Pine beetle

Northern Front Range Mountain Pine Beetle Working Group

Key Messages

The beetles are a natural part of the ecosystem, but:

1. beetle populations are increasing rapidly along the Front Range, and

2. 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

http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/bark-beetle/

http://csfs.colostate.edu/iandd.htm#mpb

www.BoulderCounty.org