Show C8 — The Herald Journal Logan Utah Sunday October 5 2003 Beetles fire help shape National Forests Bear Continued from Cl ! expedition: “He wasn’t even huffing and puffing" the lady noted ' "One guy said he didn’t' expect times to be very good because of the heat and that no one would probably come in before 3 o’clock" the gen- tleman in the cowboy hat added "And he came in before 2 so that was amaz- have killed more large trees in Utah than fire has In large portid of the Dixie Fish Lake and Manti-LaS- al national forests up to 80 perceiit of the spruce trees have been killed by beetles " Some argue that this massive loss of mature spruce is a natural condition said Darren McAvoy research associate with the Utah State Extension forestry program Others point out that heavy logging and burning associated with settlement followed by excessive livestock grazing and 100 years of fire suppression have created an unnatural forest condition For most people living today a forest fire has been a rare sight McAvoy said But this may not have always ing” Uncertain of when the next arrival might be I return to my vehicle and doze off Seemingly seconds later the runner-u- p runs up Sandy’s Karl Meltzer won the more- heralded Wastach 100 three weeks ago and he decided to take on The Bear for the first time just this week "Hal must have really been here early" Meltzer says "What time did he come meets with great areas of dead forest spines with naked arms and charred trunks attesting to the former presence of this great destroyer The younger forests are everywhere beset yvith fallen timber attesting to the rigor of die flames and in seasons of great drought the mountaineer sees the heavens filled with clouds of smoke” While aiming for conditions is not necessarily obtainable or desirable it’s equally important to understand that the! way forests are now is not the way they used to be McAvoy said Forests cannot and should not be managed in the same way they were that ifthe outbreak had been attacked with the same vigor applied to time could have pressingwik beenbrnit to mitigate some of die sup-massi- ve impacts McAvoy said Perhaps by occasionally thinning these stands and using fire in some locations conditions more favorable to tree regeneration would exist The resulting increase in age and size diversity may have led to a reduced risk of severe spruce beetle outbreak Spruce beetles prefer large diameter trees Continually creating conditions that promote the growth of small trees white also retaining many large trees results in a greater diversity of tree ages and sizes Diversity tends itself to stability making these stands more resistant to the kind of large-sca-le tree mortality witnessed on many Utah forests today : v ' fv through?" Upon hearing Koerner’s time of 19:31:11 he declares “Oh wow" and then thanks die radio couple for greeting him As he retires to the tailpickgate ojf his up Mteltzer laments the fact that getting lost twice likely cost him around 30 to 40 min- utes Considering his time of 20:20:11 he certainly has rea-- " son to be upset "We could have run together to the end probably” Meltzer says of Koenwr “It’s kind of a shell-cover- 1 naturally maintained prior to settle- menL Some scientists refer to today’s as an "ecospruce tree die-o-ff rotation" logical McAvoy said This idea is similar to a crop rotation where trees of a certain species and location are expected to mature to harvestable size in a determined number of years "What many scientists suspect is that similar massive spruce beetle-- : induced mortality events may have occurred 400 to 500 years ago thereby creating the evenly aged forest we commonly see today” he said "At that time however occasional fires that occurred naturally created openings in which younger trees grew providing a diversity of ages and sizes that is lack- ingin many Utah forests today" ' So could this spruce beetle invasion have been stopped? Although these is no clear answer some resource professionals believe By Dannla Hlnkamp USU Media Relations x ed v - GOTOLKALLWiGHT GO ROAM FREE fpmi'i GfoiJn n Zii cfi r::' shame” Around 50 miles in Meltzer says he came to a T in the r trail and that flags marking the course suggested it went left instead of right After backtrackings he ran ii into Barker who originally set up the course five years ago and got back on the right : : ' 1 " - i i ? z r&'- y- 'track?