State Crews Wrap Up Mountain Pine Beetle Surveys

SOUTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

NEWS RELEASE

 

For Immediate Release: Feb. 14, 2012

Media Contact: Greg Josten, 605-394-2395

 

State Crews Wrap Up Mountain Pine Beetle Surveys

 

RAPID CITY, S.D. – State crews will end their surveying and marking of mountain pine beetle infested trees on private lands on Feb. 17.

 

Since marking began in Sept. 2011, state and county marking crews surveyed almost 68,000 acres and marked over 174,000 infested trees on private lands in Custer, Pennington, Lawrence and Meade counties.

 

The deadline for cutting and chunking infested trees is March 1. Treatments after that date will have to use other methods to kill the beetles. Other recommended treatments include cut and peel to be completed by April 1; cut and wrap or cut and chip by May 1; or cut and haul to a sawmill by June 1.

 

Landowners that have not had their property surveyed can identify infested trees themselves with help from http://beatthebeetles.com/ or contact a Resource Conservation and Forestry office for helpful information at 605-394-2395.

 

Agriculture is South Dakota's No. 1 industry, generating nearly $21 billion in annual economic activity and employing more than 80,000 South Dakotans.  The South Dakota Department of Agriculture's mission is to promote, protect, preserve and improve this industry for today and tomorrow.  Visit us online at http://sdda.sd.gov or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

 

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