There’s good news and bad news for Colorado forests, according to state and federal officials, who said last week that the mountain pine beetle epidemic slowed dramatically in 2013, while spruce beetles continued to spread.
Statewide, mountain pine beetles were active on 97,000 acres in 2013, the lowest acreage of active infestation in 15 years. Since 1996, mountain pine beetles have killed trees across 3.4 million acres.
Spruce beetle were active on 398,000 acres, expanding by 216,000 new acres in 2013, compared to 183,000 new acres in 2012. The total area affected by this beetle since 1996 has reached more than 1.1 million acres.
Many spruce-fir forests across Colorado are at an age that makes them susceptible to beetles, and misguided fire suppression activities in recent decades have exacerbated the problem. Additionally, regionally warming temperatures appear to be a key factor in the recent spread and persistence of insect pests.
The assessment is part of the aerial forest health survey in Colorado, done annually to monitor insect and disease-caused tree mortality or damage across Colorado forestland.
From Summit County Citizens Voice: https://summitcountyvoice.com/2014/02/05/good-news-bad-news-for-colorado-forests/