Heard on the local radio today...
The forest health specialist for Kootenay Lake MoF stated that the mountain pine beetle might reach the end of it's food source in the West Kootenays within the next year or two.
Lodgepole pine is the main species attacked by the beetle, and it forms about one quarter of the forest inventory in this area. Temperature conditions required to kill the beetle over the winter have not been reached (-30 degrees C or colder for 2 to 3 weeks). The West Kootenays are fortunate to have a diverse mixture of tree species (often called a 'Kootenay mix') because no single pest could wipe out the entire forest area. There are other areas of BC that have up to 90% pine forests.
Conditions this year are expected to be suitable for the pine beetle to infect the remainder of available pine in the West Kootenay area.
What does this mean?
The pine beetle will eventually move on in search of new, live pine forests in other areas. We'll be left with the challenge of dealing with the dead pine. Where it's mixed in with other live tree species, you might not notice a change. Areas that have closer to pure pine stands (and don't get harvested) will be a source of fuel for wildfire, or possibly create soil erosion and water quality issues, since the forest cover isn't there anymore to intercept and take up rainfall.
For one, it will be interesting to see what happens in the mountains above the city of Nelson. All the red areas you could see up there last year will be turning grey this summer, the final stage of tree mortality from beetle kill.
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