New Technology Improves Forest Health, Reduces Wildfires at KRDO

TELLER COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – Removing dead or dying trees from high altitudes can be a time-consuming and dangerous task, but new technology will make the process at the peak of the Peak North easier and safer.

Oregon has hired two state-of-the-art machines to remove more than 35 acres[30 ha]of trees from the North Cathmont Reservoir in Colorado Springs.

Miller Timber Services is using computer technology developed in Finland and used in Europe for more than a decade, but is still in the United States.

Miller uses a large truck mechanical arm to cut trees efficiently, safely and quickly, and to remove hands and branches in one movement. The machine works on slopes that are challenging for other harvesting tools.

The mechanical arm of the second truck picks up the trees and carries them to the sidewalk where they can easily travel.

The cutting machine can operate in more dense forests, allowing for greater access to forestry projects and reducing erosion due to its low impact on the ground.

It is a technology that is considered to be an improvement – a traditional process of dividing trees into small pieces left on the ground – as well as to keep them healthy and to keep forests healthy and to eliminate wildfires.

Most of the raw wood is used in the ue mill and converted into wood panels; Some are donated as fuel for a nonprofit group; And the remaining waste will eventually be burned under controlled conditions.

The northern slope project is expected to take about two weeks to complete.

Most of the trees that were removed were Douglas pine, which was replaced by spruce shoots.

Taylor County is the second location in Colorado to use this technology, following a similar project in the Moncher Pass.