Please read previous posts if you haven't already for background: http://www.debbiedemare.com/2013/07/gun-lakers-important-douglas-fir-beetle.html
Another meeting was held last night with Bruce Morrow who reviewed the current situation with forests in our area including the various pests that have attacked the trees, the state of the forest, and what he is proposing for fuel mitigation projects in the next couple of years.
The main concern of last night's meeting was the increased observed attack by Douglas Fir Bark Beetle. This beetle generally attacks downed trees, however it will also attack "stressed" live trees and this is exactly what it is doing in the Gun Lake area. Once these trees have the Douglas Fir Bark Beetle in them - they are done for! PROPERTY OWNERS YOU NEED TO REMOVE THESE TREES , BURN THEM OR AT THE VERY LEAST GET ALL OF THE BARK OFF OF THEM BEFORE NEXT SPRING!!! Next spring /early summer these Douglas Fir Bark Beetle will fly short distances and find the nearest down tree or nearest very stressed fir tree and away you go. One flight from one tree can affect up to 8 other trees.
Another concern is firewood. If you bring firewood in that has bark on it and has these beetles in the wood they will also fly to your nearest down/stressed fir and you now have a whole bunch more trees that will die.
Please see this pictures taken last night by Norris Girling. What a great job he did, thank you so much Norris. These photos will help you identify your firs that have the Douglas Fir Bark Beetle in them. If they have the reddish/yellow "frass" on the bark, your tree has the Douglas Fir Bark Beetle in it!!! Please deal with them, we have enough issues with our trees in the Gun Lake Watershed, we don't need more!
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