Expanding Efforts To Battle Pine Bark Beetle

Last year the U.S Forest Service introduced a strategy to battle the expansion of the Pine Bark Beetle, an infestation that's destroyed timber in a number of areas across Wyoming.

U.S. Forest Service Chief, Tom Tidwell has requested funding in the proposed fiscal year 2013 federal budget to help fight the infestation.

"Our request will allow us to continue to dedicate about $100 million to the bark beetle  in the western states, which include, of course, Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, Idaho, Montana and Oregon and Washington."

Tidwell says forecasts anticipate an additional 600 thousand acres of forest infested each year. He says their focus will continue into the near future.