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So Depressed about Colorado
Old 08-15-2008, 04:46 PM   #1
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So Depressed about Colorado

We absolutely love Colorado. Everything about it...well except the long winters, but if we are retired we can travel in the winter to warmer places or just stay indoors and relax. (Kind of like living in Texas in the summer except in reverse). We especially love the trees and views.

We are getting ready to retire in a couple of years and Colorado has been at the top of our list. Second choice is Texas Hill Country near Austin. Anyway, we were visiting Colorado to try and narrow down the areas we were interested in last week and were absolutely shocked to find tens of thousands of acres of beautiful scenery dying. The lodge pole pines which dominate the landscape along I-70 from Denver into Summit County are red/orange and literally dying from a beetle infestation. It's the result of drought and warmer than normal winters. There is no solution and it is really tragic. Everywhere you look vast quantities of beautiful pines are dying. This is not in a small area, it's absolutely everywhere. We were truly depressed.

This really makes us reconsider our plans. Dead trees will need to be removed which will drastically change the landscape that we love. It will be expensive for homeowners and frankly the result will be rather unsightly for a long time (20+years). I'm sure homes and towns will lose much value. The infestation is moving toward Denver and will destroy the trees on the front range up through Rocky Mountain National Park, Fort Collins and Wyoming.

Very sadly...back to the drawing board....
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Old 08-15-2008, 04:58 PM   #2
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Just so you're not blindsided by it, tree life in the Texas Hill Country is also under attack. The primary tree in the area is the Live Oak which is suffering from a fatal viral disease - Oak Wilt.

Oak Wilt Disease
Texas Oak Wilt Information Partnership

EDIT - The disease is fungal, not viral...
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Old 08-15-2008, 06:21 PM   #3
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Just so you're not blindsided by it, tree life in the Texas Hill Country is also under attack. The primary tree in the area is the Live Oak which is suffering from a fatal viral disease - Oak Wilt.
Sheesh, just when the Gates Foundation was starting to make some headway on the Ebola and other Texas wildlife...
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Old 08-15-2008, 08:42 PM   #4
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The infestation is moving toward Denver and will destroy the trees on the front range up through Rocky Mountain National Park, Fort Collins and Wyoming.
Yes, very sad. My understanding is that the destruction is already happening there. Estes Park was already getting hit when I was there several years ago. Interestingly, these infestations have happened before, and the trees have recovered. However, this time around seems to be different. If were looking for a place to retire, I'd definitely factor the infestation into my considerations.
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Old 08-15-2008, 09:49 PM   #5
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FYI, the Pine Borer Bettle has a two year life-cycle. The moth form of the beetle lays eggs just under the bark. When the eggs hatch into larva they bore under the bark where they criss-cross under the bark layer over a year eating the tender layers under the bark. They then pupate and hatch into moths to mate and lay eggs in neighboring trees.

The only effective means of killing them is a combination of root/bark chemical transport and leaf/bark treatment through spraying. Both methods are expensive. We had several spruce trees infected at my previous cabin and tried to say the few trees that were not yet heavily infected. We saved several but last just as many. Most were very large and dominated the view. It was a crying shame to see them cut down and hauled off for burning to help prevent the spread.

The Northwest is also showing signs of the beetle. Some trees in the National Forests are starting to show signs of the infection (browning of the needles at the higher and outer parts of the tree). As you said...it is a terrible thing. The economic loss to the timber industry will be staggering. The losses to other species will be huge as fires and mud slides change the landscape. I can't imagine the ultimate cost.

Don't carry firewood from area to area. This can spread the beetle to virgin areas. Buy local firewood.
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Old 08-16-2008, 09:54 AM   #6
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Thanks REWahoo for the heads up on the live oaks.

Yikes, we have a large beautiful 40 ft. live oak in front of our house. It's our only large tree here on the Dallas prairie. I'll have to keep a careful eye on it till we sell our home. It's a major selling feature.
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Old 08-16-2008, 11:15 AM   #7
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I have two Chinese Pistache trees in my front yard.

