Nonprofit takes aim at Colorado's growing mountain pine beetle problem one tree at a time
A Colorado nonprofit is working to help landowners fight back against growing infestations of mountain pine beetles and protect their properties from wildfires.
What started as a handful of infested trees in Evergreen, Colorado, has turned into hundreds for landowner Jon Hager.
"It was a very small infestation, maybe four or five trees," Hager said. "This year, we had to be very proactive on it."
Now, crews are cutting down and chipping dozens of beetle-killed and infested trees on his property as part of an effort to slow the spread of mountain pine beetles, which experts warn could become a bigger problem during Colorado's dry summer conditions.
"It's our responsibility as landowners," Hager said. "I think it's also a responsibility for my neighbors that we take care of the beetle problem so it doesn't spread to their land as well."
The work is being organized by the Mountain Pine Beetle Foundation, a Colorado nonprofit focused on removing infested trees from private property. Founder Wesley Manney said the organization's goal is simple: stop beetle infestations before they grow and reduce wildfire risk at the same time.
"Dead pine trees are like standing matches," Manney said. "It takes one spark, and then you have a whole forest go up."
After trees are cut down, crews run much of the material through industrial chippers. Manney said the process helps eliminate habitats where beetles can continue to spread.
The effort comes as Colorado officials have renewed concerns about mountain pine beetles. State leaders recently created a task force to examine the growing threat, particularly after a winter with low snowfall and continuing drought conditions in many mountain communities.
For Hager, it's about personal responsibility to our communities and the state we all love.
"It is a community problem," he said. "It's easy to look at your own land and say, 'I don't have many beetles.' But if you don't proactively address it, it can take out a whole hillside."
Manney said funding remains one of the biggest challenges. Tree removal is expensive, and many property owners cannot afford large-scale mitigation projects on their own (although they regularly volunteer hours either identifying infested trees or logging).
"If we can crowdfund and raise money, then we can put that money directly into the forest," Manney said. "Boots on the ground, chainsaws in the woods."
The nonprofit is encouraging homeowners to request property evaluations and is also seeking volunteers to help hike through forests to identify infested trees, as well as donations to help expand its work across Colorado's mountain communities.
With beetle activity increasing and wildfire concerns already high this summer, both Hager and Manney said waiting is not an option.
"It's a huge task to undertake," Manney said. "But we have the right people, the right personnel and the right service providers here locally, and we can do it."
