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• Spruce Beetles attack trees in Southern Colorado Play Video

  February 28, 2013 10:37 PM

  The Spruce Beetle is a relatively recent and deadly addition to the Rocky Mountain region, especially for mature spruce trees. We've already seen the damage in Northern Colorado, and now many trees in the southern portion of our state are in danger of attack. We found out more... more »

• Girl Scout Raises Money to Donate Trees to Fire Victims

  January 28, 2013 3:29 PM

  A 14-year-old Girl Scout is raising money to help Waldo Canyon Fire victims. KC Cruz is fundraising to buy 400 Blue Spruce Trees from the U.S. Forest Service to give to families who lost their home in the fire. She is calling her idea, "Trees of Hope." Cruz said... more »

• Park clean up could curb crime

  November 1, 2012 8:03 PM

  Drivers in Pueblo now have a clear view of Mineral Palace Park as they travel along I-25. Workers from the Pueblo Parks and Recreation Department, the Colorado Department of Transportation and the Community Corrections Services cleared out all of the unsightly sucker tree growth from the fences that border park.... more »

• Flash flood fears for Hwy 24 Play Video

  July 5, 2012 8:21 PM

  In the aftermath of the Waldo Canyon fire officials are gearing up to prepare for potential flooding beneath burn zones, especially along Highway 24. Even years after the 2002 Hayman fire, charred lands still couldn't absorb rain; the result was a flash flood that wiped out miles of Highway... more »

• Lamar residents begin storm damage clean-up Play Video

  June 3, 2012 6:41 PM

  A lot of storm damage seems to be in Lamar, and it's not believed a tornado even touched down there. The National Weather Service says it was straight line winds that were strong enough to lift a canopy off a gas station and drop it onto the pumps. ... more »

• Downed tree clean-up continues

  May 23, 2012 2:15 PM

  Clean-up continues in the Sangre de Cristos on downed trees. Because of restrictions in wilderness areas, they're having to use handheld two-man saws in many areas, which requires each sawyer to be certified. We will have the latest today on News 5. -Lacey Steele Sent from my iPhone more »

• Forest Service works to clear trees from trails

  May 8, 2012 7:08 PM

  The U.S. Forest Service is working to clear downed trees from the wind storm that blasted Custer County last November. There are so many trees down, some trails in the area may have to be closed. Forest managers expect clean-up efforts may extend even beyond this summer. The public... more »

• Reforestation of the Hayman burn area Play Video

  April 12, 2012 7:31 PM

  One by one, across a thousand burned acres, new life takes root in the Pike National Forest. In the decade since the Hayman fire, the US Forest Service has planted nearly a million trees. Forester Chris Kuennen says it's slow work because there are only two to three weeks... more »

• Relief to timber sale purchasers

  August 4, 2011 8:37 AM

  The U.S. Forest Service says it will offer relief to timber sale purchasers. The Forest Service says Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell will offer an option Thursday to timber sale purchasers designed to provide financial relief to the forest products industry. Colorado Sen. Mark Udall has urged federal... more »

• Trees planted at Flight 93 crash site in Pa.

  July 31, 2011 7:54 AM

  SHANKSVILLE, Pa. (AP) - The first trees donated by organizers of the Sept. 11 memorial in New York have been planted at the Flight 93 site in southwestern Pennsylvania. The National Park Service calls the gift of 40 sweet gum trees a symbol of the ties between the memorials for... more »

• Sawmill sees growing demand for beetle kill pine

  July 18, 2011 11:49 AM

  According to the U.S. Forest Service, bark beetles have destroyed more than 3 million acres of trees in Colorado raising fire and safety hazards. However sawmill companies are finding new life for those dead trees. From a distance you can't see a difference but up close, the distinction is... more »

• Smithsonian app can I.D. your trees

  June 8, 2011 6:21 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - If you've ever wondered what type of tree was nearby but didn't have a guide book, finding the answer is now as easy as a snapshot. Scientists are introducing the first mobile app to identify plants by simply photographing a leaf. The iPhone and iPad... more »

