As the plague of mountain pine beetles continues to wreak havoc in Western forests, turning majestic pine stands into wildfire fodder, companies have used the dead trees for everything from iPhone accessories. But Rogue Resources Inc. of Steamboat Springs, Colo. is using the dead pines to help prevent the erosion and flash floods that often follow the state's raging wildfires.
As the plague of mountain pine beetles continues to wreak havoc in Western forests, turning majestic pine stands into wildfire fodder, companies have used the dead trees for everything from iPhone accessories. But Rogue Resources Inc. of Steamboat Springs, Colo. is using the dead pines to help prevent the erosion and flash floods that often follow the state's raging wildfires.
WoodStraw Erosion Control Mulch, made up of narrow wood strands of relatively uniform size, is created by shearing beetle-kill lodgepole pines through specialized machinery. The WoodStraw, which is free of weeds, chemicals and pesticides, can then be purchased in 50- or 600-pound bales and spread on the forest floor. The company says WoodStraw is resistant to high winds and may remain effective for up to four years.