Spruce Bark Beetle Forest Management and Wildfire Mitigation Project
Spruce bark beetle impacts have created significant forest health and wildfire concerns across the Kenai Peninsula Borough. At a former refinery site, more than 70% of the trees were affected by beetle kill, and approximately 30% of those were beginning to rot. The accumulation of dead and deteriorating trees increased wildfire risk to the property and nearby industrial facilities. Trihydro supported a confidential client in developing and implementing a practical forest management response.
In 2023, Trihydro supported the client in obtaining required permits from the State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry for a partial-cut salvage harvest of spruce bark beetle-infested trees. The approach focused on removing affected trees while they retained usable timber value and reducing accumulated fuel that could contribute to future wildfire risk.
Trihydro provided safety monitoring and logging oversight during harvesting activities across approximately 180 acres. The logging work helped establish a larger fire-prevention barrier around the property and neighboring Chevron, oil and gas, and industrial facilities. Active forest management also supported broader forest health and wildfire mitigation objectives identified for the Kenai Peninsula Borough, including selective thinning, timber harvest, fuel reduction, wildfire prevention, forest health improvement, reforestation support, and wildlife benefits.
The project demonstrates how forest pest management, timber harvest, regulatory permitting, and wildfire mitigation can be integrated into a practical response to large-scale tree mortality. By supporting timely removal of affected trees, Trihydro helped the client address an immediate wildfire hazard while retaining the potential economic value of usable timber. The proactive approach also reduced the potential for unauthorized timber removal from the property.
