State acts to protect infrastructure from pine beetles

Colorado Sen. Gail Schwartz, D-Snowmass, lives smack in the middle of the state’s high mountain region, an area known for its spectacular beauty.

But over the last several years, much of Colorado’s high alpine zone and Western Slope has been devastated by the steady advance of the mountain pine bark beetle. The tiny bugs have been chewing up millions of acres of pine forests, literally transforming green, healthy hillsides into dead-brown, fire-prone eyesores.

It’s a problem that’s taking on huge dimensions across Colorado, as vast swaths of forest lands now lie vulnerable to catastrophic wildfire and high-wind blowdown that could wreak havoc…