UPDATE, JUNE 7: We have just received notice from staff forester, Dennis Will, that they intend to finish the aerial spray for the western spruce budworm by the end of the day tomorrow, Thursday, June 8. Thus, blocks four and five will be completed tomorrow.
The City of Colorado Springs will be spraying Blodgett Peak Open Space and North Cheyenne Cañon Park to control western spruce budworm between June 5th and 9th, depending on weather. The parks will be closed during active spraying operations.
Treatment Blocks
- PDF map of closure areas (including road closures)
- PDF map of treatment areas by polygon
- Treatment areas by block (All dates are tentative. Spray protocols must be within certain weather parameters and spray block sequences may change on very short notice.)
- Block One: The Zoo, BRC, Propagation Farm, The Shrine (scheduled spray date June 5)
- Block Two: North Cheyenne Canyon & Blodgett Peak Open Space (scheduled spray date June 6)
- Block Three: Seven Falls, Zip Line Polygons, North Cheyenne Canyon West Units, Seven Falls interior (scheduled spray date June 7)
- Block Four: Seven Falls Soaring Adventures (zip lines), Old Stage Road Corridor (then interior) (scheduled spray date June 8)
- Block Five: Cloud Camp and access road then interior, Broadmoor South Units (scheduled spray date June 8)
View exactly what areas have been sprayed
Spray protocols must be within certain weather parameters and spray block sequences may change on very short notice. Treatment is tentatively scheduled to start June 5. Once the treatment starts, this section will be updated every day to show you exactly what areas have been sprayed.
- Planned spray progression map
What is the budworm and why does the City have to spray?
The Pikes Peak Region is experiencing a chronic infestation of Western Spruce Budworm (WSBW). This is causing thousands of trees to become partially defoliated, or have the needles eaten down to the branch or twig. These trees are reddish to brown and “look dead”, although many may not be.
A recent survey of fir trees in the canyon indicated 78% are infested with Western Spruce Budworm. Given the many natural resources in this area, it is critically important to control the infestation in order to
- protect the live green canopy of the trees,
- reduce defoliation and death of the forest,
- protect water quality and quantity, and
- protect the area from long term fire hazards.
This information was taken from the City website at https://www.coloradosprings.gov/budworm