To protect travelers and campground users, the Forest Service is starting to cut beetle-killed lodgepole pines near roads, trails, and campgrounds in northern Colorado.
Cutting crews are to fan out, lugging gas-powered chain saws along trails and roadways and at campgrounds, working to prevent some of the hundreds of millions of dead trees from falling on hikers and motorists on federal lands.
Yes, "gas-powered, " notes Post reporter Bruce Finley. Years of experience have taught government foresters that two-mile-long power cords for electric chainsaws are not practical.
My own little Husqvarna saw sent me a message yesterday. I went to start it, and the starter cord snapped. I think that it was telling me it really wanted a full-blown, in-the-shop cleaning and tuneup, which it has not gotten for years.
So off to Tap's Small Engine Repair we went. Establishments like that are invaluable.
Until I get it back, I am cutting what I can with a bucksaw that is probably ex-Forest Service too.
3 comments:
Do you suppose that next they'll have a program to cut down Ponderosa pines to keep people from being killed by the cones?
Hi Chas--Keep your chainsaw sharp,beetles are here in the San Isabel NF and we will be facing the same issues as those from northern Colo forests. In a discussion with the San Carlos District Ranger, Paul Crespin, 2 weeks ago, he said they have found the beetles in mixed conifers in the Nat Forest south of the Arkansas River as well as up in Leadville area.
Oh yes, I have had to cut down several beetle-killed pines on my property.
But I am leaving one tall one for the cavity nesters and in the hope that it will draw the flickers away from making holes in the rental cabin.
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