Colorado Springs battles tussock moths

It’s a mountain paradise, but if you’ve been to North Cheyenne Canyon Park recently, there’s no doubt you’ve noticed that thousands of trees look dead or are in the process of dying.

Hikers say the changes to the forest are evident.

Caiile Nehme of Colorado Springs said, “A lot more (trees) down here look dead. On the hikes a lot of them are falling, dying. It’s not very pretty anymore.”

The reason? Insects like the tussock moth. Now the city has a plan to fight the pest.

It involves taking to the air.

The city will spray the park as well as much as western Colorado Springs, closing some trails temporarily.

As for protecting the public from the chemicals used, the city will divert North Cheyenne Creek during and after the spraying.

Hikers that we talked to don’t seem to mind.

Chong Byun of Colorado Springs said, “If the chemical itself is not harmful to people and it can get rid of the moth and get rid of the bugs to protect the pine trees here I think that would be fine.”

It’s all in effort to fight a pest that is destroying acres of forest.

Spraying is expected to begin in June.

Along with North Cheyenne Canyon Park, it will include Blodgett Peak Open Space.