Our Forests, Our Fish
By: Tom Schultz, RMFTU Director at Large
A drive up Poudre Canyon reveals the tremendous impact of a tiny beetle only 2mm long. Many of the burned tree trunks in the Cameron Fire scar were Lodgepole Pines that were already dead due to the infestation of the Mountain Pine Bark Beetle. Large stands of dead pines were kindling that fed the massive fire that greatly impacted the Poudre River and its trout population. Subsequent flooding and erosion of soil and ash devastated the fishery fromRustic to Gateway.
With most of the Lodgepole Pine gone, the bark beetle is transitioning to Ponderosa Pine and foresters predict massive kills of trees along the Front Range. There are already signs of infected Ponderosa Pines along the lower Poudre canyon in the riparian stretches that survived the fire. What does this have to do with climate change? Pine trees defend themselves by exuding sticky pitch which clogs the holes the beetles drill and prevents them from laying eggs. But water stressed pines can’t produce much pitch. The higher annual temperatures and the prolonged drought that we have experienced throughout Colorado have rendered Ponderosa Pines vulnerable to the beetles. In addition, our recent mild winters have allowed more beetle larvae to survive.
In an ecosystem, all species are connected. If we lose our riparian stands of Ponderosa Pine, the rivers will be more exposed to sunlight and water temperatures will rise, reducing dissolved oxygen and threatening trout. The loss of live trees will reduce the nutrient source required by the aquatic insects that trout eat. And dead pines increase the chance of another devastating fire in our watersheds.
What can we do? Support efforts to conserve water and promote alternate energy sources to reduce the continuing impact of burning fossil fuels. And tell our lawmakers to stop reducing the staff and resources of our forest managers and fire fighters.