DIRECTORS: GARY MOYER President N. Platte, White, Yampa Watersheds Meeker, CO BRIAN NEUFELD Vice-President Rio Grande Watershed Hooper, CO SHARON PATTEE Secretary-Treasurer Upper Arkansas River Watershed Fountain, CO CHARLIE CARNAHAN Director UPPER South Platte River Watershed Kiowa, CO HARLEY ERNST Director Republican River Watershed Flagler, CO TOM HARTNETT Director San Juan Basin Watershed Hesperus, CO KRISTIE MARTIN Director Gunnison-Dolores Watersheds Crawford, CO DON MCBEE Director Lower Arkansas Watershed Lamar, CO BRIAN STARKEBAUM Director Lower South Platte Watershed Haxtun, CO MIKE WILDE Director Colorado River Watershed Glenwood Springs, CO OFFICE/ADMINISTRATION: Mailing address: P.O. Box 4138 Woodland Park, CO 80866 719-686-0020 Phone cacd@cacd.us www.coloradoacd.org

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TESTIMONY OF MR. GARY MOYER Member, White River Conservation District

President, Colorado Association of Conservation Districts Chairman, Southwest Region, National Association of

Conservation Districts Congressional Western Caucus

Seeking State Solutions: Forest Health, Wildfires, and Habitat Protection

May 2, 2013

Chairman Pearce, Chairwoman Lummis, thank you for the opportunity to testify today on how state solutions are a reasonable, responsible, and practical response to forest health, wildfire, and habitat protection. My name is Gary Moyer and I am from the northwest corner of Colorado near the town of Meeker in Rio Blanco County. Since 2006, I have served on the White River Conservation District Board. In addition to serving my local community, I am the president of the Colorado Association of Conservation Districts as well as chairman of the Southwest region—which includes New Mexico and Wyoming—for the National Association of Conservation Districts.

This forest health and wildfire problems are near and dear to my heart. My forestry background dates back to a small logging and sawmill business my father owned and operated near the town of Meeker from the late 1950s until 1991 when it closed. Approximately 75 percent of the land in Rio Blanco County is owned by either the Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management, making timber from public lands all that much more important. The reason our sawmill, and many others like it, closed was in large part due to the lack of timber supply at an economically feasible cost. My family’s sawmill relied primarily on timber from U.S. Forest Service lands.

In the late 1980s, we saw a visible shift in forest management practices on public lands—from actively managing forests for forest health and timber production, to what I would call the “let nature take its course” management practice. It is my opinion that this shift in management practices to a more hands-off approach has contributed significantly to the unhealthy conditions we currently see in our forests in Colorado and the central Rocky Mountain region.

DIRECTORS: GARY MOYER President N. Platte, White, Yampa Watersheds Meeker, CO BRIAN NEUFELD Vice-President Rio Grande Watershed Hooper, CO SHARON PATTEE Secretary-Treasurer Upper Arkansas River Watershed Fountain, CO CHARLIE CARNAHAN Director UPPER South Platte River Watershed Kiowa, CO HARLEY ERNST Director Republican River Watershed Flagler, CO TOM HARTNETT Director San Juan Basin Watershed Hesperus, CO KRISTIE MARTIN Director Gunnison-Dolores Watersheds Crawford, CO DON MCBEE Director Lower Arkansas Watershed Lamar, CO BRIAN STARKEBAUM Director Lower South Platte Watershed Haxtun, CO MIKE WILDE Director Colorado River Watershed Glenwood Springs, CO OFFICE/ADMINISTRATION: Mailing address: P.O. Box 4138 Woodland Park, CO 80866 719-686-0020 Phone cacd@cacd.us www.coloradoacd.org

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I would like to share what we in the White River Valley of northwest Colorado have personally witnessed. In the 1940s our Valley experienced an Engleman spruce insect infestation that killed much of our forest. A significant portion of this forest die-off occurred inside the boundaries of the Flat Tops Wilderness area which prevented dead timber removal. My family and others logged the area bordering the wilderness area. In 2002, we experienced the Big Fish fire, which burned approximately 17,000 acres, in addition to the Lost Lakes fire. Due to the excess fuel loadings—largely in part from the down timber resulting from the 1940s infestation still present in the wilderness area when these fires occurred—we experienced an extremely devastating fire that sterilized the soils. The fire significantly slowed or outright stopped when it reached the managed areas.

Today, 10 years after these fires, we see little to no conifer revegetation. In fact, we are seeing very little revegetation of any kind. This is in part due to the fact that much of this forest was a spruce fir forest and this is the natural transition after a fire. There was some Lodgepole Pine present prior to the fire but there has been no Lodgepole Pine revegetation to date given that the intensity of the fire destroyed the seed source that was present at the time of the fire. It will likely take more than 100 years before we see a healthy forest again in this area. While fire is a good management tool, this type of heavy-fueled fire has negative impacts on soil, water, air, plant, and wildlife. Without large-scale timber removal projects very soon, this same scenario will likely be repeated on much of the 4 million plus acres of standing dead forests in Colorado.

