Understanding the mountain pine beetle: Seven facts you need to know
I’m looking out my window right now and savoring a magnificent view of the Rockies — it’s just one of the perks of living in Colorado. Recently, though, many Coloradoans have been seeing the familiar hilltops and mountainsides turn from green to red, as the mountain pine beetle continues its spread throughout the West.
As more people become aware of the challenges raised by the pine beetle outbreak it is vital that citizens and policymakers understand the ecology behind the outbreak.
That’s what I shared with reporters in a recent teleconference we conducted in advance of a U.S. House of Representatives hearing June 16. I reiterated the scientific consensus on the nature of the lodgepole pine ecosystem with respect to beetles and fire.
This consensus can be summarized in seven points.
- The scale and intensity of the ongoing mountain pine beetle epidemic is unlike any outbreak that has been observed before, but that does not mean the end of lodgepole pine in the Rockies.
- These forests have undergone dramatic change in the past, and they are resilient to mountain pine beetle and other disturbances.
- Even in the existing forest, variability in age, density, and species composition ensures that there will be different responses to the beetle outbreak in different places.
- Once an outbreak gets going, there are no known treatments that can influence its spread.
- Infrequent, large fires are the norm in lodgepole pine forests, and they are likely to be in the future — with or without beetles. There is general agreement that as the dead needles fall from the trees, the probability of crown fire will diminish, but the probability of surface fire may increase.
- Because mountain pine beetle outbreaks do not disturb the soil, they are not likely to cause increased erosion, though they may increase water yield.
- Changes like we are observing in the current mountain pine beetle outbreak are not unlike the changes we should expect from climate change in the decades ahead.
Although the three of us on the panel combined probably only spoke for about 10 minutes, the dozen or so journalists kept us on the line for 45 more, bringing up one insightful question after another. I hope that Congress will be as interested and attentive in the science behind the bark beetle at their hearing on Tuesday as these reporters were during our conference. After all, it is only with a clear understanding of the scientific and ecological factors shaping the beetle outbreak that we can craft smart policies at local, state, and federal levels.
photo: Beetle kill in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Photo by TimWilson, Courtesy Flickr.
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Sam Goldman
Sam has been with The Wilderness Society since Fall 2007. He came most recently from M+R Strategic Services in Washington, DC where he worked with national environmental groups to improve their online campaign work and field organizing capacity. Before that, Sam was the Assistant National Field Director for U.S. PIRG where he covered a variety of issues including the fight to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
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Comments
Growing up with Pine Beetles
I grew up in the Colorado Rockies in the late 60's and 70's. At that time, along the front range, the Forest Service actually managed the forest and did not pretend that man's influence made a difference on decisions for management. We spent our summer’s cutting, spraying, and covering wood to control beetle infestations. The Forest Service had contract staff that worked long and hard hours to help management the situation. The belief that man should do nothing and allow nature to take it’s natural course, while noble, is un-realistic. Man and nature are so intertwined that there needs to be reasonable efforts to manage the forests in a manner that meets conservation but does not negatively impact lives of those who live there. Leaving the pine beetle unchecked until it becomes an incredible fire danger to lives and property is a poor choice. So many want to call themselves naturalist, but how many have seen the wildlife starve to death the next winter after a major fire in a Region (Yellowstone fires in late 80’s). Yes the forest will grow back, but if management can prevent such a catastrophe in Colorado, why continue to have the philosophy of “Let nature take it’s course”?
Pine Beetle Management
As a Member of a Home owners association, I must help decide to spend Thousands of Dollars to attempt to stop the Beetles from invading our subdivision which is located in the Black Hills National Forest region.
I am struggling to find where others have successfully stopped or slowed down the infestation so that I can rationalize the spending of Thousands. The program would be to locate, mark and remove all identified trees before the Beetles become active and move on to the next.
If anyone can lead me to a situation where this was successful would be appreciated.
Those that are anxious to get started, try to explain there are no alternatives other than allow the infestation to consume all the trees in our neighborhood in which case the property values will be greatly depreciated. I have hiked many areas after the Beetles have done their damage and understand the effects.
If I am to spend the monies with no assurances of success, is it a good decission?
Regards,