Beetle Juice
Today our Ski Patrol Director Mike Kelly was joined by Jim Robertson and Kurt Kluegel from the Caribou-Targhee National Forest and Entomologist Laura Lazarus to follow up on a Douglas Fir and Whitebark Pine Management project that is part of our sustainable ecosystems efforts here at the resort.
Laura, Jim and Mike inspecting bark for signs of beetle infestation
The mountain pine beetle epidemic has killed thousands of acres of trees over the past few decades, and contributes to forest fires and a host of other forestry problems. For the past five years, Grand Targhee Resort has partnered with the US Forest Service on best practices for Whitebark Pine Management and Douglas-Fir Pest Management, which includes the use of anti-aggregation pheromones to help the spread of various beetle species.
Huh?
These beetles basically attack the tree and kill it, and while doing so emit one of two pheromones or “scents” - one scent is used to attract other beetles to the live tree, and the other is to warn other beetles that the tree is full. A “No Vacancy” scent if you will.
No room at the Inn
By duplicating the “No Vacancy” scent and attaching it to healthy trees, scientists have successfully prevented the spread of pine beetles. Last April the USFS joined our Ski Patrol and tagged a bunch of the trees at Targhee with these pheromones. Verbenone packets are used on Whitebark Pine trees and MCH capsules work on Douglas Fir trees.
Today the group was checking on the effect of these packets.
The prognosis is good for the Douglas Fir and Whitebark Pine trees at the resort - there were no new infestations! Many thanks to our partners at the Caribou-Targhee National Forest and the US Forest Service for their efforts.