However, despite the damage that has been done, it is not too late for us to take meaningful actions to successfully avoid future devastating wildfires that will have negative impacts for generations to come. Active forest management, including, wherever possible, dead timber removal on Forest Service, BLM, state, and private lands, will help ensure that rather than fearing fire—and having to live with the consequences like we faced in the White River Valley.

In an effort to find solutions to the problem of the overwhelming cost of removing this dead timber, the White River Conservation District conducted a research project to examine standing dead Lodgepole Pine killed from Bark Beetle infestations and determine if the material can be utilized for high-value uses such as cut stock for millwork products. We worked with Colorado State University and the Colorado State

DIRECTORS: GARY MOYER President N. Platte, White, Yampa Watersheds Meeker, CO BRIAN NEUFELD Vice-President Rio Grande Watershed Hooper, CO SHARON PATTEE Secretary-Treasurer Upper Arkansas River Watershed Fountain, CO CHARLIE CARNAHAN Director UPPER South Platte River Watershed Kiowa, CO HARLEY ERNST Director Republican River Watershed Flagler, CO TOM HARTNETT Director San Juan Basin Watershed Hesperus, CO KRISTIE MARTIN Director Gunnison-Dolores Watersheds Crawford, CO DON MCBEE Director Lower Arkansas Watershed Lamar, CO BRIAN STARKEBAUM Director Lower South Platte Watershed Haxtun, CO MIKE WILDE Director Colorado River Watershed Glenwood Springs, CO OFFICE/ADMINISTRATION: Mailing address: P.O. Box 4138 Woodland Park, CO 80866 719-686-0020 Phone cacd@cacd.us www.coloradoacd.org

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Forest Service to conduct the research, led by Dr. Curt Mackes. Our question was, “How much defect-free material exists that is suitable for ‘cut stock’, especially given how long the beetle-killed trees have been left standing dead?” I have included the complete report from the study as an attachment to my written testimony. The study consisted of cutting standing dead sample trees between 10 to 18 inches diameter breast height. The samples were collected of live trees and trees standing dead between one and nine years. Trees were milled into boards with a minimum size of one inch by two inches, then measured and analyzed as to what percentage of these boards could be utilized as clear, defect free lodgepole pine cut stock for the millwork industry. The results of the study showed that approximately 25 percent of the total volume of wood in trees of this size range can be utilized in the millwork industry. I do need to point out that the blue staining that occurs was not considered a defect because it can be utilized as paint grade millwork. The study determined that approximately 25 percent of the total volume of wood in larger trees can be used for this and there was no difference in the amount of clear defect-free cut stock from the trees that had recently died compared to the trees that had been standing dead for up to nine years. This shows that even though the longer standing dead trees had more severe checking, the volume of clear defect-free material available was not affected and that there is no significant amount of fungal activity occurring in these trees as long as they remain standing. The largest factor in determining the amount of clear defect-free material available is the size of the trees. The larger the tree, the higher percent of usable material was found. Because of Colorado’s high dry climate, fungal activity is occurring only at the base of the tree where there is contact with the soil. There is a sense of urgency on this matter given the only way to yield the benefits of these recently dead trees is to harvest them while the tree is still standing. Once the tree falls, the quantity of clear defect-free cut stock is greatly decreased if not eliminated entirely. Furthermore, the fallen trees now add to the understory fuel loads, increasing wildfire risk. The point I want to make is that we need to be looking at the standing dead timber, not for a single use, but for the maximum value of a variety of products that can be

DIRECTORS: GARY MOYER President N. Platte, White, Yampa Watersheds Meeker, CO BRIAN NEUFELD Vice-President Rio Grande Watershed Hooper, CO SHARON PATTEE Secretary-Treasurer Upper Arkansas River Watershed Fountain, CO CHARLIE CARNAHAN Director UPPER South Platte River Watershed Kiowa, CO HARLEY ERNST Director Republican River Watershed Flagler, CO TOM HARTNETT Director San Juan Basin Watershed Hesperus, CO KRISTIE MARTIN Director Gunnison-Dolores Watersheds Crawford, CO DON MCBEE Director Lower Arkansas Watershed Lamar, CO BRIAN STARKEBAUM Director Lower South Platte Watershed Haxtun, CO MIKE WILDE Director Colorado River Watershed Glenwood Springs, CO OFFICE/ADMINISTRATION: Mailing address: P.O. Box 4138 Woodland Park, CO 80866 719-686-0020 Phone cacd@cacd.us www.coloradoacd.org

