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Forest Health Southern Interior Region

Explore the forest health status in the Southern Interior Region of BC, highlighting infestations, beetle attacks, and defoliators. Learn about the efforts of forest entomologists and pathologists to combat these issues and future management strategies. Understand the impact of drought on plantation mortality and projections for tackling the ongoing challenges. Stay informed about the latest findings and recommendations for sustaining the region's forests.

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Forest Health Southern Interior Region

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  1. Forest HealthSouthern Interior Region Kootenays Kamloops Cariboo Lorraine MacLauchlan Forest Entomologist - Kamloops Leo Rankin Forest Entomologist – Williams Lake Hadrian Merler Forest Pathologist - Vernon

  2. 4,250,000 ha in SIR 59% of provincial infestation 1.6 fold increase from 2003 90% in former Cariboo Region Area infested in Parks doubled Expanding into southern half of SIR Mountain Pine Beetle

  3. Area of mountain pine beetle in the SIR 2001-2004

  4. Expansion of MPB in SIR 2000-2004

  5. Overwinter mortality estimates for the southern interior - March 2004 exponential exponential exponential

  6. Douglas-fir Beetle • 30,700 ha infested • Area expanded 3.75 fold from 2002 • Greatest increase in Cariboo • Significant infestations in most FD’s

  7. Douglas-fir Beetle

  8. Spruce Beetle • Infested area doubled from 2003 • 76,800 ha attacked • Major increases in DQU & DCC • 90% of infestation in eastern Cariboo • Scattered windthrow initiated infestation

  9. Spruce Beetle

  10. Defoliators Western Hemlock Looper

  11. Western Spruce Budworm • 615,000 ha in SIR • Majority in DCC, DMH, DCK and DCO • 93,000 ha moderate or severe defoliation • Widespread defoliation projected for 2005

  12. Western Spruce Budworm

  13. Western Spruce BudwormSpray Program • 25,500 ha of Douglas-fir stands treated in SIR in 2004 • Sprayed mainly in DCC and DMH • Applied B.t.k. at a rate of 2.4 L/ha • Cost of $22.50/ha • Decreased pop’n levels in all treated blocks

  14. Western Spruce BudwormSpray Program • Plan to spray 45,000 ha in 2005 • Only select high value stands projected for severe defoliation for treatment • 35,000 ha in Cariboo • 10,000 ha in Kamloops

  15. Western Hemlock Looper • Outbreak largely subsided • Only 5,500 ha in SIR • Bulk of activity in Columbia FD – 3,400 ha • Pop’ns in Kamloops IDf collapsed

  16. Western Hemlock Looper • Trap catches down significantly except around Shuswap River & Greenbush Lakes • Egg sampling in Columbia FD indicates light defoliation possible at only two sites. • Areas treated with B.t.k. in 2003 had nil to trace defoliation

  17. Western Hemlock Looper

  18. Douglas-fir Tussock Moth • No defoliation detected from the air in 2004 • Active in Scottie Creek in Kamloops FD • Trap catches in Kamloops, Cascades, Okanagan Shuswap and 100 Mile FD’s down

  19. Our future forests . . . . New findings and an entomological interpretation. A gloomy entomologist!

  20. Young pine (28 years) under attack. Long galleries with healthy (large) larvae)

  21. Pine Beetle in Young Stands • Surveyed plantations between 25 & 35 years of age • 46 plantations surveyed in DQU • 74% of stands had pine beetle attack

  22. Pine Beetle in Young Stands • High of 64% attack, low of 1% attack • Attack levels increased with stand age and average stand diameter • Spaced stands had lower attack (%) • High green to red ratio - most attack new

  23. Drought Drought-induced mortality in plantation

  24. Drought • Drought mortality mapped in over 11,300 ha in 2004 • Mostly Kamloops & Okanagan Shuswap FD’s • Low elevation dry Douglas-fir & Ponderosa Pine stands • Difficult to map during aerial survey • Small sub-dominant understory trees • Estimate 250,000 - 750,000 ha with significant mortality in 2003-2004 • Build-up of Douglas-fir beetle & western pine beetle expected in some areas

  25. Western Pine Beetle • Local problem in towns, around subdivisions • Population build-up because of fire and drought • Removing 2500 – 3000 trees in Kalowna

  26. Projections and future direction • While still targeting “leading edge” and maximizing extraction of green attack, many areas should shift to value extraction (reds, green attack, greys). • In over-run TSA’s plan a strategic harvest of infested stands while spatially producing mosaic of blocks/openings; wide spacing • Put full efforts into the southern portion of the Region where “all-is-not-lost” (yet).

  27. Projections and future direction • Plantations are being attacked by MPB in the core area of the outbreak as well as other areas in the SIR (Quesnel, Okanagan Shuswap) • Target reducing “risk” surrounding >25 yr old plantations • As drought-like conditions continue, more stands (young and old) will be susceptible to secondary insect/pathogen mortality • drought is exacerbating the MPB situation and will continue to do so

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