Colorado Aerial Survey Shows Mountain Pine Beetle Epidemic Declining; Spruce Beetle Numbers Escalating

The US Forest Service and Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) today released the results of the annual aerial forest health survey in Colorado, which indicate that the spread of the mountain pine beetle epidemic has slowed dramatically, while the spruce beetle outbreak continues to expand. Each summer the agencies work together to aerially monitor insect and disease-caused tree mortality or damage across Colorado forestland.

The mountain pine beetle epidemic slowed again in 2013, with the lowest acreage of active infestation observed in 15 years. Statewide, mountain pine beetle was active on 97,000 acres in 2013. This brings the total infestation to 3.4 million acres in Colorado since the first signs of the outbreak in 1996.

The spruce beetle outbreak was active on 398,000 acres across the state, expanding by 216,000 new acres in 2013, compared to 183,000 new acres in 2012. The total area affected by this beetle since 1996 has reached more than 1.1 million acres.

Conversely, aspen forest conditions in the state have continued to improve. The aerial survey indicates that although there is continued mortality following drought in the early 2000s, the decline has slowed, with only 1,200 acres impacted in 2013.

“Through our collaborative efforts we are improving the health of our public lands. Our continuing work on the land, together with other agencies, partners and the wood products industry will allow for the treatment of more acres in need of restoration at an increased pace,” said Dan Jirón, Regional Forester for the Rocky Mountain Region of the US Forest Service. “Restoring forest health and resiliency is a top regional priority, and is guiding much of the work on the forests. In 2013, these National Forest projects in this Region led to enough timber harvested to construct 25,000 homes.”

The US Forest Service is taking action to address the bark beetle infestations. The Rocky Mountain Region is focused on increasing the pace and scale of active forest management across Colorado. Each National Forest is stepping up forest treatments, and many are working collaboratively to strategically plan and apply work to the areas that need it most. The US Forest Service now has four 10-year stewardship contracts to remove dead trees to restore forests and increase their resiliency. The US Forest Service has also awarded several short-term stewardship contracts aimed at improving forest health and adding to local economies.

One example is the recently operational Gypsum biomass plant. The plant converts wood chips from beetle-killed trees into enough electricity to run the plant and pump an additional 10 megawatts into the Holy Cross Energy Facility, which powers approximately 55,000 customers in Eagle, Pitkin, Garfield, Gunnison and Mesa counties. Much of the wood the plant will process will come from beetle-killed trees from the White River National Forest.

Forestry agencies have a key role in sustaining forest ecosystems, which provide many benefits to the people of Colorado and many surrounding states. Whether progress is measured by the reduction of large-scale wildfires, timber harvested or number of forest acres treated; the outcome is the same: healthy and resilient forests, and the protection of forested watersheds.

While the US Forest Service takes action on National Forest lands, the CSFS works with private landowners to help them meet their management objectives to achieve healthy forests. The agency will release a new quick guide on the spruce beetle by April, and in 2013 held educational public meetings about the beetle for citizens in Chaffee, Custer, Fremont, Huerfano, Lake, Las Animas, Pueblo and Saguache counties.

For further information on forest health conditions in the Rocky Mountain Region, click here.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Wyoming Results of 2012 Forest Health Survey Announced

The U.S. Forest Service and Wyoming State Forestry Division have announced the results of the annual aerial forest health survey for Wyoming. Both the mountain pine beetle and spruce beetle epidemics have declined across Wyoming in 2012. Statewide the number of new acres affected by the mountain pine beetle has declined from 719,000 in 2011 to 180,000 acres in 2012. The total footprint of the outbreak in Wyoming is now 3.4 million acres since 1996. In 2011, the total acreage for the epidemic was 3.3 million acres.

“Our actions today and in years to come will shape the forest of the future. Active forest management on both public and private lands can lead to healthier trees on the landscape and create the diversity necessary to reduce future large-scale insect epidemics.” said Bill Crapser, Wyoming State Forester.

Mountain Pine Beetle:

In south central Wyoming, including the Medicine-Bow National Forest, the aerial survey indicated a decline of mountain pine beetle activity from 378,000 in 2011 to 49,000 acres in 2012 largely due to fewer trees available for beetle infestation.