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utilized from this resource. Therefore, as long as these trees are still standing, approximately 25 percent of the volume of the wood can be utilized for the higher-value cut stock product, and the remainder used for biofuels or other products. This may actually make it economically feasible to remove the timber and put it to beneficial use. With this information in hand, and knowing that there is still value in standing dead timber where it was once thought not to exist, we seek your help to ensure the land management agencies utilize these valuable timber resources and protect soil, water, air, plant, and animal resources. Conservation districts and my fellow panelists are not the only individuals concerned with forest health and forest management practices. On April 16, Utah Governor Gary Herbert, chairman of the Western Governors’ Association, and Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, vice chairman of WGA, sent a letter to Secretary Vilsack expressing concerns related to western forest health and management. I have included their letter for your reference. With local perspectives and statutory authority, conservation districts can help develop working partnerships between agencies, industry, landowners, and policy makers as demonstrated in our full written testimony. We stand ready to assist in this effort. Chairman Pearce, Chairwoman Lummis, my fellow Coloradans, thank you again for the opportunity to appear before you today, not only to share my personal story with you but provide some hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Conservation districts throughout the country are ready to help provide the local perspective and best management practices to ensure we keep these catastrophic wildfires at bay and forest health at the forefront of the discussion. I look forward to taking your questions.

APPENDIX A:

How much defect-free material exists that is suitable for ‘cut stock’, especially given how long the beetle-killed trees have

been left standing dead?

Determining the Processed Cut Stock Recovery Rate from Stand-ing Dead Beetle-Killed Lodgepole

Pine Timber

Prepared for: The White River Conservation District

Prepared by: Dr. Kurt Mackes, Senior Research Scientist

Colorado State Forest Service and Department of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship

Colorado State University March 14, 2013

Introduction The current mountain pine beetle (MPB, Dendrochtonus ponderosae) has impacted 3.3 million acres of Colorado’s pine for-ests, which is an area approximately the same size as Connecticut. The beetles ini-tially attacked most of the state’s lodgepole pine trees but are spreading into ponderosa and limber pines (CSFS 2013: 8-11). The swath of the epidemic is substantial and so are its related impacts. Costs to re-move beetle-killed trees and to remediate impacted forests are high. Public safety is threatened by blowdowns and increased risk of fire. Recreation and tourism reve-nues are negatively impacted. Wildlife habitat is substantially altered, while water-shed quality is degraded from increased sediment pollution. Perhaps the most significant impact from the mountain pine beetle epidemic is the loss of economic value in the beetle-killed trees. Timber value loss is assessed in terms of stumpage, where stumpage is the raw material from which forest products are derived after felling, skidding, trans-porting, and milling. The economic worth of stumpage is based on its utility after it is cut and removed from the land. Stumpage is considered part of the land prior to being logged or cut. Stumpage losses can be se-vere. Estimates of stumpage losses due to the MPB in Grand County, Colorado, con-servatively approach $1 billion (Mackes et al. 2010). Many reasons exist for the decreased value. Foremost, MPBs introduce a fungus into the wood that causes a bluish discoloration in the sapwood. This blue-stain does not significantly alter the strength and stiffness properties of the wood because it feeds on material inside the cell, not on the cell wall.

However, it does cause consumers to be-lieve the wood is somehow defective as it does look markedly different from clear wood. Additionally, wood moisture content de-creases rapidly as needles fade from green to dull red after the tree is killed. Within a period of months, wood moisture content can drop from 85% or more to 40% (oven-dry basis). Within one year, moisture con-tent can drop below the fiber saturation point (FSP), which is the point where the cell wall material comprising the wood is saturated with water and the cell lumens are void of water. After the wood’s mois-ture content level drops below the FSP (approximately 30% moisture content), the wood begins to shrink and significant checking will start. Generally this will oc-cur one to three years after the tree dies. Rot is not a serious threat to the wood structure provided the tree has not blown over; once on the ground, the rate of decay progresses more rapidly (Lewis and Hart-ley 2006). A number of responses for the MPB epi-demic exist. Forestland owners and manag-ers can attempt to safeguard valued trees by applying preventative chemical sprays or attaching anti-aggregating pheromone packets to the trees. However, sprays and packets can be problematic. They are only highly effective when applied or installed properly. In the case of sprays, rain can cause the topical applications to wash into local waterways, killing waterborne insects and thus imperiling prized fishing streams. Thinning forest stands through active forest management could help but it is time and labor-intensive, expensive and, without producing a product, may not allow public or private managers to recoup all or even some of the cost.

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Alternatively, one way to reduce the im-pacts of the current MPB epidemic is to develop a sustainable, market-based model for reducing forest stand density using bee-tle-killed trees. By developing a product or products from the removed material, forest management costs may be partially or en-tirely offset. One possible product line that can be pro-duced from beetle-killed lodgepole pine is cut stock. Cut stock is lumber that has been cut into specified length, width and height requirements from a cant or other forms of lumber. MPB-killed lodgepole pine trees could be used to manufacture cut stock. Yet how much defect-free material exists that is suitable for such product, especially given how long the beetle-killed trees have been left standing dead? To answer this question, this project will test two hypotheses: 1: Clear defect free material exists within

the standing-dead lodgepole pine that could be used in the millwork industry.

