Keeping a close eye on the march of the mountain pine beetle

Whitecourt and Woodlands County are keeping an eye on the mountain pine beetle. Within Whitecourt, the Mountain Pine Beetle Program helps manage infestation locally by assessing for infected trees and performing various control activities. Residents play a big part by keeping watch on trees in their area or while they are out and about. Signs of mountain pine beetle activity include fine sawdust at the base of trees or visible within the bark cervices, grayish-blue wood, and more woodpecker activity than average. Any Whitecourt resident with questions about mountain pine beetle activity or if they spot an issue can contact the town office at 780-778-2273.

In Woodlands County, the approach is a bit different due to the general forest area within the municipality. During a recent Woodlands County Council meeting, elected officials voted to award a tender as part of their mountain pine beetle control efforts. They had previously sought proposals to complete beetle surveying and control work, both on private and municipally-owned land, and by the end of April, they had received three bids.

Dawn Fortin, Manager of Agriculture Services, explained that the bids ranged from $63,500 to $76,000. She said the bids were sent in as estimates of how many trees need control work. “I fully am confident that we can be within (the) budget amount of $59,080 based on conversations with Alberta Agricultural employees. Our mountain pine beetle tree hit is quite low this year. It’s down by about 80 percent, so I’m fully confident we will be able to go within the budget on this based on that recommendation by the provincial government.”

Councillor Jeremy Wilhelm asked if the contractors were told the cap is $59,080 and how that would work on the administration’s end. Fortin explained that the lowest bidder, Forevergreen Forestry, had worked with Woodlands County in the past and that “I know he can work within that budget.” She also explained that his bid was based on a certain number of trees. “It’s per tree. So, if he only does ten trees, he would only be paid for ten trees rather than, say, 100 trees. So, it’s all dependent on how many trees have to be controlled rather than the overall contract.”

Councillor Alan Deane focused on the eighty percent reduction in the number of trees infected by mountain pine beetles, which Fortin had said she heard from Alberta Agricultural employees. “Do you have an estimate of what we’re likely to spend then? We’ve got a maximum, but do you have an idea of what you think we’re going to spend?”

Fortin responded that she thought the cost would fall somewhere between $30,000 and $40,000, adding, “that is really an estimate on the high side.” Councillor Deane then asked if Forevergreen Forestry was local, to which Fortin said yes. “He’s from Valleyview.” Woodlands County Council voted unanimously to award the control to Forevergreen Forestry. The method of control and disposal that will be used is falling infected trees and peeling and chipping the material. The Request for Decision (RFD) stated that “obtaining a burning permit is not feasible.”

Mountain Pine Beetle is a menace throughout much of the province and stretches Canada-wide. The federal government keeps track of the beetle’s movement in several ways, including through a geographic information system (GIS) dubbed The March of the Mountain Pine Beetle. Last publicly updated in 2017, the map shows that the bug has made its way from Haida Gwaii in British Columbia straight across the country to Halifax. They have roamed up into the Yukon and Northwest Territories and halfway through Quebec. British Columbia has seen substantial damage, with upwards of fifteen percent of forests devastated. Since 1990, about 50 percent of the commercial lodgepole pine in BC has been affected.

In the last 75 years, Alberta has faced three mountain pine beetle outbreaks. From 1939 to 1944, the first outbreak happened in Banff National Park and covered approximately 4,000 ha. Control measures like cutting and burning wiped out 27,000 infested trees from that area. Prolonged frigid temperatures in the winter can kill off beetle larvae overwintering in the trees. The cold needs to dip to the -40 range and stay there for a bit to be most effective.  

For residents who lose a tree to the pesky pest, Tree Canada’s Alberta Mountain Pine Beetle Releaf Program might be able to help. Residents who lose trees due to mountain pine beetle infestation can apply for reimbursement of up to $80 towards replacing their lost tree. The program will fund up to $3,000 worth of seedlings or potted trees to replace landscaped or shelterbelt trees on acreages and up to $5,000 for seedlings or potted plants to replace those lost on municipal land. Visit www.treecanada.ca or call 1-877-390-TREE (8733) for more information.

If Whitecourt and Woodlands County residents have questions about mountain pine beetle or want to report signs of infestation, they are urged to reach out to their respective municipal offices.