, and written scope.
Where included in the agreed scope, we can discuss photo documentation, treatment-area mapping, and a detailed estimate. We do not award or guarantee county funding, make eligibility determinations for the county, or provide tax advice.
Focused on the Colorado Front Range foothills.
Stone Elk Land Services serves forested properties near Conifer, Evergreen, Ken Caryl, Pine, and neighboring communities. This specific county reimbursement opportunity applies only to eligible private land wholly within Jefferson County.
Not sure whether your parcel qualifies? Check its county boundaries and ownership records before applying.
Jefferson County reimbursement FAQs.
Answers based on the Fall 2026 county program. Read the current official guidelines before making financial commitments.
Who qualifies for the Fall 2026 Jefferson County beetle reimbursement?
The Fall 2026 pilot is aimed at owners of at least 40 total acres within Jefferson County, including land held singly, in part, or in trust. The treated site must be privately owned and wholly inside Jefferson County, and the proposed trees must meet the county’s live mountain pine beetle criteria.
I own less than 40 acres. Can I apply?
Not under the county’s Fall 2026 40+-acre round. A separate earlier 2026 round served smaller holdings. Check the official Jefferson County program page for any future opportunities; no future funding is guaranteed.
Does removing older dead or beetle-killed pine trees qualify?
No. The Fall 2026 assistance is for green pine trees infested with live stages of mountain pine beetle. Trees already red or dead from previous seasons are not eligible. Other forestry or wildfire mitigation work may still be useful, but it is not automatically reimbursable under this program.
Can I start cutting trees before applying?
No. The county explicitly excludes work started before application approval. The county must review the proposal and may inspect marked trees. Wait for approval before authorizing eligible treatment.
Do I have to use a contractor from the county’s list?
The county describes its contractor list as a courtesy, not an endorsement. A qualifying contractor must be in good standing with the Colorado Secretary of State and meet other requirements, including a Compliance Agreement if infested logs will be hauled offsite. Owners or family members cannot have a financial interest in the contractor doing the work.
Are spraying, Verbenone, injections or routine wildfire mitigation eligible?
No. Spraying, insecticide treatments, Verbenone, and unlisted methods are excluded. General defensible-space and brush-clearing projects are not covered unless the proposed work independently meets this pilot’s requirements for live-infested pines and an approved treatment method.
How much money might I receive, and is approval guaranteed?
The maximum reimbursement is 50% of eligible costs, capped at $10,000 per owner annually. Funds are limited, applications are first-come, first-served, and the county may apply additional limits. The county has not published a reliable success rate or guaranteed award amount.
What do I need to include in the application?
The county requires a completed application, a written contractor quote, and a detailed project map with property boundaries, structures, access points, and marked trees or counted groups. Online map and quote files must be PDFs. Trust-owned properties require additional trust authorization documentation. Emailed applications are not accepted.
When do I get reimbursed?
After county approval, completion of eligible work by December 12, 2026, and payment to the contractor. You must submit the reimbursement request form and copy of the paid invoice by December 15, 2026. The county may conduct a follow-up visit before issuing payment.
Can I also claim Colorado’s wildfire mitigation tax credit?
Possibly, but the programs are separate. Expenses reimbursed by the county cannot also be claimed for the credit. Any unreimbursed portion must independently satisfy the rules for the relevant tax year. For 2026, beetle control alone is not automatically eligible; 2027 law broadens qualifying beetle-related work. Ask your tax adviser.
Ready to discuss your beetle mitigation plan?
Tell us about your property and the symptoms you’ve noticed. We’ll discuss the potential field scope, timing, and the information needed to prepare an estimate for county-approved work.
Property address, total acres owned, approximate number of suspect green pines, photos, and whether you’ve already applied for county funding.
Get a Scope & Estimate
Choose email or phone. These links contact Stone Elk directly; they are not the county’s grant application.
Include your location, acreage, and what you’re seeing on your pines.
Applying for county reimbursement is the property owner’s responsibility. County inspection, eligibility and award decisions are independent of Stone Elk.
Jefferson County Program
Fall 2026 Guidelines (PDF)
Application (PDF)
Colorado Tax Credit
Information checked October 28, 2026. Programs, deadlines, and funding may change or close without notice. This independent Stone Elk guide is not an official Jefferson County publication, does not guarantee funding, and does not provide tax or legal advice. Jefferson County Invasive Species Management: 303-271-5989.