Prince George residents received information on how they can stop the spread of the Douglas Fir Beetle.
An information session was held today by the Forest Ministry and the city of PG, to help people identify and remove the bug before spring roles around.
“We’re trying to mitigate he impact from their spread, is what we’re trying to do. Either, like I said, you move them before they spread or find ways to soak it up through the trap trees and also find ways to repel them,” says Stewartship Forster Alena Charlston.
The best way to stop spreading is by removing affected trees before the beetles emerge in the spring.
It’s not uncommon for Northern BC to experience an infestation of the Douglas Fir Beetle, but we have been seeing a concerning rise over the years.
“Usually in general the Douglas Fir Beetle comes in a little rotation, comes in for two to four years and than leaves. It’s a natural part of our ecosystem, but right now we seem to be seeing it build up a bit, so, we’re trying to make it sure we put mitigation efforts in affect.”
Carrier Lumber Ltd. and Industrial Forestry Services Ltd. released a study last September, which saw the infestation grow from 1,305 hectares in 2015, to 8,127 hectares in 2016 for Prince George.
More information, and how you can tell if your property may have an outbreak, you can click here.
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