ENTERPRISE — To protect forest health on the East Moraine Community Forest a thinning project is planned to reduce an outbreak of bark beetles near the Turner Lane trailhead.
Known as scolytus, or “fir engravers”, the insects are threatening forests across the Blue Mountains and local foresters and landowners have documented phenomenon. Oregon Department of Forestry highlighted this in their most recent Forest Health report. Broadly speaking, the department noted that drought stress, followed by opportunistic insect attacks, is the main underlying cause of tree dieback and decline. Recreationists hiking, biking, riding or cross-country skiing on the Community Forest may have noticed dead or dying trees.
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