Forester Says Tall Trees in Black Hills in Danger

CUSTER, S.D. (AP) — A private forester from Deadwood says what might be the tallest two Ponderosa pine trees in the Black Hills are in danger because they're surrounded by trees that are heavily infested with mountain pine beetles.

One of them, in Custer State Park, is almost 160 feet tall and is the tallest known Ponderosa in the Black Hills. Andrew Smith says a 96-foot-tall tree near Deerfield Reservoir could be the second-tallest. He tells the Rapid City Journal (http://bit.ly/1936kdZ) the trees should be sprayed every year to protect them.

Custer State Park Superintendent Matt Snyder says the park tree somehow was missed during spraying last year, but it won't happen again. He says officials are committed to spraying it every year.

Forest Service officials haven't said whether they'll spray the other tree.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.