Rocky Mountain Aspen Trees flourish in Colorado, particularly at elevations from 8,500 to 10,000 feet. These trees reproduce and grow quickly, providing a naturally renewable resource that is in continuous supply. Aspen trees are often harvested to reduce forest underbrush, minimize potential forest fire fuel and provide for irrigation, recreation or grazing land. Typically, harvesting activities are sponsored by the United States Forrest Service (USFS).

When harvested to produce excelsior, Rocky Mountain Aspen yield an outstanding final product. Once dried, debarked and shaved to produce the excelsior, the aspen fibers are strong, resilient and absorbent.

When utilized as erosion control, excelsior provides an added benefit to the environment. As the increased awareness of the benefits of environmental stewardship has led to greater regulation and support of erosion and sediment control, the use of naturally reproducing excelsior as an erosion control solution provides two fold environmental efficiency. Excelsior aids in minimizing erosion due to wind or water and provides a mulching layer for the establishment of vegetation. As slopes, channels and buffer zones become vegetated, they act as stable surfaces which tend to remove pollutants naturally and minimize the transport of the single largest pollutant, sediment. Thus, utilization of excelsior as erosion and sediment control completes the cycle from harvesting to re-growth. By "Blanketing Nature with Nature", Western Excelsior is realizing the maximum environmental benefit.

Western Excelsior also manufactures erosion and sediment control products incorporating agricultural, weed-free straw, coconut and synthetic fibers to meet a variety of performance, longevity and cost requirements.