Bark Beetle Infestations in the Rocky Mountains

• Secretary Vilsack announced that the USDA Forest Service will commit $40 million in additional funding to address the Forest Service’s Rocky Mountain Region’s public safety concerns and forest health needs associated with millions of acres of dead and dying trees from bark beetle infestations in the west.
  
  
• Bark Beetle is in epidemic stages across the western states with over 6.4 million acres affected.   The impacts have been especially severe in the Rocky Mountain Region of the Forest Service where over 2.5 million acres have been affected.
  
  
• The Bark Beetle epidemic has had a severe impact on forest health and has resulted in a dramatic increase in the danger of trees falling on roads, trails and recreation areas.
  
  
• Work to be accomplished with the $40 million includes hazard tree removal along Forest Roads and Trails and in campgrounds and picnic areas, and reducing hazardous fire fuels in the National Forests.
  
  
• Secretary Vilsack cited the severe forest health problems in the Forest Service in his August 14 speech outlining his vision for America’s forests.   This action is a key component to move forward with needed restoration efforts to make forests more resilient to climate change, and to protect and preserve them for future generations.
  
  
• The additional funds will come from the following sources:
  • $23.6 million in additional funds will be directed through the national allocation process to Region 2 in the FY 2010 final appropriations, above the amount allocated in the FY2010 initial budget.
  • $10 million will be redirected by Region 2 from existing allocations.
  • $5 million will be redirected from ARRA funds appropriated for Wildland Fire Management from savings where projects came in under budget.
  • $2 million will be allocated from national carryover of prior year appropriations.

• The additional $23.6 million from FY 2010 consists of the following:

• Statement of Forest Service Chief, Thomas Tidwell stated, “ I am pleased with the Secretary’s decision to address this significant public safety and forest health priority.  Employees of the Rocky Mountain Region and in other areas of the Forest Service will, in some cases, need to change their planned program of work in order to focus the additional funds on the Bark Beetle effort.”
  
  
• Rocky Mountain Region Bark Beetle Website