'The pine beetle's deadly march' (Denver, Aspen: how much, purchasing, camps)

[Idunn]

For those so interested there is a fair amount of information on these forums on this subject. More, if you look, on the internet. Should anyone need a little convincing a drive to such places as Grand or Summit counties, or the east side of Rocky Mountain National Park will provide graphic evidence of the magnitude of this phenomenon.

I've talked to professional foresters, as well as members of the US Forest Service and National Park Service. Some will tend to sugar coat things a bit but the underlying message is quite clear: this is something that man largely cannot control and will play itself out in its own time. As mentioned, it is escalating. This is due the trend of warmer temperatures and less precipitation, long enough and the to the extent now that many native species cannot adapt. This plague of sorts exists throughout the Rocky Mountains, from New Mexico into Canada.

One professional put it to me succinctly. He said only three things could stop these beetles: 1) A change in climate (as in severe freezes at the right times that would kill off the beetles, if only temporarily). 2) Massive forest fires. 3) All the trees dead so nothing left to eat.

In this region the lodgepole is often the predominant tree, and also most severely affected. Ponderosa are also affected, increasingly so. If stressed these beetles will attack species of tree they do not normally, and cannot sustain a reproductive cycle with, but will still kill. Species such as Douglas Fir are largely immune from these specific beetles, but can be attacked by beetles of their own, and in many cases are just as stressed and susceptible to attack. The significant die off of Aspen in the San Juan mountains of southwest Colorado are not the result of these beetles, and the exact cause still unknown, although changes in their environment a likely cause.

Next time someone dismisses global warming, remind them there are consequences . . . all across this planet, and quite possibly in their backyard.

[wanneroo]

I think the pine beetle is natures way of thinning out the forest since we haven't let forest fires burn for 80 years. Natural forest fires also kept the beetle in check.

[vegaspilgrim]

So is Smokey the Bear actually the bad guy?

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

So is Smokey the Bear actually the bad guy?

Knowing what we know now, in some respects, yes.

[POhdNcrzy]

Yes, hopefully the Federal forestry officers in bad marriages will stay the hell away this time.

Otherwise....

Future's so bright, I gotta wear (fire resistant) shades. And also a mask to prevent smoke inhalation.

[esya]

Ottodog-- Many are trying to rid their property of the beetle kill in Grand County, but anywhere the roads predate the fire codes for access, it's pretty hard to get the larger trucks in and out, and the cutting has to be done on site on steep slopes. I am sure there will be a lot of firewood available but the cost of hauling it out without damaging houses, others' property, and even the slopes (remember the floods and mudslides many areas have suffered after the fires) means it is not that cheap of fuel.

In Oregon they have converted a lot of stoves to pellet stoves and they chip the wood on site. Maybe not great for environmentalism but seems ok for a problem we already have.

[ottodog]

Yep I hear ya. Hauled more than a few dead lodgepoles up the side of the hill, what a pain in the arse.

Ok i've got a slightly OT question for all you forest experts out there. Why when you look at historic photos of Idaho Springs, Central City, and surrounding mining areas, there's hardly a tree in sight?? It blows me away to think the forests around here are only 100-150 years old!

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by ottodog

Yep I hear ya. Hauled more than a few dead lodgepoles up the side of the hill, what a pain in the arse.

Ok i've got a slightly OT question for all you forest experts out there. Why when you look at historic photos of Idaho Springs, Central City, and surrounding mining areas, there's hardly a tree in sight?? It blows me away to think the forests around here are only 100-150 years old!

I've seen pix of the WV hills from 75+ years ago and it was the same story; a lot of those old-growth forests were all cut down and the fumes from the old railroad steam engines killed anything growing on hillsides that were next to engine terminals. Back then all the railcars were made of wood, and lots of it, as were most homes and then there was all that wood used for heating and cooking. It's wonder there were any trees left.

[Mike from back east]

Story at: washingtonpost.com

Key excerpts:
- Thomas T. Veblen, a geography professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder, said the combination of increased wildfires, drought and bark beetles has devastated some of his state's forests. Temperatures in Colorado's subalpine forests, which are between 8,500 and 10,000 feet in altitude, have risen markedly over the past 50 years during all seasons, he said.

- Mountain pine bark beetles have killed roughly 3.5 million acres of lodgepole pine forests in northwestern Colorado over the past decade, wiping out 90 percent of pine forests in that area, Veblen said. During the same time period, spruce bark beetles also killed large areas of spruce forest in northern and southwestern Colorado.

- "Our society needs to devise policies that will help us to adapt to the changes that are underway," Veblen said. "This is further evidence that we're seeing continued effects of the warming in increased fire risk."

[ottodog]

Here's a few pics I snapped for some people I work with that live out of state. I was trying to explain to them the devastation, but it's really beyond words. These pictures don't even begin to show the extent on the damage in some areas, but give you a general idea: