Regional News

Pine beetle hearing set for Hill City

Sunday, 10 July 2011 15:27

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. House Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands will hold an oversight field hearing, at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 10, at the Rafter J. Bar Ranch in Hill City.

Participating in the hearing will be Subcommittee Chair-man Rob Bishop of Utah and at-large member S.D. Representative Kristi Noem. Other witnesses may be announced.

Noem described the epidemic as a "slow motion disaster for the Black Hills National Forest and the region's economy."

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Bark beetles = water problems?

Friday, 10 June 2011 15:27

CHEYENNE -- Wyoming officials and experts are concerned that the region's bark beetle infestation could lead to flooding or other water supply problems in the state.

On Wednesday, state lawmakers discussed the possibility of funding a study to look at how the many thousands of acres of trees killed by the insects could change forest water yields -- or the amount of water leaving a watershed -- throughout the state.

During their joint meeting with the Wyoming Water Development Commission, members of the interim legislative Select Water Committee informally asked officials to develop a cost estimate for the study.

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‘Perfect Storm’ fuels Wyoming pine beetles

Monday, 30 May 2011 15:27

The state of Wyoming is in the spotlight today as part of 50 Stories, 50 States, 50 Days, an interesting blog project from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Since Earth Day, April 22, the agency and its partners are sharing 50 different stories over 50 days focusing on 50 states to tell how climate change is affecting (or may affect) wildlife across the country.

Today, Wyoming’s mountain pine beetle infestation is the daily story on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 50 States, Stories, Days blog. While you’re at the 50-stories blog, check out tales of how rising temperatures are affecting animals and ecosystems in other states.

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Colorado Roadless Rule prop draws heat from conservation groups

Sunday, 17 April 2011 14:31

The State of Colorado and the U.S. Forest Service today announced yet another draft version of the controversial Colorado Roadless Rule (pdf) that has been hotly debated for nearly six years. Already environmental groups indicated the new draft rule falls short of protecting some of the state’s 4.2 million acres of roadless national forest land.

The release of today’s draft plan and draft environmental impact statement (pdf) starts the clock ticking on what may be the final 90-day public comment period after nearly five and a half years and more than 200,000 public comments. The Obama administration hopes to finalize the Colorado Rule by January of next year.

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Guest column: Saving western states from pine beetles

Wednesday, 06 April 2011 15:27

The pine beetle is wreaking havoc across western forests, and Congressional action is overdue. Over the past decade, upwards of 4 million acres in Colorado and Southern Wyoming have been transformed from a verdant, green, majestic landscape to one that is stained red with dead trees. Beetle-kill trees provide fuel for wildfires that threaten lives and livelihoods - a thought that is even more alarming as fire season grows near. Within this region, 100,000 trees are falling every day Congress fails to act -- a rate of 1 million trees every ten days. These falling trees endanger hikers and campers, but there is a way to fight back.

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