From the spruce beetle epidemic on Cedar Mountain, most of the trees are dead or dying, and the beginning of another outbreak can be seen on Mt. Dutton and within the Sanford area. Small populations of spruce beetle are always around, but when trees become too dense or are stressed from drought and old age, they are more likely to experience a large beetle outbreak. In addition to spruce-bark beetle, mountain pine beetle also appear to be on the rise in this area. Munson, as well as other biologists, recognize that by creating diversity in the landscape, and making different age classes, trees are less subject to beetle attacks.