Vast swaths of the ponderosa pine forests that blanket Colorado’s Front Range mountains could turn rust-colored and die over the next five years as pine beetles begin to spread aggressively, new federal forecasts show.⁠ ⁠ Aerial surveys conducted by the U.S. Forest Service over the last year found evidence of rapidly spreading beetle infestations along the mountains and foothills that stretch from southern Larimer County to southern El Paso County, including the western flank of metro Denver.⁠ ⁠ Read more at the link in our bio.⁠ ⁠ 📝: Elise Schmelzer, The Denver Post⁠ 📷: Timothy Hurst, The Denver Post // tim_hurst_pix⁠ ⁠ #Colorado #environment #climatenews