Chinese Pistache
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Old 08-16-2008, 11:20 AM   #8
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I have two Chinese Pistache trees in my front yard.
I have a two big rocks in my front yard....
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Old 08-16-2008, 11:54 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by BarbaraAnne View Post
We absolutely love Colorado. Everything about it...well except the long winters, but if we are retired we can travel in the winter to warmer places or just stay indoors and relax. (Kind of like living in Texas in the summer except in reverse). We especially love the trees and views.

We are getting ready to retire in a couple of years and Colorado has been at the top of our list. Second choice is Texas Hill Country near Austin. Anyway, we were visiting Colorado to try and narrow down the areas we were interested in last week and were absolutely shocked to find tens of thousands of acres of beautiful scenery dying. The lodge pole pines which dominate the landscape along I-70 from Denver into Summit County are red/orange and literally dying from a beetle infestation. It's the result of drought and warmer than normal winters. There is no solution and it is really tragic. Everywhere you look vast quantities of beautiful pines are dying. This is not in a small area, it's absolutely everywhere. We were truly depressed.

This really makes us reconsider our plans. Dead trees will need to be removed which will drastically change the landscape that we love. It will be expensive for homeowners and frankly the result will be rather unsightly for a long time (20+years). I'm sure homes and towns will lose much value. The infestation is moving toward Denver and will destroy the trees on the front range up through Rocky Mountain National Park, Fort Collins and Wyoming.

Very sadly...back to the drawing board....

Do not come to Colorado -- stay in Texas. There is the pine bark beetle infestation, dizziness at high altitude, too many craft breweries & the state is moving from red to blue.
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Old 08-16-2008, 12:00 PM   #10
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Do not come to Colorado -- stay in Texas. There is the pine bark beetle infestation, dizziness at high altitude, too many craft breweries & the state is moving from red to blue.
Nice try...
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Old 08-16-2008, 12:02 PM   #11
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Nice try...
I do what I can.
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Old 08-16-2008, 12:20 PM   #12
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I have big trees AND big rocks in my front yard.

The benefits of living in California...
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Old 08-16-2008, 12:27 PM   #13
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Oh yeah. But where will your trees and rocks be after the big one hits?
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Old 08-16-2008, 12:28 PM   #14
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I have big trees AND big rocks in my front yard.

The benefits of living in California...

I have big trees , big rocks and a dock in my yard benefits of living in Florida !
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Old 08-16-2008, 12:29 PM   #15
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I have big trees , big rocks and a dock in my yard benefits of living in Florida !
OK, you win Moemg. Everybody retire to Florida!!!!
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Old 08-16-2008, 12:41 PM   #16
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Oh yeah. But where will your trees and rocks be after the big one hits?
Pretty much in the same place since the nearest major fault line is about 70-80 miles away.
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Old 08-16-2008, 01:29 PM   #17
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I have a two big rocks in my front yard....
I have some rocks in my head. Or so I've been told...
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Old 08-16-2008, 02:02 PM   #18
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OK, you win Moemg. Everybody retire to Florida!!!!

Everybody better wait until after hurricane season before they start packing !
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Old 08-16-2008, 02:15 PM   #19
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I have a two big rocks in my front yard....
I have THREE big rocks in my front yard.
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Old 08-16-2008, 02:42 PM   #20
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I grew up in a midwestern town known for it's beautiful mature trees. Dutch Elm disease wiped out nearly all the trees in my neighborhood. As a kid it was fun to watch it unfold... every few weeks the city arborists would come in and take down a new tree, providing hours of entertainment. These were big mature trees with trunks at least several feet in diameter. They would dig out the roots down to a foot or so below the ground, which created a little hole in the grass for us kids to play in like sandboxes. The replacement trees tended to be just the right size for tree climbing. Now when I go back to visit I see that all the trees are mature and beautiful.

It is sad, but life goes on.
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