By Bill Tiedje
bill@ouraynews.com

Faced with the continued expansion of bark beetle and aspen decline on the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests, the U.S. Forest Service is proposing to adapt its forest management and timber sale procedures to keep pace with the rapid tree loss.

By Sheridan Block and Bill Tiedje
sheridan@ouraynews.com
bill@ouraynews.com

The beetle kill epidemic is an obvious problem in the county, and with a clearer understanding of the beetle mosaic of Ouray County, we are now left with the questions: how did this happen, why should we care and what can we do?

By Bill Tiedje
bill@ouraynews.com

It's no surprise to many residents that beetle infestations have been damaging and killing trees in Ouray County, but the high degree of diversity in both tree species and beetle pests requires a nuanced response.

By Sheridan Block
sheridan@ouraynews.com

The warm, dry months of summer are only a few weeks away and with that, the threat of hungry bark beetles looms over Ouray’s dwindling number of fir trees. As bark beetles prepare their search for new host trees in the city’s forests, citizens are encouraged to take action against these destructive insects.

By Sheridan Block
sheridan@ouraynews.com

Saving Ouray's trees from the plague of bark beetles may seem like an enormous undertaking, but as some residents learned last week it is not an impossible feat.

By Sheridan Block
sheridan@ouraynews.com

As part of the community's efforts to combat the fir engraver beetle that has already claimed many trees surrounding Ouray, an outreach session will be held tonight in the Ouray Community Center.