Province On Watch For Mountain Pine Beetle

Province On Watch For Mountain Pine Beetle

Tuesday, September 26, 2006 at 16:12

 

 

A scientist with the provincial government says he worries truckers could potentially spread the dreaded mountain pine beetle into northern Saskatchewan.

 

Some alarming reports surfaced his week concerning the eastward movement of British Columbia’s mountain pine beetle.

 

The insect has already munched its way through 8.7 million hectares of B.C.’s lodgepole pine and is beginning to establish itself in Alberta.

 

Dr. Rory McIntosh with Saskatchewan Environment says the beetle has actually been in Saskatchewan since the early 1980’s, but has never gone beyond the Cypress Hills region.

 

McIntosh worries that could change because milder winters and reduced snowfall have boosted the density of the beetle in Alberta and southern Saskatchewan.

 

He’s also concerned that the huge increase in density of beetle infestations will increase the chance of a man-made spread, as logging trucks make their to and from the northern Saskatchewan forest.

 

McIntosh won’t say if he thinks a spread of the beetles to the boreal forest is likely.

 

However, he notes the pine beetle wouldn’t have any problem infesting scotch pine and jack pine trees.