Fighting Mountain Pine Beetles

Last week, Governor Dennis Daugaard announced that more than 240,000 acres have been surveyed for Mountain Pine Beetle infestations since the Black Hills Forest Initiative began two years ago.  As a result of the surveys, crews have "cut and chunked" or otherwise treated 335,000 trees on private and state land.  Almost 1,900 landowners have participated in the initiative's cost-share program.  The South Dakota Departments of Agriculture and Game, Fish and Parks have contracted with several Black Hills area conservation districts to hire an average of 50 seasonal employees to keep ahead of cutting operations.  Forest management consultant and former Black Hills National Forest Public Information Officer Frank Carroll joined Dakota Midday to explain the process.