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Regional News

Bark beetles = water problems?

Friday, 10 June 2011 15:27

CHEYENNE -- Wyoming officials and experts are concerned that the region's bark beetle infestation could lead to flooding or other water supply problems in the state.

On Wednesday, state lawmakers discussed the possibility of funding a study to look at how the many thousands of acres of trees killed by the insects could change forest water yields -- or the amount of water leaving a watershed -- throughout the state.

During their joint meeting with the Wyoming Water Development Commission, members of the interim legislative Select Water Committee informally asked officials to develop a cost estimate for the study.

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‘Perfect Storm’ fuels Wyoming pine beetles

Monday, 30 May 2011 15:27

The state of Wyoming is in the spotlight today as part of 50 Stories, 50 States, 50 Days, an interesting blog project from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Since Earth Day, April 22, the agency and its partners are sharing 50 different stories over 50 days focusing on 50 states to tell how climate change is affecting (or may affect) wildlife across the country.

Today, Wyoming’s mountain pine beetle infestation is the daily story on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 50 States, Stories, Days blog. While you’re at the 50-stories blog, check out tales of how rising temperatures are affecting animals and ecosystems in other states.

Colorado Roadless Rule prop draws heat from conservation groups

Sunday, 17 April 2011 14:31

The State of Colorado and the U.S. Forest Service today announced yet another draft version of the controversial Colorado Roadless Rule (pdf) that has been hotly debated for nearly six years. Already environmental groups indicated the new draft rule falls short of protecting some of the state’s 4.2 million acres of roadless national forest land.

The release of today’s draft plan and draft environmental impact statement (pdf) starts the clock ticking on what may be the final 90-day public comment period after nearly five and a half years and more than 200,000 public comments. The Obama administration hopes to finalize the Colorado Rule by January of next year.

Guest column: Saving western states from pine beetles

Wednesday, 06 April 2011 15:27

The pine beetle is wreaking havoc across western forests, and Congressional action is overdue. Over the past decade, upwards of 4 million acres in Colorado and Southern Wyoming have been transformed from a verdant, green, majestic landscape to one that is stained red with dead trees. Beetle-kill trees provide fuel for wildfires that threaten lives and livelihoods - a thought that is even more alarming as fire season grows near. Within this region, 100,000 trees are falling every day Congress fails to act -- a rate of 1 million trees every ten days. These falling trees endanger hikers and campers, but there is a way to fight back.

Timber-use loans ready Loans for timber use ready

Thursday, 24 March 2011 14:31

SALIDA — Upper Arkansas area businesses that harvest, use or market beetle-killed pine timber can qualify for financial lending assistance due to new state funding. Loan funds were established by State House Bill 1199, paving the way for the state Forest Service and its partners to establish a Forest Business Loan Fund program. Loans are available to businesses that use timber and wood products harvested from beetle-killed pine tree stands, including those projects that address beetle-kill tree thinning for wildfire risk reduction.

Subzero cold snap bad for moth eggs but wasn't long enough to get rid of pine beetles

Tuesday, 01 February 2011 14:31

The cold this week may have been sufficient to kill moth eggs larvae in blankets but still lacked the oomph needed to terminate mountain pine beetles burrowed into Rocky Mountain forests."We need it to be sustained, at least two or three weeks" with temperatures of minus 20 or lower, said U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Janelle Smith. "These short cold snaps will not do the job." That's because beetles' bodies produce insulation material that serves as an anti-freeze around them under tree bark. Beetles since 1996 have infested 4.6 million acres of forests in Colorado and Wyoming. Subzero temperatures in Denver, however, may have plunged low enough to zap moth eggs that lead to springtime unraveling of blankets, sweaters and fine rugs.

Pine beetle epidemic grows to more than 4 million acres in Colorado, southern Wyoming

Saturday, 22 January 2011 14:31

The U.S. Forest Service Friday released the results of new aerial mapping showing the mountain pine bark beetle epidemic raging since the mid 1990s has now consumed more than 4 million acres of pine trees in Colorado and southern Wyoming.

In Colorado alone, more than 400,000 acres of trees were killed last year, mostly in the Arapaho, White River, Roosevelt, Medicine Bow and Routt national forests.

Partnerships can heal forests, official says

Monday, 25 October 2010 14:31

CREEDE—Partnerships could be one way of solving the potential money crunch to save trees and for the cleanup of beetle-killed spruce trees in the Rio Grande National Forest. Harris Sherman, undersecretary for natural resources and environment in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said last week that partnerships for wildlife habitat, recreation and jobs can make things happen. Sherman noted that 66 million people in America get their water from national forests, so the resilience and health of the forest is a major factor for quality of life, even in cities.

Beetle-kill epidemic a boon for Wyoming's timber industry?

Tuesday, 05 October 2010 14:31

ENCAMPMENT -- Anyone who thinks the mountain bark beetle epidemic is all bad for Wyoming hasn't bought a log cabin from Randy Olson. For three decades, Olson has run a company in Cody that makes premade log cabins and log houses -- a manufacturing process that resembles playing with life-sized Lincoln Logs

Land managers launch tree-clearing plan to avoid water threats

Wednesday, 01 September 2010 14:31

DILLON — Denver and federal land managers today are launching a $33 million effort to clear trees from beetle-ravaged forests where fire and erosion increasingly threaten water supplies."If we don't make an investment now to make sure our watersheds are healthy, then we will have to deal with the problem later and at a much greater cost," Denver Water manager Jim Lochhead said.