• Colorado Springs gets greener

  April 29, 2011 4:51 PM

  Colorado Springs got a little greener today. Arbor Day meant that twenty-five trees found a new home in Colorado Springs. "Planting trees is great for the environment," says Tana Jones of Weston Solutions, who helped with the event. "It's a great sustainability initiative for our city, and I... more »

• Arbor Day means trees

  April 29, 2011 12:59 PM

  NeighborWorks of Pueblo will give away trees this afternoon as part of Arbor Day. NeighborWorks is a non-profit organization dedicated to neighborhood revitalization. From 1 to 3 p.m. NeighborWorks at 1241 E. Routt Ave. will give away Blue Spruce and Red Cedar trees. One hundred twenty five trees will... more »

• Yellowing Pine Needles Normal in Autumn

  October 15, 2010 2:02 PM

  We're used to seeing golden aspen leaves in autumn, but yellow or brown needles on pine trees in unnerving. Thoughts of pine beetle deforestation come to mind. But the Colorado State Forest Service Cañon City District office is telling us not to worry, that most of the evergreen trees... more »

• Timber mill seen as key to tackling beetle woes

  October 8, 2010 8:27 AM

  Colorado natural resource managers are joining forces to urge federal support to keep a financially struggling timber mill going so there's a place to take beetle-infested trees that are cut down. Trees are being logged in Colorado to blunt the effects of a bark-beetle outbreak that has killed more... more »

• Deadly storm rips through New York City

  September 17, 2010 8:38 AM

  The National Weather Service is dispatching investigators to New York City to determine whether a tornado touched down during a fierce storm that tore through the city and left one person dead. Thursday's storm toppled trees, ripped roofs off homes and knocked out power for thousands. It also... more »

• Winds push fire through 2 dozen Detroit homes

  September 8, 2010 9:16 AM

  Flames swept through at least two dozen Detroit homes, fanned by strong winds that toppled power lines across the city and knocked out service to at least 113,000 Michigan homes and businesses. Tuesday night's fires were scattered through at least three neighborhoods, including along several blocks on the east... more »

• Forest Service maps out plan of attack on beetles

  September 8, 2010 9:05 AM

  The U.S. Forest Service will cut more than 14,000 acres of trees near communities and in more than 350 recreation sites as it deals with damage from an insect epidemic that has killed millions of acres of pines in Colorado and Wyoming. The agency has mapped out the projects... more »

• Beetle mitigation projects under way in Colorado

  August 6, 2010 8:23 AM

  Gov. Bill Ritter says the U.S. Forest Service is undertaking projects in the Routt, White River, and Arapaho and Roosevelt national forests to mitigate dangers from trees killed by pine beetles, but help from the private sector is still needed. Ritter and Colorado's senators spoke with Agriculture Secretary Tom... more »

• Storm cleanup underway in Kansas City

  July 12, 2010 4:39 PM

  Thousands of Kansas City residents started their day without power, after a powerful storm slammed the southside of the city Sunday. Homes were damaged by falling trees or limbs, which also blocked roads. The same area was hit by a devastating tornado in 1957, that killed 37 people.... more »

• Twig beetles latest to attack Colorado forests

  July 7, 2010 9:05 AM

  As if the beetles that have killed millions of pine trees in the region weren't enough, there's a new bug looking to eat what the others haven't. Colorado forest officials say the latest troublesome bug is the twig beetle, which is attacking smaller trees the pine beetle has overlooked.... more »

• Big improvements planned for Lake Ave. in Pueblo

  June 28, 2010 8:05 PM

  Those who live around Lake Ave. in Pueblo will tell you old buildings and few improvements over the years have given it a bad reputation, but now big plans are underway to attract more businesses and outdoor enthusiasts. Before I-25 was built, Lake Ave. was alive with business. "With restaurants... more »

• Stamp out Japanese beetles in your yard

  June 16, 2010 10:32 AM

  Japanese beetles already infest 35 states in the eastern US. The Colorado Department of Agriculture is trying to make sure your trees, shrubs and lawn aren't munched by the invader. Ag Dept. spokeswoman Christi Lightcap offers these tips to keep the Japanese beetle out of your yard: What... more »

