CREEDE, Colo., March 8, 2017 – Divide District Ranger Martha Williamson signed the decision notice to approve the North Pool Spruce Beetle Salvage Project. The project will salvage dead and dying spruce trees on approximately 1000 acres north of Hanson's Mill located 11 miles east of Creede.

An estimated six to nine million board feet of timber will be harvested from the North Pool area. Approximately, fourteen miles of public forest roads will be maintained during the project and up to nine miles of temporary roads will be re-opened or constructed.

 The temporary roads will be closed, stabilized and seeded with a native grass mix following the harvest.

 Spruce beetles have infested more than 600,000 acres of spruce-fir forest on the Rio Grande National Forest. The Forest salvages dead and dying spruce trees for human benefit in areas designated for timber management as long as the trees are useable for commercial purposes. Funds generated by the timber sales help cover the costs for replanting seedlings in harvested areas with inadequate regeneration to help provide a "jump-start" for the next forest.

For more information concerning the North Pool Spruce Beetle Salvage Project, visit the project webpage at http://www.fs.usda.gov/projects/riogrande/landmanagement/projects or call the Divide Ranger District office at 719-657-3321.