Beetle team to assist RFL property owners

By Stephen Clearheart Johnson
North Forty News

Red Feather Lakes is taking the team approach to fight against the destruction of mountain pine beetles and other pests.

"If you spot a dead or dying tree, please don't just cut it down. Call the RFL Beetle Team," said Roger Svendsen.

He is organizing volunteers to assist property owners faced with invasion by mountain pine beetle, mistletoe or the ips beetle.

"The beetles don't care if they're vertical or horizontal. The tree has to be cut and treated (either strip the bark, remove the logs, or chemically treat the logs). If one of these steps isn't taken, each infested tree can kill three to 10 new trees in the next flight - and ips beetles can fly as many as four times a year," Svendsen added.

Svendsen noted the success of other Front Range groups that have reduced the spread of beetles and educated property owners on proper treatment methods. "Several of us in Red Feather are working to mimic these groups in order to improve our odds of still having a beautiful area after this epidemic is over," he said.

The volunteers, he added, want "to keep our areas from sharing the fate of places like Grand Lake, where a forest of dead sticks has replaced the beautiful green trees of just a few years ago."

The first training day for volunteers will be May 2 at the RFL Fire Barn. Diana Selby of the Colorado State Forest Service will conduct both classroom and field exercises during the 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. session. Anyone interested in joining the team can find out more by visiting www.redfeatherlakes.net or by phone at 881-2191.