Larimer County boosting pine beetle response effort
By Stephen Clearheart Johnson
North Forty News
Larimer County is boosting its response to the mountain pine beetle infestation
in two ways.
In April the county commissioners moved to fund the county forester's activities
full time from the general fund. Prior to this, County Forester David Lentz's
job was funded in part by the weed district, by solid waste funds and by
the parks and open lands department.
This meant that the forester was unable to devote full time to the increasing
demands upon his office for consultations, site visits and other activities
related to countering the mounting threat from the mountain pine beetle.
In addition, the county is now looking for a site in Red Feather for a
sort yard.
Currently the county operates two sort yards, at Estes Park and at Stove
Prairie. These sort yards collect certain beetle-infested wood for transfer
to end-users under a partnership with the Peak-To-Peak program operated
by the Colorado State Forest Service.
Lentz does not expect the Red Feather yard to be open until September or
October, for two reasons.
The site selection process entails holding public hearings and reviews
by the planning department, as well as engineering reviews. In addition,
Lentz noted, he will be working at the Stove Prairie site each Saturday
through July 18, leaving him unable to work a second site.
The Stove Prairie yard will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.
Limbed round wood of 3-inch diameter or greater will be accepted. This
saves the property owner the cost and labor of debarking or treating the
trees to kill the beetle.
Slash will not be accepted, said Lentz, "unless someone finds a market
for it."
After July 18, the site will close, as it is unable to accept "hot" wood
from which beetles may fly. Previous hopes to have debarking equipment
available at county sort yards have not borne out.
Property owners willing to fill out paperwork can be reimbursed $10 per
cord by the Peak-to-Peak program.
No property owners used the site during the 2008 season, the first year
it was open.
Lentz said he expects more use this year because "there has been a heavy
beetle impact in this area."
"For tree farmers, it may be their best option," he added.
Lentz lauded the formation of volunteer teams such as the recently formed
RFL Beetle Team. He worked with a similar team in Estes Park in 2008.
"They helped me a lot last year," said Lentz
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