Jun 25, 2008 7:03 am US/Mountain
Allenspark Beetle Busters Work To Protect Trees
ALLENSPARK, Colo. (AP) ―
Rocky Mountain National Park has granted Allenspark in Boulder County $10,000 for its battle against the mountain pine beetle.
As the beetles have move over the Continental Divide into Boulder County and Allenspark, the town has been organizing neighborhoods and now has 500 so-called beetle busters.
The busters are on a mission to prepare the town's trees for the onslaught of beetles that are soon expected.
"Since the middle of May I was up here every day, rain or snow," said Joe Turner, beetle buster.
One beetle buster even invented a beetle cooker.
"You bring all the wood up to about 180 degrees, leave it overnight, the insulation keeps the heat in and the bugs all die," said Edie DeWeese, head of Allenspark Beetle Control. "Knowing the enemy is really important. You really have to be clued in to all the various things that beetles do and think like a beetle."
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Allenspark Beetle Control also has a Web site where people can review their options for fighting the bug and learn about the latest plans for beetle busters.
A recent state study found pine beetles will destroy all of Colorado's lodgepole pines in the next 5 years.
In a previous version of this story, it was reported that the U.S. Forest Service provided a $10,000 loan to Allenspark. Acutally, Rocky Mountain National Park granted the money to Allenspark.
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