2: The percentage of defect-free material in a lodgepole pine tree changes based on how long that tree has been stand-ing dead.

To test these hypotheses, the White River Conservation District (WRCD), covering roughly the eastern two-thirds of Rio Blanco County in western Colorado, com-missioned this wood utilization study. Methodology The WRCD first selected trees from the epicenter of the mountain pine beetle epi-demic (see Figure 1). Two sites were cho-

Figure 1: Footprint of the Mountain Pine Beetle Epidemic, 1996-2012

Source: Adapted from CSFS (2013: 9). This map shows part of the mountain pine beetle epidemic footprint in north-central Colorado. The dark red areas are new attacks from 2007-2012 while shades of orange and yellow are attacks from 1996-2006.

sen: the Green Ridge Collection Site (Figure 2) in south-central Jackson County, Colorado, and the Pelton Creek Collection Site located just north of Jackson County in south-central Wyoming (Figure 3). These areas could be considered somewhat cli-matically similar, given the cold weather and similar annual precipitation totals, al-though the Wyoming collection site is comparatively dryer as it receives less pre-cipitation (Prins 2011:2-3). An attempt was made to visually select and harvest 40 trees from these two collections sites according to the following four-category schedule:

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Figure 2: The Green Ridge Collection Site in South-Central Jackson County, CO

3

Figure 3: The Pelton Creek Collection Site in South-Central Wyoming

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1. Ten green, healthy trees for control, 2. Ten MPB-killed lodgepole pine trees

that had been standing dead for up to two years,

3. Ten MPB-killed lodgepole pine trees that had been standing dead for be-tween three and five years, and

4. Ten MPB-killed lodgepole pine trees that had been standing dead for six or more years.

Trees were selected for each category based on cues from visual inspection (e.g., bark sloughing, checking, appearance of needles or lack of needles, etc.) in addition to consultation with U.S. Forest Service personnel. Only five green trees were located for the control group because the supply of suit-able green trees was scarce. An additional 31 trees killed by mountain pine beetles that had been standing dead from one year to nine years were identified and harvested. All thirty-six trees were felled over a three-day period in September 2011. They were subsequently delimbed and topped. The tree ends were then painted with green, orange, blue or red paint to signify the esti-mated amount of time passed since mortal-ity. Green paint signified green trees, i.e. those trees that were living and healthy when felled (Category 1). Orange paint (Category 2) marked trees that visually were thought to have been standing dead for up to two years and showed signs of being attacked—most, if not all, needles were brown, pitch tubes evident on trunk, etc. Blue trees (Category 3) were visually thought to have been killed between three and five years prior to felling; symptoms included all brown needles with substantial portions having dropped, pitch tubes were prominent, parts of the bark were falling off, etc. Finally, red paint (Category 4)

meant that the tree was thought to have been killed by MPBs at least six years ago or more with signs including the absence of needles, substantial portions of bark miss-ing, pitch tubes present in significant num-bers on the stem, etc. While these visual cues were not exact, they do provide a rea-sonable, initial framework for close esti-mates. The results of the initial classifica-tion scheme are shown in Table 1. For most trees, the scheme is accurate. To verify theses estimates and categoriza-tion, cross-sections (“cookies”) were taken from the butt-end of each tree and dendro-chronological analyses were completed (see Figure 4 for a sample rough plot). The analysis determined more precisely how old the trees were and, for non-green trees, how many years the tree had been standing dead on the stump by pattern matching against the green trees (see Figure 5). The dendrochronological analyses showed that only a few of the 36 trees were mis-characterized. In addition, some trees ex-hibited growth patterns that did not match the control trees and were excluded from the dating process. As a result, a new clas-sification scheme was developed: 1. Green trees: Healthy trees harvested for

control purposes, 2. Orange trees: Killed within one year of

the harvesting date, 3. Blue trees: Killed within two-to-five

years of the harvesting date, and 4. Red trees: Killed within six-to-ten

years of the harvesting date. Most of the trees remained in their initial category. Tree-length logs were transported to Mor-gan Timber Products in Fort Collins, Colo-rado, for processing. Logs were first seg-

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mented into 8.5-foot lengths. Log volume, measured in cubic feet, was collected by measuring the large-end and small-end di-ameters and using Smalian’s formula, which assumes logs have a uniform taper:

V = [ ( BA1 + BA2 ) / 2 ] x L Where: V = Log volume BA1 = Basal area of log’s small end BA2 = Basal area of log’s large end

L = Log’s length in feet Log segments were then cut into cants us-ing a Skragg mill; boards were recovered from slabs whenever possible. Cants were then sawn into boards that were 8.5 feet long by one-inch thick and of random widths. The processed cut stock was then transported to the Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) Foothills Campus in Fort Collins, Colorado, for estimating the per-centage of 1” x 2” cut stock present in the boards. These dimensions were selected

Figure 4: Sample rough dendrochronological plot of microns versus years for Tree #27

The number of microns are on the y-axis and the number of years are on the x-axis. The microns are a measure-ment of annual growth ring thickness i.e., the higher the “spike” on the chart indicates a thicker growth ring and indicates conditions were conducive to tree growth.

