Short Term Strategy - Mountain Pine Beetle in Alberta

 
     
 
 
 
Alberta Agriculture and Forestry (A&F) will undertake appropriate detection activities and population assessments throughout Alberta. In response to the current infestation, the province has focused on the following management strategies:
  • Contain infestations and minimize the spread of mountain pine beetle in all areas along the Eastern Slopes where infestations have been detected.
  • Prevent mountain pine beetle spread eastward further into the boreal forest through the hybrid lodgepole-jack pine and pure jack pine stands that stretch across the prairies and into central Canada.
To meet these objectives, the province has been divided into three management zones:
  • Leading Edge Zone -- This zone is the 'front line' of beetle infestations where A&F will aim its main control efforts. This area is not a 'line' at all, but rather a large area consisting of beetle populations threatening to spread along the Eastern Slopes and eastward further into the boreal forest.
    • Level 1 treatments (single-tree treatments) will be used in these zones, recognizing that this tactic is among the most effective means of managing the beetle.
    • Level 2 treatments (block or patch harvesting of infestations) will also be used where needed.
  • Active Holding Zone -- This zone has a significantly higher level of infestation spread over the landscape.
    The objective in this zone is to reduce or hold population growth from year to year with an emphasis on Level 2 treatment, supplemented with Level 1 treatment where appropriate.
  • Inactive Holding Zone -- This zone is where infestation levels have grown to a point where population management through Level I or II treatments will no longer be effective.

    The main goal is to manage for other forest management objectives such as:
    • fish and wildlife habitat
    • timber
    • watershed protection
    • wildfire fuel management
To view a map of these zones, see: 		 
 
 
 
For more information about the content of this document, contact Devon Belanger.
This information published to the web on February 29, 2016.
Last Reviewed/Revised on February 21, 2018.