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Smuggler Mountain Project 2009 Final Report  click here>>

What is the Project?

Aspen and Pitkin County, in partnership with For The Forest, worked to mitigate the consequences of the mountain pine beetle epidemic that has killed over 2 million acres of Colorado forests. The City, County and For The Forest acted together to protect the 250-acre Smuggler Mountain Open Space property by (1) removing beetle-infested "brood trees" and (2) applying verbenone (a natural pine beetle anti-aggregation pheromone) around healthy lodgepole pine trees.  Removing the infested brood trees is essential to prevent other healthy trees from being attacked when the beetles fly in July. Because one infested tree has the potential to infest several more, the epidemic can spread extremely rapidly.

How many trees were removed?

201 brood trees were felled in June and transported off the mountain in July, 2009.

Where were they taken?

The logs were taken to a state-designated site in Silt, CO, where they were left in the sun to kill the beetles.  Silt is far from any vulnerable pine trees, so there was no risk of the beetles flying and infecting other trees. The "slash" (small limbs, etc.) was ground up and taken to the Aspen landfill as mulch.

How were the healthy pine trees protected from beetle attack?
Pouches of verbenone, a natural mountain pine beetle pheromone, were stapled to healthy pine trees. On the Smuggler Mountain Open Space property, approximately 3,900 verbenone pouches were applied to the 130 acres containing pine trees. Approximately 30 pouches per acre were applied in a grid pattern with a pouch every ~38 feet.  Verbenone signals mountain pine beetles not to attack a pine tree. Because of its narrow and targeted effects (it directly effects only mountain pine beetles) and its non-toxic nature (it's used in herbal teas), verbenone is an excellent alternative to toxic pesticides in many situations.  While verbenone is not 100% effective, it doesn't actually harm the beetles, it can work well in limited areas if applied correctly and combined with brood tree removal.

How much did the project cost?

The total direct cost of the Smuggler project was $103,000.  Of this total, For The Forest contributed $58,000, while Aspen and Pitkin County each contributed $22,500. This is an excellent example of a public/private partnership working for the good of the community and the environment.  If the plan proves successful at saving trees on Smuggler Mountain, the cost will drop significantly in future years, since fewer brood trees will need to be removed.  This will represent an important test of the plan's success.

What happened in the summer of 2010?

The project continued with the original partners, For The Forest, City of Aspen and Pitkin County Open Space. It followed the same protocol from 2009, except that this year only 52 brood trees needed to be removed. Verbenone was applied again in a grid pattern.

Was the project a success?

Yes!!! It was very successful, please click here for the official scientific report from Dr. Nancy Gillette.