Results of a statewide aerial forest survey of beetle-killed trees, released from Denver on Feb. 6 by the Colorado State Forest Service and United States Forest Service, shows a dramatic decrease in the number of new acres of forest infested statewide by the mountain pine beetle in 2012. The study shows that statewide there were 31,000 new acres affected by the epidemic, down 78 percent from the 140,000 new acres infested in 2011.
The bad news is aerial surveys show there is significant new spruce beetle activity in Colorado, specifically in the Park County-bordering counties of Chaffee, Fremont and Lake, and in other counties south and east of Park – Custer, Huerfano, Las Animas, Pueblo and Saguache. Details in this week's Flume.
