|
| |
Boulder County
Forest Health
Online
|
Facts and Information About Mountain Pine Beetle
There are many online resources for information about Mountain Pine Beetle.
Some Web sites we suggest include:
|
 |
Some Facts and Information About Mountain Pine Beetles...
|
|
The beetles are
a natural part of the ecosystem, but:
Beetle populations are
increasing rapidly along the Front Range, and This epidemic is greater than
anything we’ve seen before in Colorado and along the Northern Front Range.
- Forests are not static;
they are dynamic ecosystems ever-changing over time.
- However, even though
beetle epidemics are natural processes that cycle over time and are one of
nature’s ways of rejuvenating forests, the size and scale of this epidemic is
unprecedented in recorded history.
- Since the infestation
began in 1996, more than 1.5 million acres have been infested in Colorado. This
represents much of the state's 2.2 million acres of mature lodgepole pine
trees. There are sill live lodgepole -- they are just the small ones! Pine
forests along the Northern Front Range in the counties of Boulder, Clear Creek,
Gilpin, Lake and Larimer have all experienced mountain pine beetle increases in
the last few years, primarily in lodgepole pine forests.
- Our neighbors to the
west in Grand, Summit and Eagle Counties have been battling this issue for
several years and have experienced rampant die-off of trees due to beetle
infestations.
- Wildlife will be
affected. While some wildlife species, such as woodpeckers, do well during
beetle outbreaks, other species dependent on pinecones for their food source may
be adversely affected.
- Though they are
infrequent, large intense fires with extreme fire behavior are characteristic of
lodgepole pine forests. Beetle-killed trees contribute to forest fuels that can
modify wildland fire behavior. In forests killed by mountain pine beetles, fires
could be more likely than before the outbreak.
|
|
We Cannot Stop the Current Epidemic
- The current epidemic of beetles is overwhelming the lodgepole
forests on the Western Slope and the Northern Front Range.
- The warmer, drier climate across the Northern Front Range
region, combined with the densely stocked forests that have existed
without significant fire activity for the past century, have led to
the “perfect storm” of conditions for epidemic beetle outbreak.
- As a result, the impact of the beetle epidemic is greater than
ever seen before. The resulting drought-stressed trees and warm
temperatures are perfect habitat for beetles, causing their
populations to explode.
- There is no way to stay ahead of the infestation of beetles on
the northern Front Range given their exploding numbers, the huge
acreage of land that is impacted and the relative ineffectiveness of
treatment on a mass level.
- Information about the effects of mountain pine beetle on
lodgepole forests is consistent, but the effects on ponderosa and
other pine forests are not as well known or understood; we cannot
make accurate predictions at this time about the effects on other
trees and forests.
|
|
Federal, state, local, and private landowners must work together across
property boundaries to address the potential impact of the beetles and other
related forest health issues.
- Governmental agencies are working together to mitigate impacts.
- Creating a diverse forest with multiple age classes and species
is a long-term solution against future insect & disease outbreaks.
- Front Range land agencies may treat forests differently due to
forest composition, diverse agency missions and economic and
logistical factors.
- Risks to public safety and infrastructure protection are the
foremost concern. Critical areas and issues include: 1) hazardous
woody biomass fuels in the form of dead trees and ground cover
adjacent to communities and private landowners could be prone to
fire, 2) roads and recreational areas where hazard trees threaten
public safety such as campgrounds and popular trails, 3) power lines
and utility corridors could be disrupted or damaged by falling tree
or wildfires, and 4) watersheds that may be damaged by wildfires.
- Recreation on public lands will be impacted by an epidemic
outbreak of the mountain pine beetle. Since recreational facilities
and activities are managed by a number of public agencies, the
public should check with a managing agency for updates on
area-specific closures and mitigation activities.
- Private landowners have a critical role and are responsible for
managing mountain pine beetle infestations on their land. The
Colorado State Forest Service maintains a list of qualified
contractors that can assist in preventative efforts, identification,
and sanitation of infested trees at
http://csfs.colostate.edu/districts/boulderdist.htm
- In the face of the epidemic, short-term solutions for private
property are preventative spraying to protect a few selected
(non-infested) trees and aggressive removal/sanitation of infested
trees. These trees should not be transported to areas where the
beetle might be introduced to uninfested trees.
- Implementing effective defensible space around a residence to
improve fire protection is imperative for residents of the wildland
urban interface regardless of the current beetle epidemic.
|
|
Stay Informed -- Everyone has a Role to Play
- Inquire about closures before leaving home. Some campgrounds and
trails may be temporarily closed due to down trees, or during
mechanical removal of beetle-killed trees.
- Share information with neighbors since they may be unaware of
the beetle epidemic and the overall impacts to Colorado.
- Local, state and federal agencies are committed to keep the
public informed about the state of our forest’s health. Read about
local issues at:
www.FrontRangePineBeetle.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