- 7 “I was discouraged for a ji I i ' while” Meltzer says of the costly mismarking which Barker later suggests may have been sabotage "I was kind of bummed knowing that Hal was gone But I decided to stick with it and try and keep the gap the same Then 1 : would have done the same in ’ : ' my eyes” Unlike Koerner Meltzer ran die race sans support crew and pacers so he’s particularly ' thrilled with his time "I’m psyched I ran really fast” he declares "This is just a ripping course The aspens are so beautiful It’s full-o- n A Disneyland out there” Barker who ran this year’s race in order to complete the “Rocky Mountain Slam” of Leadville Handrock Wastach and Bear 100 mile races in the same season arrives at a quarter to 4 to claim third He immediately takes over official timing duties although in order to clock in' racers will ' have to midge him awake in his sleeping bag near the “FINISH" sign After all running the ritee while running the race is not easy But in seven years of ultra' marathon running the Smithfteld resident has now completed a dozen 100-mi- le races — as many ' 262-mileas he finished in 1 8 years as a marathoner And in its five years The Big Bad Bear has grown from 17 to 20 to 29 to 44 to 55 racers 42 of whom completed this year's race in the allotted 35 hours or less And while Barker insists that a' hundred ' miles on dirt is easier on his 'body than 262 on asphalt no one’s about to question the reaction of Michael Biddalph of Idaho Falls who completed 100-milin his first-ev24:44:43 As the sun begins to show itself on the heavily forested hillside to the northwest Bid-dalplops down on the ground After noting that he ran the Boston Marathon this spring while suffering from a severe bout of die stomach flu he declares — albeit with a hint of a proud smile on his ' face — that “this is a different kind of tired” "I’ve been tired" he elaborates "But I’ve never been this tired" : ' THE BEST OF WIRELESS WITH NO ANNUAL CONTRACT unlimited night & weekend minutes nationwide long distance and roaming plus lots of anytime minutes all on all with 99 the AT&T Wireless National Network NO CREDIT CHECK OR SIGN-U- - - '’AV'' ” : ? 1 - - plan COSTS P ' :- rs I l c - : - - - ii’ ' i the ’1 ' " ' it ’ AIST Wireless go call: 1 888 MY mLIFE or fpr our best deals click: attwirelesscomgophone - er er COTTONWOOD MAU 4838 S Highland Dt UW0INS 7800 SO JORDAN 3758 W gurf4 HWHuunrucE LAYTON 690 S 936 No Mn St 801 801 1 HoMndDr 6444111 Suit A LOGAN 444 435 N 0G0CN MalliSl 6 NORTH OREM N StaM SI 884 801802-072- 5 ' 4025 RnwdlN Rd 801 SALT LAKE CITY 729 E 3300 Soudl 3 801 SALT 611 801 LAKE S CITy Mam SI 2 THEBATEWAY 180 So Rm Gnnda 80145841300 UNIVERSITY MAU St 575 E UnivaraAy Pitawy (Sut Ml 4286823 SANDY 10645 801 S SWa SL 2 ph Also Available Ac Participating Locations Of FredMeyer UUlMflTf 02001 ATOT Wirdoai AN Rhta Rnorvod Rsqulm ac Ovation on a qualiRod plan and a Non Conontion dovict Not available for punchna or mo In ill areas Uugv la rounded un to the next fuA minute Limited acceu to data aervice tutomitkiliy included Oita itrvlcea require edditlonal charja CradndabU card or bank account ruqulrad for automatic racunHy aaymanc Amounta dapotltad Into your account aro not crantforabla or rafondabla and axplrt akar 10 dayiYbur aanrica wiN ba auipandad onca your balance le depleted Sending mm maaiaMroainlnand lon dfitanca cherjea iurcKaraa utmamenta ether raitrktioni chargai and Mm apply AvailabiHty and liability of service are subject to trtnamiiilon Nmkationi Not mill bio with other effort Offora uvaRablo for a UnUMd timaYbu wIR ba bound by thu ATAT WiroluM Srwi Afraamant and raM plan matanals Night and Waokond Mlnutaai Ava RaMa on plana 12999 and abova for caRi placad from die ATAT WlreleH National Network Long dinance chargat may apply Night and Waakand airtima la horn 900 pm-5:- 59 am Monday-Hd- ay 1:59 am Natlonwlda Lang and Friday 00 Olatanco and Roaming: No wirafoil long diatanca or roaming chargai apply to domaatic caiil placad from dm ATAT Wlraira National Network Standard alrdma chargaa apply ARRIVE SAFILY ' I |