SPOKANE, Wash. — Snow on the green at Downriver Golf Course in Spokane means you wouldn't find any putters out on Tuesday. Though there were plenty of cutters.
A crew from Spirit Pruners was on the course cleaning up downed trees. The mass removal project started last week, says Spokane Parks and Recreation Director Garrett Jones.
"We noticed some stress in these trees in the early fall," Jones said.
It's the last phase of removing trees infested with two types of pine beetles. One type lives in and damages the top of the tree, while the other infests the lower portion, Jones said.
"We had nearly 200 trees that needed to be removed at Downriver Golf Course," Jones said.
While 200 trees may sound like a lot for one golf course, Parks and Recreation says it accounts for about 5% of the total trees. The work being done now could pay off big in prevention come spring.
"They stay in the tree until the ground temperatures get about 50 degrees, so we wanted to make sure we got in there while the ground temperatures were still cool," Jones says of the beetles.
Right now, he explains, the beetles are dormant. Getting rid of the trees helps get rid of the pests.
The tiny beetles are a growing problem.
“What our experts have been telling us, this has been a risk that they’re seeing an increase in in this type of infestation to pine trees just in eastern Washington," Jones says.
There have been signs of the beetles at some of the city's parks, but Jones says for now there are no more removals in the works. Instead, they'll keep on eye on things.
Residents should also look out for the signs of an infestation.
"When you look at a pine tree and you start to see some of that stress or the needles start to brown on the crown, start to take a look at what might be causing it," Jones said.
He adds an expert can tell you what's really causing trees to die and what to do about it.
The infestation at Downriver was the largest concentration Parks and Recreation has found so far. Every dead and dying tree is a wind and fire hazard, so the work won't stop here if more are found.
"We're working with the fire department on a fire risk assessment, whether that is selective removal, making sure we have good buffer zones between our neighborhoods," Jones says.
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