Forest Stewardship Tip of the Day: Cutting Tips During MPB Flight

We are quickly approaching the heart of our annual mountain pine beetle (MPB) flight window (mid-July to mid-Sept). During the flight window there is typically a two week window in mid-Aug. called “mass flight” when a vast majority of MPBs fly concurrently. You should be careful when cutting during beetle flight time because MPBs are moderately attracted to the “smells” of freshly cut pine trees.  If you are cutting during flight time extra steps should be taken to avoid inadvertently attracting beetles to your forest.  

Tips for cutting during flight:

• Cut and haul material out of your forest to a disposal site as quickly as possible. By quickly hauling material out of the woods you can remove some of the fresh cut “smells” that attract beetles to your land.
• If you can’t haul material off site then you should cut and stack material in a sunny location away from high value trees. Beetles generally attack in pockets, infesting living trees near the location of the cut trees and logs. By dragging cut material away from high value trees you can help direct the attracted beetles into a less valuable section of forest. 
• Avoid chipping freshly cut material back onto the land during beetle flight. Freshly chipped green material sends out those same “smells” that can attract beetles to you land. 
• During and after the project is complete you should survey the remaining trees in the cutting area for signs of beetle infestation. If infested trees are located, remove these trees during the fall and winter months before beetles have a chance to fly to other living trees during next summer’s annual flight. 
• During beetle flight you can cut dead trees and low limb dead branches without worrying about attracting beetles. Beetles are only attracted to logs and slash that are still green with moisture remaining in the material. Beetle flight time is also a good time of year to cut your grass and clean out gutters to help improve fire mitigation around your home!

In general, the best time of year (in relation to beetle management) to be in the woods cutting is from October thru mid-March. All species of bark beetles are the least active during these cooler months and much less likely to attack your trees. In addition, cutting in the fall and winter gives you the ability to lay cut logs and slash out in sunny locations to help facilitate the drying of the material; which will make it less attractive to beetles when they begin flying again next summer.  You also have the ability to chip freshly cut material back onto the forest floor during these cool months without worry of attracting beetles to your land.

Cutting during flight isn’t the best timing for bark beetle management; however if the goals of your cutting project are to improve your defensible space then it is recommend you continue to cut. Our forests are quickly drying out from the hot summer sun and the benefits you gain from creating better defensible space around your home will always outweigh the risk of beetle infestation!

Announcement: Allenspark Area Sort Yard Opens Next Week – Tuesday Aug. 9

The Allenspark area sort yard is scheduled to open next Tuesday, Aug. 9 at 9 a.m.  The site is scheduled to remain open through Oct. 15, 2011. This site is a free of charge location where landowners can drop-off logs and slash. Please keep in mind that the site does not accept logs that are currently-infested with mountain pine beetle until after Sept. 15. If you need help determining if your logs are currently infested feel free to contact us. When the site opens next week it will accept any type of slash as well as logs that are currently-infested with Ips (aka Pine Engraver Beetle) and twig beetles. We also accept clean logs cut during fire mitigation and forest health improvement projects that are free of beetles.

Complete details including hours of operation and location of this free disposal site can be found online by visiting:http://www.bouldercounty.org/live/environment/land/pages/fhsortyards.aspx.

Board of County Commissioners Public Hearing – Nederland Community Forestry Sort Yard One Year Review

Date: Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2011
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Place: Commissioners Hearing Room, Third Floor, Boulder County Courthouse, 1325 Pearl Street

Boulder County would like to invite area residents to attend a Board of County Commissioners public hearing to discuss the first year of operation of the Nederland area community forestry sort yard. County staff will present an overview of the first year of operation including sort yard usage, total days of operation and the amount of material collected during the first year of operation. This public hearing was requested by the public during the original approval of the Land Use Docket LU-09-0010: Boulder County Forestry Processing and Sort Yard.

All persons interested in the Nederland area sort yard site are requested to attend the hearing and aid the Commissioners in their considerations.  The sort yard is a brand new service for residents in the Nederland area and the County wants to make sure that we are providing residents the best in public service at our sort yard.

Free parking in the City of Boulder CAGID lots is available for Board of County Commissioners’ hearing participants. See the staff at the lobby desk for city parking vouchers. Persons needing special services provided under the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact Julia Yager, ADA Coordinator for the Boulder County Human Resources office (303-441-3508) at least 48 hours before the scheduled hearing.

Cheers,
Ryan

Ryan Ludlow | Forestry Education & Outreach Coordinator
Boulder County | Land Use Department
P.O. Box 471, Boulder CO 80306
O: 720.564.2641 | F: 303.441.4856
rludlow@nullbouldercounty.org | www.bouldercounty.org/ForestHealth