By Ruskin Landreth and Rebecca Bigler – Oak 7

 

An AmeriCorps NCCC team, Oak 7, has just finished up their second project in the 2012 service year with the forestry department of Custer State Park in South Dakota. Continuing the work of previous mountain pine beetle remediation efforts, Oak 7 piles brush along scenic corridors and rolls beetle infested logs. This work helped kill a large quantity of beetles and slowed the progression of the epidemic among the pine trees of the park. During their time in Custer, Oak 7 also held a community day to help raise awareness of the effects of the mountain pine beetle. The mountain pine beetle, endemic to the area, attacked intensely in 1996 but only was challenged by park workers in 2005 when it reached epidemic proportions. 

 

The battle with mountain pine beetle in Custer State Park will continue to rage after Oak 7 has left this park in the Black Hills. However, the hope is that their work has slowed this devastating outbreak and will allow many future generations to enjoy the beautiful, fragrant pine trees that cover spread along the 71,000 acres of Custer State Park.