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2006

1993

2002

2006

2011 1993

2002

2006

1993

2002

Figure 5: Comparison of Sample Dendrochronological Plots

As in Figure 4, the y-axis is in microns while the x-axis is in years. Common peak-years and trough-years in the growth pattern are identified in each plot. Color-coding for each plot corresponds to their initial classification.

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Tree ID No.

Color Code Year Killed

(Determined by Dendrochronology)

No. of Years Tree Spent Standing

Dead

1 Orange 2011 0

2 Red 2003 8

3 Green 2010 1**

4 Red 2004 7

5 Red 2003 8

6 Red 2004 7

7 Blue 2007 4

8 Blue 2008 3

9 Red * *

10 Red * *

11 Orange * *

12 Orange 2010 1

13 Orange 2010 1

14 Red 2004 7

15 Blue 2009 2

16 Blue 2010 1

17 Red 2002 9

18 Orange 2010 1

19 Blue 2009 2

20 Blue * *

21 Blue 2009 2

22 Blue 2011 0

23 Orange * *

24 Orange 2009 2

25 Orange 2010 1

26 Green 2011 0

27 Green 2011 0

28 Green 2011 0

29 Orange 2011 0

30 Orange * *

31 Red 2003 8

32 Green 2011 0

33 Orange 2009 2

34 Orange * *

35 Blue 2009 2

36 Blue 2009 2

Green Ridge or Pelton Creek

Collection Site

PC

GR

PC

GR

GR

GR

PC

PC

GR

GR

PC

PC

PC

GR

PC

PC

GR

PC

PC

PC

PC

PC

PC

PC

PC

PC

PC

PC

PC

PC

GR

PC

PC

PC

PC

PC

Table 1: Initial Color-Coding and Determined Age for the 36 Harvested Trees

* Time of tree’s death could not be determined. ** Tree 3 was living (green) so a value of “0” was used for statistical analysis.

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because they would most accurately esti-mate cut stock volume in terms of quantity and quality for high-value end-uses in the millwork industry. Forestry students from Colorado State Uni-versity (CSU) and trained volunteers coor-dinated by Jamie Dahl, CSFS, assessed the percentage of defects in the boards working under the direction of Dr. Kurt Mackes with the CSFS’s Colorado Wood Utiliza-tion and Marketing Program (CoWood). The group spent over a month measuring and examining the boards (for instructions, see Appendix A). To assess the percentage, a five-step process was used. First, the cubic foot volume of the tree-length logs was determined. The length of each log was assumed to be 8.5 feet. After breakdown, boards were also assumed to be 8.5 feet in length and the widths and heights of each board were measured using hand calipers. Second, using these measurements, they determined what percentage of the logs could be used for lumber, i.e., the gross merchantable lumber volume in cubic feet. Third, they looked for wood defects and, if any were found, they measured the volume of the defect. Defects that included knots, cracks (checks), rot and borer holes were evaluated. Fourth, they subtracted the volumes calcu-lated by evaluating each defect from the gross merchantable lumber volume to ar-rive at the net volume. Finally, after deducting for various defects, the calculated volume of clear wood (1” x 2” boards) was determined for each log and compared to the original gross log volume to determine an estimated net yield.

Then a statistical analysis (ANOVA) to determine if relationships existed between the length of time timber spent standing dead and clear wood (1x2 cut stock yield) was conducted. Board width was then com-pared to cut stock yield. After the boards were evaluated, they were transported to a sawmill in Ault, Colorado, operated by Andy Hinz and were converted into various products. Mr. Hinz determined the board volume that was actually useable for prod-ucts. Results and Discussion Hypothesis #1: Determining the Amount of Existing Material Suitable for Cut Stock Applications Of the original 36 trees, 12 trees were not included in the subsequent analysis. Seven trees were excluded because the tree’s time of death could not be determined. The data collected for another five trees was incom-plete. For the remaining 24 trees, percent-ages of cut stock material were calculated (see Table 2). The percentage of lumber that was either clearwood or blue-stained and free of other defects was relatively consistent between all age classes. Boxplots showing the estimated cut stock yield for each of the four tree categories as a percentage of tree volume and as a per-centage of gross lumber volume are shown in Figure 6 and Figure 7, respectively. Based on standard means testing, no sig-nificant difference exists between length of time standing dead and net cut stock yield based on the groups of trees evaluated in this study. This finding was somewhat unexpected. Checking occurs as the logs or lumber dry below the fiber saturation point (FSP). As a result, yield should be higher for green

