Canadian Forest question

[malleefarmer]

A year since i was in your great country.

Been meaning to ask. And wife reminded me.

Went on a trail ride with wife for 3 hours a few miles out of Jasper got to a fair elevation but couldnt help but notice the trees dying seemingly 50% plus but the higher up pecentage fell it seemed but still affected. Cant really notice from the road not until your in it.

Didnt really notice it at dawsons creek when we got out and about.

Guys at trail ride centre said some kind of virus in the trees spread by beetles???

Reckons the beetles could have been eradicated but to much dilly dallying and nothing happened and to late now?

[woodland]

Mallee those are pine trees and the mountain pine beetle is killing them off. We just drove through jasper and Banff last week and it’s really gotten worse compared to a few years ago. Normally they only attacked old or compromised trees but warmer winters and older stands of trees because of fire suppression have allowed the beetles to destroy the forest. They swarm and attack trees by burrowing into the bark before moving on to the next victim. There was some controlled burns done early on to try and eradicate the beetle but they quit doing that and I’m not sure why.

Of course a forest full of dead trees compounds the issue of fires and what to do when (not if) they happen.

[15444]

Forest fires cure pretty much anything that is a problem. Problem is too many people are too stupid to realize this anymore. The BC fires are a good thing. Will rejuvenate forests for generations to come. I don't care about those of that are dumb enough to build houses and towns in the middle of the forest.

[GDR]

We went for a drive along the trunk road this week for fun. What I notice there is all the trees they have reseeded over the last 20 yrs on the cutblocks are all pine, assume because they are faster growing. It's a shame when most of the logging took spruce off. Not much for pine beetle damage where we were yet but think that is setting up another disaster for the future. There are parts of BC that are devastated.