Humans and the Beetle Bombardment

Human beings have arduously suppressed wildfires for the past few hundred years. This created dense forests that facilitate the Mountain Pine Beetle's movements from one tree to another and kicks their expansion into high gear. With the increase of beetles, comes a tree die-off most severe. Suddenly, a very large increase in fuel load begins to appear. The forests are now a dangerous environment with the potential for drastically dreadful wildfires becoming an intensely real fear (Welch).

As small fires are suppressed, vegetation density increases,
creating a dangerous risk of a high intensity wild fires. 

This is of critical concern for recreational visitors, firefighters, residents, workers, wildlife, and individuals that depend on the economic revenue the forest can generate (Embrey). Such fires also release carbon which causes global temperatures to further inflate.


In addition to the risk of dangerous wildfires, the health of the forests effect the water dynamics of the surrounding areas and ground below. Increased tree mortality can greatly alter nutrient levels in the soil, water table and watersheds that follow.


Increased water levels in the early spring and consequent episodes of drought in the late summer are the result of increased levels of packed snow. This can have numerous effects on the surrounding ecosystems, and any economic gains that a healthy watershed can bestow.