In Sidney Valley, where the spruce bark beetle epidemic is most present, most of the mature spruce are dead. Because spruce have a slow rate of decay, some of the trees have been commercially harvested, providing wood products for lumber and log homes. Monies generated from commercial sales are used to buy seedlings to plant a new conifer forest. It is important to remember, that beetles, like fire, play a natural role in forest renewal: as trees die, beetle populations decline, and new forests are born. Although these dead trees may be temporarily unsightly, witnessing this once every 300 year event, helps managers understand ecological processes first-hand. In less than 10 years, this area will be a young spruce/fir forest once again!