An updated inventory of spruce beetle-damaged forest in the Prince George and Mackenzie districts shows an increase in the number of hectares that have been affected compared to this time last year, according to preliminary results of aerial surveys over the summer.

The total estimated spruce beetle attack in these areas is about 210,000 hectares, most of which (137,000 hectares) is in the Prince George district. In October 2015, the annual overview survey detected 156,000 hectares of spruce beetle-infested forest in the entire Omineca Region. The latest figures are based on preliminary data from the 2016 overview survey. Final results will be available later this fall.

The updated information was released in advance of a two-day spruce beetle summit scheduled in Prince George on Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 19 and 20, 2016.  This summit is expected to draw 100 academics, researchers, stakeholders and government staff to discuss best practices and the latest research on spruce beetle management. 

In summer 2016, the ministry committed $480 000 for spruce beetle detection, in addition to the $1 million previously announced for spruce beetle detection and research in 2016-17.

Ongoing and aggressive control actions include a focus on logging spruce beetle-infested trees on the timber-harvesting land base and using “trap” trees in areas outside the timber-harvesting land base, such as wildlife habitat areas, or areas that are uneconomic to harvest. Some licensees are actively harvesting infested trees in an effort to slow the beetle’s spread.

B.C.’s chief forester is also monitoring the situation to help ensure a balance between maintaining the mid-term timber supply, the requirements of other resource values, such as wildlife habitat and protected areas.

The spruce beetle is native to British Columbia. Recorded outbreaks have occurred periodically since the 1940s, each one typically lasting six to eight years. Recent weather patterns, including warm springs, dry summers, warm winters and windstorms (resulting in more tree blowdowns), have contributed to spruce beetle population increases in the Omineca region.

While the current spruce beetle outbreak is a concern, the potential for damage is not on the same scale as the mountain pine beetle outbreak that had a major effect on timber supply in B.C.’s Interior.

The Omineca region contains 9,018,763 hectares of forest, with 4,728,782 hectares available for logging. Spruce represents about 22% of the average annual timber harvest in B.C.’s Interior over the past five years.

Learn More:

Factsheet, Spruce beetles in British Columbia: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/SpruceBeetles_factsheet.pdf

Spruce beetle webpage: www.gov.bc.ca/ominecasprucebeetle