Naked Trees, Killer Beetles & Changing Landscapes: Mountain Pine Beetle and Ponderosa Pine
Category: Community Engagement Poster
Author(s): Sloane Stewart, Aislynn Barkley-griggs, Elise Bonnevie, Aaliyah Savitt, Alexandra Sequeros, Sreya Karumanchi, Natalie Ingegneri, Madeline Hope, Libby Hennes
Presenter(s): Sloane Stewart, Aislynn Barkley-griggs, Elise Bonnevie, Aaliyah Savitt, Alexandra Sequeros, Sreya Karumanchi, Natalie Ingegneri, Madeline Hope, Libby Hennes
Mentors(s): Stuart Cottrell, Jana Raadik Cottrell
Mountain Pine Beetles (MPB) are back in Colorado with a focus on ponderosa pine in the Front Range. Warmer winters, dry conditions, and dense, stressed forests create ideal conditions for beetles to thrive. A group of CSU Honors students have studied the bio-physical and socio-political implications of MPB this semester with a focus on public outreach needs. Public perceptions among homeowners and residents along the Front Range are important to understanding what communication approaches encourage community engagement to manage for MPB. Decreased property values, increased fire threat and losing mature trees are some of the common concerns. Misconceptions about MPB creates myths about what is happening and this presentation will address some of those concerns for the Colorado State Forest Service to consider for public education outreach.