• Pitkin County warns of fallen trees, rock slides

  June 14, 2010 8:13 AM

  Pitkin County officials are warning rafters, kayakers and drivers about fallen trees and rock slides after rainy weather. Officials said Sunday a tree fell across the full width of the Roaring Fork River, making it hazard to river runners. It was removed later in the day. Two Rivers Road... more »

• Beetle-killed trees to be cleared in Colorado

  June 10, 2010 8:33 AM

  Gov. Bill Ritter has signed a bill expanding the state's energy portfolio to include biomass. The law signed Wednesday encourages the use of woody biomass, which comes from the byproduct of timber killed by the bark beetle. Rep. Christine Scanlan, a Democrat from Silverthorne, says the new law... more »

• Wind wreaks havoc, causes damage

  May 24, 2010 11:32 PM

  Hurricane-force wind gusts take their toll on trees, buildings, and people's patience. A barn roof on Sagecreek Road in El Paso County is ripped off the structure. Then it hits the nearby garage, and breaks a window. "The pets are safe, the house is fine every body's fine.... more »

• Wind proves troublesome

  May 22, 2010 11:32 PM

  The heavy winds Saturday fanned grass fires, knocked off tree limbs severely damaged a large steel building in Colorado Springs. Several trains were stopped on the tracks through downtown after an entire wall of a steel heating and air conditioning building was blown outward onto the track. The... more »

• Hazards from beetle-killed trees close Colorado campground

  May 13, 2010 12:01 PM

  A campground northwest of Fort Collins is the first of the season to be shut because of hazards from beetle-killed trees, and more closures are expected to follow. The Dowdy Lake campground near Red Feather Lakes was closed last week. Campgrounds have been closed because of dead trees toppling... more »

• Close to the Springs, but far from similar

  April 24, 2010 9:26 PM

  Nice weather for Colorado Springs doesn't always mean the same for the region. "My people are telling me its just we down there and I can't believe it because we have a major snowstorm going on up here." says Joe Wuertz, an El Paso County plow driver Wuertz is... more »

• Carolinas hit by powerful storms

  April 9, 2010 3:27 PM

  Powerful thunderstorms moved through North and South Carolina Thursday, damaging homes and ripping apart trees. The National Weather Service is assessing the damage to determine if it was caused by tornadoes or just high wind. more »

• Balmy spring shortens maple syrup season for some

  March 25, 2010 8:38 AM

  Spring has sprung in northern New England - and that's bad news for maple syrup makers, who say warm weather is stunting sugaring season in some places. Warm weather through much of March has meant a short sap season in parts of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, where maple... more »

• Officials: Pine beetle infestation has peaked

  January 16, 2010 1:40 PM

  The pine beetle infestation that has ravaged more than 2.5 million acres of forest in Colorado and Wyoming may be coming to an end. State and forest officials say the tiny beetle that burrows beneath the bark of pine trees and leaves them turning a sickly red as they die,... more »

• Forest Service to clear trees killed by beetles

  January 2, 2010 12:46 PM

  The U.S. Forest Service has approved a plan to clear some 4,000 acres in Summit County of trees killed by pine beetles. The project in the White River National Forest aims to redice fire risk by clearing dead and dying trees. Peech Keller of the Dillon Ranger District says clearing... more »

• Bio-fuel growth raises concerns about forests

  November 23, 2009 7:29 AM

  The quest for alternative energy is raising fears that too much logging debris such as limbs and bark will be removed from the nation's forests. Such material is increasingly in demand for bio-energy projects. A number of ventures in the Upper Midwest would use forest biomass. They include a... more »

• Beetle-killed trees cut in Colorado

  October 30, 2009 1:03 PM

  White River National Forest officials say they've had to remove more beetle-killed trees from the east side of the forest than the west. Jan Burke, forest health coordinator for the White River, says a half-dozen campgrounds near Dillon Reservoir in the east part have been clear-cut to remove the trees... more »

• Scientists race to prevent ash tree's extinction

  October 8, 2009 8:38 AM

  Scientists are racing to save tens of millions of seeds from the native ash tree before an invasive beetle pushes the species to extinction. Ash trees decorate urban landscapes across North America and provide $25 billion worth of timber, yet the emerald ash borer is slowly devastating the species. It... more »