Over the next 20 weeks, Paul Liedberg will periodically check three beetle traps in Dillingham, helping forestry officials monitor for invasive pests.
Some invasive bark beetles, if introduced in Alaska, could wreak havoc on trees and forests in the state. Several state and federal agencies are working hard to prevent that from happening.
To date, none have been detected, but forestry officials say the bark beetles could easily travel to Alaska in shipping dunnage from Asia or Europe.
In their efforts to continue monitoring for them, officials are coming to rely on a network of volunteers collecting samples across the state.
KDLG's Dave Bendinger reports on one such volunteer who's keeping an eye out for the beetles around Dillingham.