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Tree ID# Cubic Foot Volume of the Tree

Cubic Foot Volume of

the Lumber (Gross)

Cubic Foot Volume of

All Lumber Defects

Cubic Foot Volume of

the Lumber (Net)

Percentage of Tree that was Clear-

wood or Blue-Stained

Percentage of Lumber that was

Clearwood or Blue-Stained

Green (Living) Trees (Category 1)

3 25.16 7.91 2.06 5.85 23.2% 74.0%

26 28.04 11.81 2.58 9.23 32.9% 78.1%

27 31.00 10.49 2.89 7.60 24.5% 72.5%

32 21.54 9.35 2.26 7.10 32.9% 75.9%

Sub-Totals 105.74 39.56 9.78 29.78 28.2% 75.3%

Trees Standing Dead from 0 Years to 1 Year (Category 2)

12 53.38 21.57 4.66 16.92 31.7% 78.4%

13 47.77 19.19 3.38 15.82 33.1% 82.4%

16 32.07 12.55 3.57 8.98 28.0% 71.5%

22 35.11 15.65 4.05 11.60 33.0% 74.1%

25 27.43 10.39 5.69 4.70 17.1% 45.2%

29 27.64 11.89 3.07 8.83 31.9% 74.2%

Sub-Totals 223.40 91.25 24.41 66.84 29.9% 73.3%

Trees Standing Dead from 2 Years to 5 Years (Category 3)

7 35.45 12.06 3.12 8.94 25.2% 74.1%

8 19.37 7.77 1.66 6.10 31.5% 78.6%

15 21.82 7.78 2.34 5.44 24.9% 70.0%

21 28.37 10.22 3.15 7.07 24.9% 69.2%

24 25.21 13.92 3.59 9.62 38.1% 69.1%

33 38.13 21.15 4.90 16.26 42.6% 76.9%

35 36.17 13.26 2.93 10.33 28.6% 77.9%

36 24.79 8.70 4.82 3.88 15.7% 44.6%

Sub-Totals 229.31  94.86  26.51  67.64  29.5%  71.3% 

Trees Standing Dead from 6 Years to 10 Years (Category 4)

2 35.60 11.83 2.67 9.16 25.7% 77.4%

4 27.43 11.07 3.27 7.80 28.5% 70.5%

5 32.74 12.22 2.78 9.44 28.8% 77.2%

6 17.45 7.00 1.84 5.16 29.6% 73.7%

17 20.19 7.10 1.97 5.13 25.4% 72.2%

31 24.54  10.33  2.69  7.64  31.1%  74.0% 

Sub-Totals 157.95  59.55  15.22  44.33  28.1%  74.4% 

Table 2: Cut Stock Volume Measurements and Percentages

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Figure 6: Estimated 1x2 cut stock yield as a percentage of initial log volume versus length of time timber was standing dead

Legend:

Living Trees = Green Trees

0 to 1 = Orange Trees

2 to 3 = Blue Trees

3 to 4 = Red Trees

Note: Differences in cut stock yield were not statistically significant.

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Figure 7: Estimated 1x2 cut stock yield as a percentage of gross lumber volume versus length of time timber was standing dead

Legend:

Living Trees = Green trees

0 to 1 = Orange trees

2 to 3 = Blue trees

3 to 4 = Red trees

Note: Differences in cut stock yield were not statistically significant.

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lumber because checking should be mini-mal. One possible explanation is that be-cause of inclement weather it took several months to complete data collection and the green boards could have dried below the FSP during that time. Generally once the wood dries to equilibrium moisture con-tent, the frequency and severity of check-ing should not change significantly. There-fore, no significant differences were ex-pected for wood standing dead longer than one year. The occurrence of rot was low in the lum-ber evaluated, even for trees that had been standing dead for over six years. However, when rot did occur, the impact on clear-wood cut stock yield was dramatic. Tree #36 had heart rot and the net cut stock yield was 44.6%, which is considerably less than the mean 71.3% for its age group. The analysis showed that only a small frac-tion of a tree’s total volume can be proc-essed into cut stock. Initially, about 28% of each tree-length log’s total volume, on av-erage, was suitable for manufacturing into 1” boards. Of this 28%, on average, roughly three-quarters of the total lumber volume was free of defects other than blue-stain or was clearwood suitable for making cut stock. In other words, a little more than 20% of a beetle-killed lodgepole pine tree-length log’s total volume was suitable for processing into 1” x 2” boards or other cut stock applications. While the amount of time that a tree stands dead was not as significant as anticipated, log size proved to be a much more signifi-cant factor. Larger logs yielded a corre-spondingly higher percentage of cut stock. A boxplot showing the cut stock yield as a percentage of gross lumber volume when controlling for log size class is shown in Figure 8. Using standard means testing,

