Extra Moisture Protecting Trees from Pine Beetle
Local News
by
Stephany Beshara
last edited on
Monday, April 13, 2009
Pine trees that typically fall victim to the mountain pine beetle have a fighting chance this season thanks to the extra winter moisture.
Rain, snow, and ground saturation could help pine trees become stronger and fight off the mountain pine beetle. But if that doesn't work, the Forest Service has a plan to battle the beetle.
A Forest Service spokesperson says with commercial thinning and hardwood treatments combined with additional moisture trees can recover from the pine beetle.
Katie Van Alstyne is a Natural Resource Planner with the Forest Service and says, “The recent moisture that we've had and snow fall has greatly helped these trees, but it's going to take some time for the trees to rebound. As the moisture seeps into the trees in time maybe some of these pine trees can actually pitch the beetle out and protect themselves."
Experts say the added ground moisture will strengthen existing trees and hopefully slow down the progression of the mountain pine beetle.