CUTTING DOWN A DISEASED SITKA SPRUCE

Spruce bark beetle has attacked and killed a significant number of Alaska's spruce. Our house in south Anchorage overlooks a sweeping view of Cook Inlet and its associated mixed forest. Scattered among the mix are numerous iconic coastal Sitka spruce that soar above all of the other trees. In the past few years we have seen a few of them turning rusty color as the advancing disease causes their needles to die. The diseased trees serve as a source of further infection as well as pose a risk to homes when growing next to them should they fall during the not infrequent high winds. Recently a team of highly skilled tree removal experts cut down several of the most infected trees. Watching them at work was impressive.

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