Silvicultural contractors say big changes are needed in how the province’s forests are managed.
At their annual conference in Kelowna, the Silvicultural Contractors Association discussed how the province needs to plan how to best regenerate forests that are being decimated by the mountain pine beetle.
More than 200 million trees were planted last year but the silviculture industry thinks more could be done.
“How much of this province is regenerating in the wake of the mountain pine beetle?” said John Betts of the Western Silvicultural Contractors Association. “What is the extent of the area that is not regenerating and how big is it and what are we doing about it?”
The silvicultural contractors are calling on the province to develop a comprehensive new forestry policy that will consider everything from replanting to controlled burns.
Some of the trees killed by pine beetle are being harvested commercially, while others are being removed to reduce the fire hazard.
Comments