Outlook for southern Rockies pine forests is not good

[precaud]

First bark beetles, then blister rust:

http://www.coloradoan.com/article/2.../Double-assault-could-fell-ancient-pine-trees

 

[precaud]

Oct. 4 - A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has asked the Forest Service to devote $49 million to battle a beetle infestation that has killed more than 3.5 million acres of pines in the Rocky Mountain region.

Senators from Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota and Nebraska asked Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a letter last week to redirect existing funds to treat forests hit by the bark beetle.

More info:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/04/churchs-park-fire-prompts_n_750117.html

I don't know why Udall-NM wasn't a co-sponsor of this. Here in New Mexico, it is frightening every time I go out to gather firewood, every pine species within sight has been devastated by this epidemic of drought and bark beetle attack. If we don't solve this soon, our great western forests will be gone before we know it. Please write to your representatives and ask them to support this action, and support funding to find an effective way to counter this attack.

 

[Pagey]

Pine bark beetles have been none too kind here, either. I don't have any numbers to quote, but almost all of the pine dad and I are using is standing dead beetle kill. Bad for the pine, good for the stove.

 

[precaud]

I didn't know they were out east too. Bummer. There has to be a way to stop these things.

 

[rdust]

I didn't know they were out east too. Bummer. There has to be a way to stop these things.

I can't remember for sure but I think I read before that forest fires keep them in check and since we control forest fires it's allowing them to cause the issues we're seeing now.

 

[Pagey]

I didn't know they were out east too. Bummer. There has to be a way to stop these things.

Napalm? N00ks?