Ribbons on trees in the woods

[HomerJ]

There were a lot of beetle traps in the area so that is a good possibility..

The FS is doing something about these!!!! So awesome!!!

 

[Dan]

there's nothing "they" can do. there are lots of people studying them, and in some cases thinning the dead trees. but there is no way to stop the beetles, the blight is spread all over north america already.

very likely the result of climate change. seriously.

 

[Dave]

The pine beetle epidemic is as likely the fault of changing climate as it is interruption of the natural fire cycle by suppression of wild land fire. Most of those studying the problem say Utah is at the tail end of a seven-year infection cycle and new beetle kill is likely to slow in coming years. Of course, a period of prolonged drought could negate that by stressing the remaining healthy trees, making them susceptible to infestation.

 

[Nick]

I have answers! I called the Evanston Ranger District which oversees the Christmas Meadows and East Fork Bear River trails. Apparently there are some oil and gas companies who have leases way up near (or in?) the Wilderness area and they are surveying and marking a proposed route for them to go in and bury an oil pipeline that would run from some new proposed drill sites out to more civilized terrain. Next step is the forest service goes in and looks at their proposed pipeline route and they discuss. Not sure at what step the environmental impact studies and public input happens.

I was just thinking the Uintas would be much prettier with a bunch of oil wells and pipelines running through the north slope.

FWIW, I saw those flags running right up to the wilderness boundary.

 

[DOSS]

I have answers! I called the Evanston Ranger District which oversees the Christmas Meadows and East Fork Bear River trails. Apparently there are some oil and gas companies who have leases way up near (or in?) the Wilderness area and they are surveying and marking a proposed route for them to go in and bury an oil pipeline that would run from some new proposed drill sites out to more civilized terrain. Next step is the forest service goes in and looks at their proposed pipeline route and they discuss. Not sure at what step the environmental impact studies and public input happens.

I was just thinking the Uintas would be much prettier with a bunch of oil wells and pipelines running through the north slope.

FWIW, I saw those flags running right up to the wilderness boundary.

Uggg... that is even worse than horse poop...

 

[pixie1339]

Dammit! I was hoping you'd say it ain't so. The fact that those markers said road on them didn't sit right.

 

[Dan]

jesus christ, you can't be serious... there is no way they can go into wilderness, but even between the TH and the boundary is total horse shit. this infuriates me to no end.

 

[Dan]

nick, when you talked to them did you get the details on the EIS or any documents that explain what is happening. finding this stuff is a needle in a haystack. i checked the EIS's that were scheduled for that area already, and there was no mention, so my guess is it hasn't happened yet. but still, this is unacceptable on so many levels. makes me wonder what other areas are being "explored."

 

[Nick]

jesus christ, you can't be serious... there is no way they can go into wilderness, but even between the TH and the boundary is total horse shit. this infuriates me to no end.

yeah. I almost can't believe it. I was in a hurry, got the answer and hung up. Then I started typing it up and almost couldn't believe what I was writing. I'm kinda blown away... Perhaps this is just part of the new oil shale fracking trend. The uintas probably have their share of shale.

I didn't get any more information from them then I already posted. It was the Evanston Ranger District in Evanston that I talked to. Their number is 307-789-3194 if anyone wants to get more info.

 

[HomerJ]

I have answers! I called the Evanston Ranger District which oversees the Christmas Meadows and East Fork Bear River trails. Apparently there are some oil and gas companies who have leases way up near (or in?) the Wilderness area and they are surveying and marking a proposed route for them to go in and bury an oil pipeline that would run from some new proposed drill sites out to more civilized terrain. Next step is the forest service goes in and looks at their proposed pipeline route and they discuss. Not sure at what step the environmental impact studies and public input happens.

I was just thinking the Uintas would be much prettier with a bunch of oil wells and pipelines running through the north slope.

FWIW, I saw those flags running right up to the wilderness boundary.

This sucks, I'd rather have the beetles...

 

[Nick]

This sucks, I'd rather have the beetles...

And the horse crap, cows and sheep...

 

[kballing]

My father is a land surveyor and I worked for him for years. Definitely marking for some sort of survey. Usually when surveying in a forest or area where a stake in the ground isn't visible, you flag up the nearest tree so that you find the stake later. Typically blue is water line, green is sewer line, yellow is gas line, orange/pink are property lines. Now days, flagging ribbon is getting more eco friendly too and degrades after about a year or two at most.

Definitely not a trail marker. If you follow survey ribbons like a trail, you're liable to get very very lost.

Also tampering with survey markers can result in very large fines.