CUSTER, S.D. (AP) - Black Hills National Forest crews will use another $1.5 million in federal funding to try to get out ahead of the mountain pine beetle.
Forest supervisor Craig Bobzien tells the Black Hills Pioneer (https://bit.ly/1hHn8vu ) the money will be used to thin the forest on the leading edge of the infestation.
The bugs have destroyed millions of trees.
A priority is to thin in a large horseshoe from Rapid City and Summerset to Nemo toward Deadwood and back to the state line.
Bobzien says the beetles are developing in that part of the forest, but crews will be able to work ahead of them and slow their spread.
The Black Hills National Forest spends about $10 million annually to fight the beetles.
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Information from: Black Hills Pioneer, https://www.bhpioneer.com
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