Rocky Mountain Region

Beetle Tents Available
These informative publications are folded tabletop tents that provide information about the beetles, what is being done, and what will happen next. They can be found in restaurants, hotels, and at special events, etc.

Watch out for falling tree hazards in the forest!

Click on image to view the poster.

Find out about blue-stain wood.

There are forests in Colorado, Wyoming, and South Dakota that are experiencing bark beetle epidemics at a historically unprecedented scale.

The purpose of this website is to share information and links about the beetles, the epidemics, the forest mortality, and resulting impacts.

FIREWOOD ALERT !

FIREWOOD FROM THE FOREST MAY CONTAIN MOUNTAIN PINE OR SPRUCE BARK BEETLES. THE BEETLES COULD SPREAD FROM THE FIREWOOD TO LIVE SPRUCE AND PINE TREES IN YOUR YARD. YOU CAN REDUCE THE RISK OF BEETLES ATTACKING LIVE TREES BY:

• GATHERING ONLY DRY FIREWOOD. Bark beetles feed only on the wet cambium layer of the trees. They don’t live in dry trees, the lumber in your house or other dry wood.
• MAKING SURE ALL OF YOUR FIREEWOOD IS BURNED BEFORE SPRING. Bark beetles fly to trees only for a brief time in early summer.
• STRIPPING THE BARK FROM FIREWOOD. This dries out the
  cambium layer and the developing beetles lose their food source and die.
• If you plan to use insecticides, be sure to consult the manufacturer as some may emit toxic fumes when burned.

The Incident Commander, Clint Kyhl, talks about the Bark Beetle - click on icon to view video clip (courtesy of Wyoming Public Television)

Quick Time Movie (512 KB, 8 minutes, 30 seconds)

Windows Media (512 KB, 8 minutes, 30 seconds)

Transcript of video clip

What is the Forest Service doing?

The Forest Service’s Bark Beetle Incident Implementation Plan 2007 – 2011 proposes integrated vegetation treatments to address the impacts of the bark beetle epidemic. The Plan provides a strategy with a detailed multi-year implementation schedule of projects to enable the Forest Service to efficiently and effectively mitigate the impacts of the bark beetle epidemic. The projects planned in the implementation schedule reduce hazardous fuels and wildfire risk to the forest, homes, communities, critical watersheds and reduce hazards to recreation and public infrastructure. Click on these links to view the Plan and maps.

Executive Summary

Implementation Plan Narrative

Maps

Beetle Infestation Map (1.95 MB pdf) Awarded Timber Sale Map (1.38 MB pdf) Proposed Treatment Project Map (1.75 MB pdf) Current Projects Map (1.64 MB pdf) Awarded Timber Sale Map (1.43 MB pdf)

Economic Values at Risk . . . Economic Indicators for Five Bark Beetle Infested Counties in Colorado (2.87 MB pdf)

Regional Projects

Colorado

South Dakota

Wyoming

Mortality Maps

These maps show the areas of tree mortality caused by the beetle.

Colorado (2.4 MB)

South Dakota (70 KB)

Wyoming (1.4 MB)

Entire Region 2 (2.4 MB)

Forest Insect and Disease Aerial Survey Data

Videos

Wildfire! Preventing Home Ignitions Featuring Jack Cohen, a physical scientist that has studied the effects of fire on structures for years.

Protecting Your Home from Wildfire Also featuring Jack Cohen, a dynamic speaker who is extremely knowledgeable about the effects of fire.

Fact Sheets

These give detailed information about the beetles, why they are active in the region, and the damage that they cause.

Forest and Tree Health Publication - Mountain Pine Beetle

Wyoming: Beetle Epidemic

Our Future Forests

Colorado State University Cooperative Extension

Website: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05528.html

PDF: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05528.pdf

Northern Colorado Bark Beetle Cooperative Document

Final Assessment Strategy (PDF, 21 MB)

Other Useful Links

Front Range Pine Beetle Website

Forest Health Management

Forest Legacy Brochure

Northwest Colorado's Council of Governments Forest Health Page

Rocky Mountain Research Station: Red Hand of Death

Lodgepole Pine Workshop for Managers

USDA Forest Service
Rocky Mountain Region
740 Simms St
Golden, CO 80401
303-275-5350

Telephone for the
Hearing Impaired
303-275-5367