Colorado's Ponderosa Mountain Pine Beetle Task Force: What It Is, Who's Behind It, and What It Means for the Front Range

In December 2025, Governor Jared Polis signed an executive order that made something official: Colorado's pine beetle crisis has reached a level that demands a coordinated, statewide response. The Ponderosa Mountain Pine Beetle Task Force brings together more than 30 leaders from state agencies, county governments, federal land managers, utilities, conservation organizations, and the timber industry to confront the expanding mountain pine beetle outbreak along the Front Range.

The task force held its first meetings in late February 2026. It is the most significant government mobilization against bark beetles since the lodgepole pine epidemic of the 2000s — and the stakes may be even higher this time.

Here is what you need to know.

Why Was the Task Force Created?

The numbers tell the story. In 2020, aerial surveys documented mountain pine beetle-caused tree mortality on roughly 300 acres along the Front Range. By 2024, that number had climbed to 5,600 acres. And by late 2025, forest health experts were watching the outbreak expand even further into the ponderosa pine forests that blanket the foothills from Larimer County to El Paso County.

Governor Polis did not mince words when describing the threat: “Most or nearly all mature Ponderosa pines will be killed by pine beetles in the western front range over the next several years.”

What makes this outbreak different from the massive lodgepole pine epidemic of the 2000s and 2010s is geography. That earlier outbreak, which devastated 3.4 million acres of Colorado forest, played out primarily at higher elevations in the mountains — far from where most Coloradans live. This time, the beetles are in ponderosa pine, which grows at lower elevations, directly adjacent to Front Range cities and towns. These are the forests you see from your backyard in communities from Boulder to Castle Rock.

Colorado State Forester Matt McCombs has described these overgrown, drought-stressed ponderosa forests as “a ready-made buffet for the mountain pine beetle.”

On December 15, 2025, Governor Polis signed Executive Order B 2025 001, officially creating the Ponderosa Mountain Pine Beetle Task Force and charging it with protecting Front Range communities and forests over the next decade.

Who Is on the Task Force?

The task force is co-chaired by three of the state's top officials on natural resources and wildfire:

Dan Gibbs, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources
Matt McCombs, Colorado State Forester
Mike Morgan, Director of the Division of Fire Prevention and Control

Beyond the co-chairs, the appointees announced in February 2026 reflect the breadth of the challenge. This is not just a forestry issue — it touches wildfire, water supply, energy infrastructure, insurance, economic development, and community planning.

Key Appointees Include:

Commissioner Lesley Dahlkemper (Jefferson County) — also serves on the Colorado Fire Commission
Commissioner Jody Shadduck-McNally (Larimer County)
Commissioner Dan Williams (Teller County)
Douglas Vilsack — State Director of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management
Madelene McDonald — Denver Water watershed scientist and Colorado Forest Health Council member
James Brad White — Fire Chief, Grand Fire Protection District

Organizations Represented:

Xcel Energy
The Nature Conservancy Colorado
Colorado Timber Industry Association
Gates Family Foundation
National Forest Foundation
USDA Forest Service
U.S. Bureau of Land Management

The task force also includes more than 40 ex-officio members representing federal delegation offices, tribal governments, and additional state agencies. In total, it is a 20-organization body touching local government, utilities, recreation, insurance, housing, conservation, timber, and federal land management.

What Is the Task Force Working On?

The executive order lays out a broad mandate. Here are the core focus areas:

Fuel Mitigation and Wildfire Response

Dead pine trees are dry fuel. Whether they are standing snags or downed timber, beetle-killed trees change the fire equation in Front Range forests. The task force is charged with coordinating fuel mitigation across state, federal, and private land — particularly critical given that the 2026 fire season is shaping up to be well above average in risk due to severe drought and record-low snowpack.

Watershed and Infrastructure Protection

Denver Water and other Front Range utilities draw from watersheds in the affected zone. Dead trees on steep slopes increase erosion and sedimentation risk. The task force is looking at how to protect water supply infrastructure and power lines (Xcel Energy's presence on the task force is no accident).

Public Education

One of the most important — and most achievable — goals is getting accurate information to homeowners. Many people along the Front Range still do not know the outbreak is happening, let alone what they can do about it. Expect to see expanded outreach from the Colorado State Forest Service and county-level programs in the months ahead.

Reforestation and Forest Health

This is the long game. Even if the outbreak runs its course, Colorado will need a plan for replanting and restoring ponderosa pine forests. The task force is exploring reforestation strategies and promoting forest management practices — like thinning overly dense stands — that make forests more resilient.

Timber Market Development

Beetle-killed wood is not worthless. Blue-stained beetle-kill pine has become a niche product for flooring, paneling, and furniture. The task force is exploring expanded tax incentives and market development to create economic value from removed trees and encourage timely salvage.

Insurance

As wildfire risk shifts, so does the insurance landscape. The task force includes an insurance component, and the Governor's budget request includes funding for a Division of Insurance study on the impact of wildfire mitigation on the home insurance market.

Funding

Perhaps the most critical question: where does the money come from? The task force is tasked with identifying new funding strategies to support the response at a scale that matches the problem.

