Survey shows pine beetle decline

The U.S. Forest Service and Wyoming State Forestry Division recently released results of Wyoming’s annual aerial forest health survey, indicating that the spread of the mountain pine beetle epidemic has slowed dramatically while the spruce beetle outbreak continues at low levels.

Each summer the agencies work together to aerially monitor insect and disease caused tree mortality or damage across Wyoming forestland.

As noted in the 2012 survey results, the mountain pine beetle epidemic continues to slow in 2013. Mountain pine beetle was active on 82,000 acres in 2013. Statewide, the epidemic exp...