In western Wyoming, including the Shoshone, Wasatch-Cache and Bridger-Teton national forests, mountain pine beetle activity has declined from 280,000 in 2011 to 83,000 acres in 2012 in lodgepole and 5-needle pines largely due to fewer trees available for beetle infestation.

In north central Wyoming, including the Bighorn National Forest, large areas of forest remain unaffected by mountain pine beetle. In 2012, only 440 acres of mountain pine beetle activity was detected.

Northeast Wyoming, including the Black Hills National Forest, mountain pine beetle activity continues with aerial photograph interpretation detecting 730 acres additional acreage from 2011’s survey.

Spruce Beetle:

Spruce beetle activity has declined from 76,000 in 2011 to 32,000 acres in 2012 statewide. Since 1996, 558,000 acres have been affected by spruce beetle statewide leaving many areas of large dead standing spruce in the high country.

In south central Wyoming, the spruce beetle epidemic is declining leaving large areas of dead standing large spruce in the Sierra Madre, Snowy Range, and Medicine Bow Mountains in Albany and Carbon counties.

In northwestern Wyoming’s Absaroka Mountains in and adjacent to the Shoshone National Forest, spruce beetle continues to kill spruce and many areas have few surviving mature spruce remaining.

The 2012 aerial survey results for Wyoming can be found at www.fs.usda.gov/r2.




Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

U.S. Forest Service and Colorado State Forest Service Announce Results of 2012 Aerial Forest Health Survey

Last week the U.S. Forest Service and the Colorado State Forest Service released the results of the annual aerial forest health survey in Colorado. The report indicates that the spread of the mountain pine beetle epidemic has slowed dramatically, while the spruce beetle outbreak is expanding.

The mountain pine beetle epidemic expanded by 31,000 acres, down from last year’s reported increase of 140,000 acres. This brings the total infestation to nearly 3.4 million acres in Colorado since the first signs of the outbreak in 1996. Most mature lodgepole pine trees have now been depleted within the initial mountain pine beetle epidemic area. However, the infestation remains active from Estes Park to Leadville.

In contrast, the spruce beetle outbreak is expanding, with 183,000 new acres detected in 2012, bringing the total acreage affected since 1996 to nearly 1 million acres (924,000). The areas experiencing the most significant activity are on the San Juan and Rio Grande National Forests in southern Colorado. Spruce beetles typically attack spruce trees downed by high winds. Once the populations of spruce beetles build up in the fallen trees, the stressed trees surrounding them offer little resistance to attack. Similar to mountain pine beetle, the increase in spruce beetle activity is due to factors that increase tree stress, including densely stocked stands, ongoing drought conditions and warmer winters.

In late 2012, two 10-year stewardship contracts were awarded by the U.S. Forest Service to improve forest resiliency on 20,000 acres affected by the mountain pine beetle on the Medicine Bow-Routt and White River National Forests. These contracts are in addition to the Front Range and Pagosa Springs Long-Term Stewardship Contracts awarded previously. The contracts reduce forest health treatment costs and foster new uses of beetle-killed forest products to benefit forest resiliency and jobs.

The forest products industry is better positioned as mills come on line to take advantage of trees being removed from forested lands across Colorado. The U.S. Forest Service, Colorado State Forest Service and partners are working to provide a reliable and predictable supply of biomass for new markets.

“Over the past several years, the Forest Service has worked with local, state and private partners to increase our collective ability to improve forest health and reduce wildland fire and public safety risks,” said Dan Jirón, Regional Forester for the U.S. Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region.. “From encouraging biomass projects, to aggressively treating beetle-killed trees near communities, and partnering to protect water resources, the Forest Service is working to efficiently fund projects to treat as many priority forested acres as possible.”

Through the passage of legislation in recent years, the Colorado General Assembly has supported forest management actions that demonstrate community-based approaches to forest restoration and watershed health. The Colorado Forest Restoration Pilot Grant Program is a cost-share program that provides funding for up to 60 percent of the total cost for projects. To date, more than $4.7 million in state funds and another $1 million in leveraged federal funds have been awarded to 86 projects across the State. Those funds additionally leveraged more than $8 million in matching funds to restore more than 12,000 acres of forest. In addition, the 17 projects currently in progress will result in treatments on another 1,200 acres.


Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com