significant differences exist in cut stock yield between log size classes. Generally, as log size class (diameter) increases, cut stock yield increases. This data should be used with caution. Once the material was measured and the data were collected and analyzed, the boards were transported to a small sawmill in Ault, Colorado, where the boards were milled into finished products. The mill re-ported that only about 60% of the suitable material could actually be made into prod-uct, a slight reduction from the measured finding (73%). The unusable 40% consisted of 25% lost due to checking and 15% due to variations in the material thickness. In the original analysis, material thickness variability was not considered to be a defect. Had the ma-terial thickness been more uniform, the percentage of suitable material would have increased to 75%, which is very close to the measured 73%. Conclusion and Future Directions Findings from this study reveal that no sta-tistical difference exists between the per-centage of cut stock yield from green living trees and beetle-killed trees that had been standing dead for up to nine years. The per-centage of a beetle-killed lodgepole pine tree-length log’s cubic volume that was clearwood or blue-stain and suitable for cut stock averaged 28.9%. The average percent of lumber that was suitable for cut stock averaged 73.6%. Finally, tree diameter, not time spent standing dead, is the more sig-nificant factor to consider when maximiz-ing cut stock yield. Caveats exist. The oldest tree in this study had been dead for only nine years and most trees had been standing dead for considera-

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Figure 8: Estimated 1x2 cut stock yield as a percentage of gross lumber volume versus log class

Legend:

Class 1 = Logs with a small-end diameter between 6” and 9”

Class 2 = Logs with a small-end diameter between 9” and 12”

Class 3 = Logs with a small-end diameter between 12” and 15”

Class 4 = Logs with a minimum small-end diameter of 15”

Note: Cut stock yield was 58.9% for Class 1 logs and 67.2% for Class 2 logs. Cut stock yield was significantly higher for Class 3 and Class 4 logs, being 77.5% and 80.1% respectively. Increasing yield should have increased with log size.

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bly less time. This study applies to beetle-killed trees with comparatively recent mor-tality that remain standing on the stump. Furthermore, beetle-killed trees typically begin to blow down between three to seven years after mortality. Within 15 years after mortality, about 90% of beetle-killed trees will be on the ground. Because the current mountain pine beetle epidemic has raged for over a decade, the amount of blowdown will increase dramatically in the immediate future. Once on the ground, beetle-killed trees will deteriorate faster. These caveats should convey a sense of urgency. Those who want to use the wood should seek to promote and incentivize the full-value product chain so that more of the tree is usable and do so as quickly as possi-ble. Waste material produced when manu-facturing higher value solid wood products, such as cut stock, could be used to manu-facture other wood products, such as mulch for landscaping or wood pellets for energy. Carl Spaulding, president of the Colorado

Timber Industry Association, notes that “the cheapest wood chip rides on the back of a 2x4,” indicating that wood product producers should strive for 100% utiliza-tion of wood material whenever possible. Statewide policies should follow this ap-proach. Co-locating solid wood product facilities with wood energy product pro-ducers makes some sense. The residue or “waste” material from one operation would become the feedstock for the other. Devel-oping projects that rely on Colorado-produced wood products would further de-crease transportation costs and continued reliance on imported wood products (see Lynch and Mackes 2001). Increasing utilization among beetle-killed trees to reduce forest fuel loads, produce wood products sustainably for market while lessening the taxpayer burden would provide the greatest return on public invest-ment while improving public safety.

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References Colorado State Forest Service [CSFS]. 2013. 2012 Report on the health of Colorado’s forests.

Available online at http://csfs.colostate.edu/pdfs/137233-ForestReport-12-www.pdf; last accessed 13 March 2013.

Lewis, K.J. and I.D. Hartley. 2006. Rate of deterioration, degrade, and fall of trees killed by mountain pine beetle. BC Journal of Ecosystems and Management 7(2): 11-19.

Lynch, D. and K. Mackes. 2001. Wood use in Colorado at the turn of the twenty-first century. Rocky Mountain Research Station. RMRS-RP-32. Ft. Collins, CO: USDA Forest Service. 23 p.

Mackes, K.H., M. Eckhoff, B. Davis, B. McCarthy, C. Hamma, D. Lynch, and T. Reader. 2010. The impacts of mountain pine beetles on forests in Grand County, Colorado. Fort Collins, CO: Colorado State University.

Prins, C. 2011. Forest products literature review. White Rive Conservation District. Completed September 30.

