Mountain Pine Beetles Killing S.D. Trees
Pastor Dale Morgan
Oct 4, 7:40 PM EDT
*Mountain Pine Beetles Killing S.D. Trees*
RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) -- Large colonies of mountain pine beetles have
become established in the central Black Hills, and officials estimate
that about 2 million trees have been lost in the last two years.
The Black Hills Forest Resource Association says drought has made things
worse because trees that lack water and nutrients are more vulnerable to
the insect pests.
"You have to have a balanced strategy of taking care of spot problems
when you can, but the larger emphasis on trying to get out in front of
it, and you've got a big green buffet out there if you're a mountain
pine beetle, and we're looking to try and break some of that up for
them," said Aaron Everett of the Black Hills Forest Resource Association.
The beetles lay eggs under the bark, which essentially kills trees by
making it impossible to transport food from the needles to the roots.
The best defense is preventative maintenance and thinning, Everett said.
The U.S. Forest Service estimates that nearly half of the Black Hills
National Forest - 440,000 acres - is at high risk for beetle
infestations over the next several years.
The Black Hills Forest Resource Association is a non-profit trade
association of forest products manufacturers, forestry and timber
harvest professionals in the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming.
"Our mission is to advocate for responsible forest management that
assures healthy forests and healthy communities for current and future
generations," the group said on its Web site.
On the Net: http://www.bhfra.org