The $4.2 Million Supplemental Funding Request

Governor Polis has requested $4.2 million in supplemental funding for the beetle response. The request covers:

Coordinated response across Front Range counties
Support for the Colorado Strategic Wildfire Action Plan
Additional resources for the Colorado State Forest Service
The Division of Insurance study mentioned above
Funding for the Palisade Insectary, which is researching biological pest control — specifically, raising and releasing predator insects that target mountain pine beetles

The Palisade Insectary research is particularly interesting. While chemical spraying and tree removal are the primary tools available today, biological control could offer a longer-term, lower-cost approach if the research proves successful.

The Governor has also proposed extending and boosting tax incentives for wildfire mitigation and beetle-kill timber, along with enhanced support for homeowners conducting fire mitigation on their properties.

Why Now? The Perfect Storm

The task force did not emerge from a vacuum. Three converging factors have made the situation urgent:

1. The Outbreak Is Accelerating

Mountain pine beetle-caused mortality has grown roughly 18-fold in four years along the Front Range, from 300 acres in 2020 to 5,600 acres in 2024. Federal forecasts project that vast swaths of ponderosa pine could die over the next five years, with projections showing near 100% fatality for mature ponderosa pines in affected areas.

One infested tree can produce enough beetles to attack up to 10 new trees. The math is unforgiving.

2. Drought Is Crippling Tree Defenses

Ponderosa pines defend themselves by producing pressurized resin that physically pushes beetles out of bore holes. But resin production depends on water. Right now, 56% of Colorado is in drought, and the 2025-2026 winter has been described as “a complete failure of winter across the West.” Statewide snowpack sits at just 64% of normal. Trees entering spring 2026 will be severely moisture-stressed before beetle flight season even begins.

Experts say trees would need at least two consecutive years of average or above-average precipitation to rebuild their defenses. Current forecasts do not suggest that is coming.

3. Warm Winters Are Letting Beetles Thrive

Mountain pine beetle larvae can survive temperatures as low as -31 degrees F thanks to biological antifreeze they produce. But to kill a significant percentage of a beetle population, temperatures need to stay at -30 degrees F or colder for at least five consecutive days. Colorado simply has not seen that kind of sustained cold in recent years. The absence of harsh winters means more beetles survive to attack more trees each summer.

Will It Work? An Honest Assessment

CPR News published an in-depth analysis on March 4, 2026 asking exactly this question. It is worth reading in full.

The honest answer is that no one expects the task force to stop the outbreak. As State Forester McCombs has acknowledged, “Our ability to stop the spread is very limited.” Mountain pine beetles are a native species. They have been part of Colorado's forests for thousands of years. When conditions favor them — and right now, conditions overwhelmingly favor them — outbreaks happen.

What the task force can do is make the response smarter, faster, and better funded. It can coordinate action across the patchwork of federal, state, county, and private land that makes up the Front Range.

It can direct resources to the communities and watersheds that need protection most. It can fund research into biological controls. It can help homeowners understand their options before it is too late for their trees. And it can plan for what the Front Range landscape will look like in five or ten years when the outbreak subsides.

There is genuine reason for cautious optimism. Colorado has been through this before. The state emerged from the 2000s lodgepole epidemic with hard-won knowledge about forest management, wildfire preparedness, and beetle ecology. The task force brings that institutional knowledge to bear, along with political will and dedicated funding.

The key variable is time. The task force was created in December 2025. Appointees were announced in February 2026. Meetings are just beginning. The beetles, meanwhile, do not wait for committee schedules. Every week of warm, dry weather strengthens their advantage.

What Can Homeowners Do Right Now?

While the task force works at the state level, there are steps Front Range homeowners can take today:

Water your pines deeply. This is the single most impactful thing you can do. Deep watering twice a month during drought conditions helps trees produce the resin they need to fight off beetles.
Inspect your trees. Look for pitch tubes (popcorn-shaped resin masses on the trunk), boring dust at the base, and unusual woodpecker activity. These are early signs of beetle attack.
Talk to a professional about preventive spraying. Insecticide treatments applied to the bark before beetle flight season (July through September) are over 95% effective at preventing attack. But they must be applied before beetles arrive — they cannot save an already-infested tree.
Remove infested trees promptly. If a tree is already infested, it cannot be saved. Removing it before the next generation of beetles emerges (typically by July) helps protect your remaining trees.
Contact the Colorado State Forest Service. CSFS provides free direct assistance to Coloradans dealing with forest health issues. Your local district forester can visit your property and help you develop a plan.

Looking Ahead

The Ponderosa Mountain Pine Beetle Task Force represents the most significant state-level response to a bark beetle outbreak since the lodgepole epidemic. It brings together the right people, the right organizations, and — if the $4.2 million supplemental request is approved — meaningful funding.

The 2025 Forest Health Report from the Colorado State Forest Service is expected to release in March 2026, and it will give us the clearest picture yet of how far the outbreak has spread. The task force's full meeting schedule is ramping up through spring 2026.

We will be tracking the task force's progress, the outbreak's trajectory, and the resources available to Front Range homeowners. The pine beetle situation is evolving rapidly, and staying informed is the first step toward protecting your property and your community.

Sources for this article include reporting from CPR News, the Colorado Sun, the Denver Post, KUNC, and official releases from the Colorado Governor's Office, Colorado Department of Natural Resources, and Colorado State Forest Service.