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Appendix A: Cut Stock Yield Project Objective Determine the volume of clear 1x2s that can be cut from boards of various width Measuring procedure 1. Measure width and thickness at both ends and at center of board along its length

Measure width to the tenth-inch (0.1)” using engineer’s scale Measure thickness to 1000-inch (0.001”) using hand-held calipers Record measurements on data sheets provided

2. Calculate width deduction

There is a 2” width deduction for boards that contain the pith Record length (inches) that pith extends along board

Ignore end checks that do not extend further than 3 “ More severe checks (cracks) and wane will be assigned a 2” width reduction

Measure the length of checks (cracks) or wane with a tape measure Sum the length of severe checks (cracks) and record in the comment column (for

example, a crack that is 26” long should be recorded as: WD = 26.0”, if the crack extends the full length of the board WD = 102”)

The full width of boards with rot will be deducted for the length of the rot. 3. Calculate the length deduction

Assume the beginning length is 8 feet 6 inches (102”) Assume blue stain is acceptable (do not deduct for blue stain) Locate/mark knots contained in board Determine deduction as follows:

Knots less than 0.5”diameter – 1” deduction Knots 0.5” to 1” diameter – Measure knot and any associated grain distortion,

add 0.5” and round up to next 0.5” (for example, a 0.75” knot would result in a 1.5” deduction, 0.75” + 0.5” = 1.25” which is rounded up to 1.50”)

Knots > 1” diameter – Measure knot and any associated grain distortion), add 0.5” and round up to next inch 0.5” (for example, a 2” knot would result in a 2.5” deduction)

For knot clusters, measure width of cluster using engineer’s scale, round up to next inch + 0.5”

If knot exceeds 2” diameter, double length deduction for knots between 2” and 4” diameter, and triple for knots that are 4” to 6” and so on.

Sum deductions for each board and record on data sheet

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APPENDIX B:

Letter from Western Governors’ Association to Agriculture Secretary Vilsack on Forest Health and Management

April 16, 2013 The Honorable Thomas J. Vilsack Secretary United States Department of Agriculture Jamie L. Whitten Building 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, DC 20010 Dear Secretary Vilsack,

We have been concerned for some time that federal forest lands throughout the West are experiencing serious environmental stresses that affect the health and vitality of these ecosystems. They are overgrown; they exhibit all the symptoms of an unhealthy ecosystem; and they demand urgent attention. Now is the time for the U.S. Forest Service to accelerate its efforts to promote sound forest management policies that maintain ecological balance.

As you know, millions of acres in states throughout the West have fallen victim to bark beetles and other insect and disease plights. These epidemics, an overgrowth of vegetation, and the persistent drought have increased the number and complexity of wildfires, leading to exponentially higher suppression costs. The workload and costs to restore these forests and reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfires is staggering and necessitates an immediate commitment of financial and other resources. Western Governors have passed numerous policies acknowledging the extent and severity of our forest health crisis. We have met with you and your staff on many occasions and shared our concerns, yet we remain dissatisfied with the pace of response. It is our understanding that in 2010 only about 30 percent of the total U.S. Forest Service budget was allocated to manage our national forests. In the mid-1980s, that number was closer to 70 percent. Most of the agency’s budget is spent on fire suppression, administrative support, research, and other programs. The current approach to resource allocation results in fewer funds available to manage the more than 193 million acres of national forests for forest health and fuels reduction. To that end, we request a specific accounting of the areas in which these funds have been spent. We further request that the U.S. Forest Service work to put the private sector to work on vegetative management activities on National Forest lands throughout the West.

The Honorable Thomas J. Vilsack April 16, 2013 Page 2

We support the goals of the U.S. Forest Service's Restoration Strategy, which will increase restoration acres while utilizing the wood produced by these efforts. Achieving the goals of this strategy will require developing and implementing new, more efficient ways of doing business and forest products industries are an integral part of this effort. We request that the U.S. Forest Service provide state-by-state specifics on how many additional acres it plans to treat through the Restoration Strategy over the next five years, including how much biomass, board feet, and other forest health and restoration projects are envisioned. We would also like to work with you to convene a forest industry task group to identify ways that the timber industry can assist with forest management. Private sector forest professionals are a cost-effective tool that the U.S. Forest Service can utilize to handle this immense workload. They stand ready and willing to do so.

By improving forest management through the use of the private sector, we also help

support our declining forest industry and suffering rural economies. Our forest industries are already faced with low margins and limited markets; if we lose these industries, any restoration efforts will suffer a significant blow. As Governors, we support the type of proactive forest management that leads to healthy rural communities, improved forest conditions and increased utilization of wood products as outlined in the U.S. Forest Service Restoration Strategy. In addition, we are committed to successful implementation of the Western Regional Action Plan – National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy. We support efforts to fully utilize existing mechanisms and provide additional authorities to the U.S. Forest Service, including Stewardship End-Result Contracting, grants, agreements, local labor force, opportunities to increase biomass utilization, and Good Neighbor policies.

With continued uncertainty due to sequestration and the potential for further federal

budget cuts, we recognize the financial challenges involved in such an endeavor, but believe that engaging the forest products industry as a partner can help alleviate some of these challenges. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Gary R. Herbert John Hickenlooper Governor, State of Utah Governor, State of Colorado Chairman, WGA Vice Chairman, WGA

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