Panel data provided by Madison's Canadian Lumber Reporter.

If Only Beetles Could Read!

By 250 News

The sign reads " Private Property, No Trespassing"

Just a week or so ago, what is now a sign post, used to be a full tree.  The number of red boughs on the ground is  vidence of the damage the mountain pine beetle did to this stand of trees, .

According to the Regional DIstrict of Fraser Fort George, August is supposed to be a time of relative rest for  those  who are trying to clean up the damaged landscape.  

The Beetle "calendar of events" posted on the Regional District's web site  suggests this month as a time to identify  new trees that are turning red,  watch for pitch tubes and "frass" (fine wood dust at the base of the tree).  

In September, mark the trees to be removed and notify the Regional District and Ministry of Forests of your plans,  October through to end of March, fell trees, peel or burn.

There are at least three experiments underway this summer involving the beetles and the trees.  One  involves a soap spray for trees already infected,  another  is  phermone  sent bag stapling  project (it's supposed to give off a scent that convices  the beetles the tree is already dead) and there is a burn experiment .  While it's too early to gauge any results,, one thing is certain, the Prince George landscape is changing.

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