Photos of recent inventory work in SW Alberta, small Douglas-fir, lodge pole pine, and aspen stands.
Showing posts with label alberta. Show all posts
Showing posts with label alberta. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Forestry fines increase in Alberta
It looks like governments are starting to get more serious about decreasing the risk of forest fires and environmental damage caused by human activities. Alberta has increased fines for open fires, collecting firewood, and improper atv use.
I wonder if these fines will really have an effect, most people won't even know about it until they are actually fined for the offense. And I'm not sure why firewood collecting isn't allowed. In BC, you can get a free firewood collecting permit, drive into the forest, and take anything by the roadside that is dead or on the ground. At least that is what I see people doing every fall.
Starting May 1st, fines for starting an open fire within a kilometre of forested public land in the province will rise to $500 from $50.
Anyone caught taking firewood will face a fine of $250, up from $75.
And if you operate a quad or snowmobile outside of designated areas expect to pony up $250, instead of the current $75.
Full story here:
http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=c29f213c-f520-4fc4-a903-b370feebfbfb&k=44313
I wonder if these fines will really have an effect, most people won't even know about it until they are actually fined for the offense. And I'm not sure why firewood collecting isn't allowed. In BC, you can get a free firewood collecting permit, drive into the forest, and take anything by the roadside that is dead or on the ground. At least that is what I see people doing every fall.
Starting May 1st, fines for starting an open fire within a kilometre of forested public land in the province will rise to $500 from $50.
Anyone caught taking firewood will face a fine of $250, up from $75.
And if you operate a quad or snowmobile outside of designated areas expect to pony up $250, instead of the current $75.
Full story here:
http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=c29f213c-f520-4fc4-a903-b370feebfbfb&k=44313
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Mountain Pine Beetle news
News out today has forestry specialists commenting on mountain pine beetle activity in BC. I would say some of the information reported is commonly known by most in the forest industry, but I thought it was still worth noting.
Attacking earlier: The pine beetles used to start their flight in July and August to begin their attack on pine trees. Now with the warmer winters, they start their flight as early as May, and may have more than one flight per year. When the flight started later in the year, attacked trees used to hold their green foliage over winter and start to turn red the following summer. When the attack starts earlier in the year, the foliage turns red in the same year.
Attacking younger pine stands: It used to be that the pine beetle would only attack mature pine, which generally have larger diameter and are 80 to 100+ years old. Researchers have found that the beetle now attacks younger and smaller pine trees. This means that areas with younger pine stands that were once thought to be safe are actually vulnerable.
Past the point of no return in BC: Researchers said that the pine beetle is now very well established and has spread too far for there to be any way to stop them. The populations have built up and the only thing that will end the infestation is the lack of pine forests. Unless there is some unforeseen event that stops the beetle, they will continue to attack the majority of the remaining pine forests in BC.
Hope for Alberta: Researchers said that although the pine beetle has become active in Alberta, it is still possible to suppress them if enough resources are employed.
Attacking earlier: The pine beetles used to start their flight in July and August to begin their attack on pine trees. Now with the warmer winters, they start their flight as early as May, and may have more than one flight per year. When the flight started later in the year, attacked trees used to hold their green foliage over winter and start to turn red the following summer. When the attack starts earlier in the year, the foliage turns red in the same year.
Attacking younger pine stands: It used to be that the pine beetle would only attack mature pine, which generally have larger diameter and are 80 to 100+ years old. Researchers have found that the beetle now attacks younger and smaller pine trees. This means that areas with younger pine stands that were once thought to be safe are actually vulnerable.
Past the point of no return in BC: Researchers said that the pine beetle is now very well established and has spread too far for there to be any way to stop them. The populations have built up and the only thing that will end the infestation is the lack of pine forests. Unless there is some unforeseen event that stops the beetle, they will continue to attack the majority of the remaining pine forests in BC.
Hope for Alberta: Researchers said that although the pine beetle has become active in Alberta, it is still possible to suppress them if enough resources are employed.
Monday, March 5, 2007
Pine Beetle infestation doubles in Alberta
Recent news reports that the mountain pine beetle infestation has doubled in Alberta, from 1.5 million trees to 3.0 million trees, in just the past year.
The increase is blamed on strong winds last summer that helped carry beetles from BC into Alberta. Also, warmer winters are no longer able to kill off enough of the beetle population.
At that rate, you have to question what the Alberta government can do to mitigate the problem. How fast can they plan to build roads, harvest areas, and utilize the wood? Do they have the resources to deal with huge wildfires that will likely occur in the dead, dry forests that can't be harvested? Human resources are already tight in Alberta due to the oil boom, so where will the forestry workers come from?
What's more alarming is that infested trees have been found near Slave Lake, which is close to the boreal forest. If the beetle is able to advance farther north and east, they could spread all the way to Newfoundland and Labrador.
Forestry is the third lasgest industry in Alberta, behind oil and agriculture, and the continued spread of mountain pine beetle will have massive impacts on forest companies and communities that depend on the forest resource.
The increase is blamed on strong winds last summer that helped carry beetles from BC into Alberta. Also, warmer winters are no longer able to kill off enough of the beetle population.
At that rate, you have to question what the Alberta government can do to mitigate the problem. How fast can they plan to build roads, harvest areas, and utilize the wood? Do they have the resources to deal with huge wildfires that will likely occur in the dead, dry forests that can't be harvested? Human resources are already tight in Alberta due to the oil boom, so where will the forestry workers come from?
What's more alarming is that infested trees have been found near Slave Lake, which is close to the boreal forest. If the beetle is able to advance farther north and east, they could spread all the way to Newfoundland and Labrador.
Forestry is the third lasgest industry in Alberta, behind oil and agriculture, and the continued spread of mountain pine beetle will have massive impacts on forest companies and communities that depend on the forest resource.
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