Gov. Announces Initiative To Beat Pine Beetles

HILL CITY, SD - Governor Dennis Daugaard announced a new pine beetle control program to prevent the insect from destroying the Black Hills Forest and its communities.

The initiative will battle the problem by raising awareness, engaging homeowners and businesses, and coordinating agencies and their resources.

More than 400,000 acres of the Black Hills National Forest, or more than one-third of the forest is infested. The U.S. Forest Service manages about 80 percent of the Black Hills while the rest is under the management of private property owners and the South Dakota state government.

Governor Daugaard says the initiative will cost an additional $1 million each year for the next three years to help control the spread of pine beetles.

For more information, visit the new Beat The Beetles website.