By rdnewsNOW staff

Province partnering with Yellowhead County to combat mountain pine beetle

Apr 24, 2018 | 5:42 AM

The mountain pine beetle threatens six million hectares of Alberta’s pine forest and affects the activities of more than half of the major forest companies operating in the province.

In order to protect Alberta’s crucial forestry industry, the province is providing Yellowhead County with $150,000 for the control, suppression and eradication of mountain pine beetle on municipal and private lands.

“Our best chance to combat the mountain pine beetle infestation is if our government partners with local municipalities on aggressive and proactive detection and control programs. This funding will help us work with the Town of Hinton to do that.”

Oneil Carlier, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry

“This grant will help the residents of Yellowhead County control trees on their land that have been infested with the mountain pine beetle. By each of us doing our part, we can slow the spread of the beetle as it moves easterly.”

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Gerald Soroka, mayor, Yellowhead County

“Life in this part of the province has always revolved around the forests. From the many industries that directly depend on this resource to tourism and wilderness recreation, life across West Yellowhead depends on a healthy, productive environment.  The scourge that is the mountain pine beetle is threatening our economy and our way of life.”

Eric Rosendahl, MLA for West Yellowhead

The funds are part of the Mountain Pine Beetle Municipal Grant Funding Program which helps communities minimize the spread of mountain pine beetle infestations in their areas.

Quick facts about mountain pine beetle:

– Mountain pine beetle threatens six million hectares of Alberta’s pine forest.
– The value of pure pine stands in Alberta is more than $8 billion.
– Last year, more than 92,000 trees across the province were cut and burned to help control the mountain pine beetle outbreak.
– More than half of the major forest companies operating in Alberta are reliant on pine to continue operations.