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If there is an upside to the demise of the lodgepole pine, it's that scientists and foresters are seeing signs of thriving bird populations that have made newly felled trees their home. The state's entrepreneurs are also finding a way to capitalize. In Kremmling, just outside of Steamboat Springs, a new 18,000 square-foot wood-pellet plant opens in two weeks. Feeding on beetle-killed trees, the plant will provide wood pellets for heating stoves, a booming business not only because of the ample supply of wood, but increasing energy costs. There's even research being done on the feasibility of turning the millions of dead trees into ethanol.

In the meantime, the beetles march on, unabated. Once a tree shows signs of infestation, it's already dead. Chemical treatments on seemingly healthy trees do work, if applied in the spring. But at an average cost of $50 per tree and annual treatments for as long as the infestation lasts, it's uneconomical on mountain-wide scales. That's why behind the gates of the posh Beaver Creek Resort, managers have turned to the simplest solution: clear cutting, thus getting a jump on the next generation of trees. The company will spend about $100,000 this year cutting beetle-infested trees, and has budgeted to do so for at least the next five years. While the work is a bit jarring to a visitor, O'Rourke downplays all the chopping among the multi-million dollar homes. He points to the healthy stands of aspen trees and how little can be done in the beauty of nature's way. "We just equate it to a nip-a-tick," he says, speaking in the local parlance. "We'll look a lot better when it's done." As for the rest of the state, that remains to be seen.

© 2008

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Member Comments

  • Posted By: airandhair@gmail.com @ 09/10/2008 10:38:10 PM

    I have several trees dripping with sap (supposedily from the pine beetle). Is the beetle usually still in the trees during the winter or do they leave the tree after the breeding season in August? Do we need to cut the trees and let them dry out killing the beetle or do we need to cut the tree, buck it into small pieces and black tarp to kill the beetle? Please lend me some advise. Thank you.

  • Posted By: schwaninger @ 08/07/2008 11:21:26 PM

    In the early 1980s, north central New Mexico had a bud worm infestation. Same problem, trees dying by the millions. The solution was not to treat individual trees but to aero spray the whole forest., after the removal of environmentalist from lying on the runways. It was either spray and possibly kill some of the wildlife or let the forest die and all the wildlife with it. They went ahead with spraying the forest and today it looks as good as ever.

  • Posted By: peteow @ 07/25/2008 2:03:50 PM

    Come to central Utah and go into the Dixie National Forest or the Manti- LaSal National Forest. Then after you have fallen in love with the color orange, (which fully 1/3 of the pine trees are), get on your computer and make a donation to the Sierra Club, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, U S National Forest Disservice or the idiot of your choice. After all, don't we live in a desert, trees have no place.

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