Forest Service to remove bark beetle dead trees from Galena Creek area
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Mon, 12/20/2021 - 4:08pm
CARSON CITY — The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest’s Carson Ranger District is working with Mooretown Rancheria to remove dead and dying trees killed by bark beetles in the Galena Creek area in southern Reno, Nevada, starting on Tuesday, Dec. 21, if weather allows.
This forest-health mitigation project will take around four weeks to complete, but equipment operations is dependent on snow levels. Forest visitors are asked to comply with posted safety signs and avoid the project area when equipment is in use.
Trees in the Galena Creek area, located off Nevada State Highway 431 (Mount Rose Highway), are dying at a rapid rate, due to an increase in bark beetle activity. Bark beetles, a naturally occurring forest insect, attack trees by boring into the tree, and feeding and breeding below the bark layer in the growing portion of the tree trunk, known as the cambium. The beetle activity affecting the cambium inhibits the tree’s nutrient and water cycles.
Healthy trees are generally able to protect themselves from these attacks and will not normally die because of the insect activity. At this time, the beetle population has overwhelmed the trees’ natural defenses, which are lowered due to the extended drought conditions the Galena Creek area has been experiencing. Due to these factors, an increase in mortality has occurred, leading to many standing dead and dying trees in the area.
“While bark beetles are a naturally occurring part of any forest ecosystem, management needs to be undertaken to slow the spread of this issue before it becomes more widespread. Given the high recreation use in this area, the visual impacts to the Mt. Rose Highway, and the concerns with this forest pest impacting nearby private property owners, we want to get ahead of this forest health issue while it is still small enough to manage,” said Annabelle Monti, Forester on the Carson Ranger District.
To prevent the spread of the bark beetles, the wood will not be available for firewood. For questions or more information, please contact the Carson Ranger District at 775-882-2766.
For additional information on the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, go here.
