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In the years that the pine beetles are especially prevalent, Jack and I spray the trees surrounding our house with Sevin. We also spray the trees surrounding the clearings produced by trees felled as a result of previous pine beetle attacks. Although we cannot spray as high up each tree as the pine beetles potentially attack, the spray does seem to effectively deter the pine beetles from coming into that area.
During the summer and early autumn, I check each log pile once a week (if we're not traveling). I carry scissors and duct tape and fix any holes or tears that appear in the plastic covers. This is to maximize the greenhouse effect so the log piles stay as hot as possible.
The ultraviolet rays from sun eventually destroy the plastic and cause it to become brittle. If I leave the covers on over the winter, the plastic shatters into small bits and the wind scatters the bits all around. This is a mess! Now, usually around mid November when the temperatures are staying well below freezing every night, I remove the covers and fold and tie them into small bundles. So far, I have not found a use for this plastic but maybe someday I will....
Next spring, Jack and I use the truck to retrieve the logs and stack them near our house. During the next autumn and winter, Jack cuts the logs into lengths suitable for our wood stove and splits the larger logs as needed. We use the wood to heat our house.
Cutting down the pine beetle killed trees, spraying and stacking the wood, and then covering the log piles is time consuming and a lot of work. However, Jack and I believe that doing so prevents the pine beetles from attacking the nearby trees and eventually destroying our entire forest. It's worth the effort! |
