Pine beetle infestation spreading

The flight of the pine beetle from British Columbia over the season was one of the most severe Alberta has seen, even compared to the 2006 inflight, Sustainable Resources Development Minister Ted Morton revealed in the legislature Wednesday.

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Canada- Pine beetle infestation spreading
The province has had to adjust its efforts to control the growing mountain pine beetle infestation and is looking to the federal government for financial help in the fight.

The flight of the pine beetle from British Columbia over the season was one of the most severe Alberta has seen, even compared to the 2006 inflight, Sustainable Resources Development Minister Ted Morton revealed in the legislature Wednesday.

The beetles have pushed the leading edge of the infestation farther east between Hinton and Slave Lake.

"Accordingly, we've moved our control efforts to that leading edge to try to prevent it from spreading eastward into the rest of the boreal or southward into the Eastern Slopes," he said.

In the southern half of the province, cold winter weather meant less winter survival than for beetles farther north.

"It didn't wipe the beetle out, but it helped stop the spread," said Spray Lake Sawmills Ltd. woodlands manager Gordon Lehn.

In the Bow River corridor and Kananaskis, there is still an expanding population; in the Crowsnest, the infestation is also still spreading, but at a declining rate, Lehn said.

"Relative to what's happening up north, it's a good news story here," he said, "but just because we have a little bit of breathing space that Mother Nature gave us last winter, let's not be complacent."

Lehn said he'd like to see the province keeping up with the same aggressive level it has had in the past few years.

This area still has a leading edge of infestation, he noted.

The aerial survey of affected areas was delayed by three weeks after officials discovered newly attacked trees were turning red in as little as a month, compared to the year it normally takes, as a result of drought conditions, said Sustainable Resources Development Ministry spokesman Duncan MacDonnell.

The delay gave officials a fuller, more complete picture of where the infestation had spread, he said.

As a result, however, the surveys were only completed about 10 days ago and now the staff is working to determine what the priority areas are and how much money is needed to continue the battle.

In past three years, the government has spent $200 million in the fight against the beetle--averaging $66 million per year--taking lump sums out of the sustainability fund at the beginning of the year, said MacDonnell.

In 2009, the province took a different approach, committing$10 million for the spring campaign with an eye of re-evaluating the situation in the fall and moving ahead from there.

"That's what's being done now. We have to determine priority areas and move from there," MacDonnell said. "We don't know what the remaining funding will be given to fighting the pine beetle this year."

In the legislature, Morton said the government is committed to healthy forests and the $9-billion forest industry.

"This year's flight does threaten that industry . . . but also affects the boreal, the Eastern Slopes, the watersheds and the habitat and recreation it provides."

He also said, however, they are working to get the federal government involved. " This isn't just an Alberta issue or a B.C. issue anymore," he said. "It's an issue of concern to all of Canada."

Lehn said he hopes the province continues to recognize the importance of the fight against the mountain pine beetle.

"The fear is (with) the rest of the budget programs the government is looking at, the beetle program gets sacrificed, but I hope that won't happen."

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Category: Forestry>Forest Health

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