The Mountain Pine Beetle has come to Grande Prairie. I'd be surprised if you haven't heard about it but it's tough to imagine the impact it's really going to have on this area. For some good reading, Ken Chapman has been on top of the large scale impacts this pest is going to have on the province and our economy.
As for what you can do locally, for your trees... the city has some resources and can help you with inspecting trees and letting you know what to do.
City of Grande Prairie News Release
July 16, 2007
Prompt Action Is Crucial To Combating Mountain Pine Beetles
Local populations of adult Mountain Pine Beetles have emerged and are now looking for new pine trees to attack.
“Inspecting your pine trees weekly is vital to our success in saving as many trees as absolutely possible,” says Jim Donnelly, Integrated Pest Management Co-ordinator for the City of Grande Prairie. “Look for small 1/2” (13mm) sized pitch tubes on the trunk or fine reddish sawdust in bark crevices or on the ground around the base of the tree,” he advises.
“If the beetle attack is detected early and they are present in low numbers, then the beetles can usually be dug out and the tree saved.”
“If the tree is in your back yard, please give verbal permission for our inspector to enter your yard to inspect,” urges Jim.
“The quicker these beetles are detected the more trees we will be able to save. Help us help you!”
Landowners finding the beetles in their pine trees are asked to contact Jim immediately at 513-5226 and an inspector will come by to inspect the tree.
1 comment:
The growth and migration of the Mountain Pine Beetle is going to affect Canadians more than we realize. This little insect will change the face of the Western coast, the Prairies and eventually spread to the far-reaches of our Eastern coastline. For such a small creature, it certainly has long legs.
Fighting the Beetle does not seem to be an option. Now, communities in Alberta are learning lessons from the BC experience. Forest-dependent towns like Hinton, Alberta are taking steps to adapt to the Beetle. Since significant forest destruction appear to be inevitable, community leaders are fostering initiatives that will build up the economic, social, and structural foundations of their regions to ensure that they will live long and prosper after the Beetle has passed through.
Policy Channel (www.policychannel.com) had the good fortune of speaking with Hinton Mayor Glenn Taylor about the Grande Alberta Economic Region’s Mountain Pine Beetle strategy. Visit the site to view the interview, or follow this direct link: http://www.policychannel.com/environment.html
Ken Chapman has also blogged recently on this challenge. You can learn more about this and other Alberta-based issues on his blog: http://ken-chapman.blogspot.com
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