Some Forest Animals Are Benefitting From Bark Beetle Epidemic

Plenty of studies have shown how bark beetle infestations have decimated evergreen trees throughout the Rocky Mountain region, but research scientists wanted to figure out how this tree die-off was affecting actual forest animals. Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the U.S. Forest Service found that some species suffered, while others benefited. Ungulates—animals like elk, moose and mule deer—actually did well in these environments, said Travis Duncan with Colorado Parks and Wildlife.“In fact, many animals did," Duncan said, explaining that the tree die-off opened up more light in the forest canopy for undergrowth to flourish. That meant grazing animals had more food to forage...MORE

Who knew? Just about everybody except the Forest Service and Congress, who would rather an "infestation" thin the forests than allow humans to harvest the timber.