The National Forest Service collecting native Engelmann spruce pine seeds on Coal Bank pass.
Beth Vance, a forester with the U.S. Forest Service, inspects Engelmann spruce cones harvested Monday for seed collection at Coal Bank Pass. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
Darren Palmer of Palmer Tree Services and Landscaping of Spokane, Washington, climbs an Engelmann spruce Monday on Coal Bank Pass to harvest cones for seed collection as a contractor for the U.S. Forest Service. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
Darren Palmer of Palmer Tree Services and Landscaping of Spokane, Washington, climbs an Engelmann spruce Monday on Coal Bank Pass to harvest cones for seed collection as a contractor for the U.S. Forest Service. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
From left, Darren Palmer, Loren Landrust and Lincoln Hammons head toward a stand of Engelmann spruce Monday on Coal Bank Pass to harvest cones for seed collection. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
Freshly harvested Engelmann spruce cones are cut in half Monday to examine the condition of seeds for collection at Coal Bank Pass. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
As Darren Palmer discusses harvesting, left, Beth Vance, a forester with the U.S. Forest Service, examines Engelmann spruce trees with binoculars. and Lincoln Hammons, right, looks on. Volunteer James Vance sorts cones in the truck for seed collection. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
Darren Palmer of Palmer Tree Services and Landscaping of Spokane, Washington, gets ready to climb Engelmann spruce trees Monday to harvest cones for seed collection. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
From left, Beth Vance, a forester with the U.S. Forest Service, Lincoln Hammons, James Vance and Darren Palmer bag harvested Engelmann spruce cones as part of a seed collection program. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
Darren Palmer of Palmer Tree Services and Landscaping of Spokane, Washington, studies a stand of Engelmann spruce trees to select one to climb Monday on Coal Bank Pass. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
Beth Vance, a forester with the U.S. Forest Service, inspects Engelmann spruce cones harvested for seed collection at Coal Bank Pass. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
From left, Beth Vance, a forester with the U.S. Forest Service, Lincoln Hammons, James Vance and Darren Palmer bag harvested Engelmann spruce cones as part of a seed collection program. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
Freshly harvested Engelmann spruce cones in a basket collected Monday on Coal Bank Pass as part of a U.S. Forest Service seed collection program. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
Lincoln Hammons climbs an Engelmann spruce tree on Coal Bank Pass to harvest cones for seed collection. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
Lincoln Hammons climbs an Engelmann spruce tree on Coal Bank Pass to harvest cones for seed collection. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
