Mountain pine beetles may be small, but the potential danger to Colorado forests is massive.

Jefferson County announced a new pilot program on March 16 to help combat green pine trees infested with pine beetles before the beetles can spread or the removal of infested trees altogether, according to a news release from Commissioner Lesley Dahlkemper.

“At a recent Conifer Chamber breakfast, the scale of the crisis became clear: when asked who was dealing with mountain pine beetles on their land, nearly every hand in the room went up,” she said. “This tiny insect is creating a giant problem for our community’s safety and natural beauty.”

An extensive beetle outbreak can lead to millions of trees killed each year, according to research by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. From the late 1990s through 2013, the beetles affected 3.4 million acres of forests in Colorado.

The 2026 Mountain Pine Beetle Landowner Assistance Program includes $500,000 in dedicated funding that can be awarded to cover 50% of the cost of mitigation efforts, with priority going to properties smaller than 40 acres.

The property must only be in Jefferson County and applicants must provide a written quote from a contractor.

More information and applications can be found at Jeffco.us.

Dahlkemper also represents the county on the Ponderosa Mountain Pine Beetle Task Force, a multi-agency group created by Gov. Jared Polis in December through executive action to help fight against the beetle outbreak along the Front Range.

“As the latest outbreak of pine beetles begins to take shape along the densely populated Front Range, we are taking an aggressive approach to boost tools and partnerships to help protect our communities, forests, and key water sources, and equipping homeowners with the resources they need to better protect their homes,” Polis said during the announcement of the task force.