Monashee Community Forest and Fir Bark Beetle

The Village of Lumby is trying to help stop the spread of an unwelcome visitor. Residents may have noticed that there is an increasing presence of dead and dying trees on the slopes above and to the west of the village. The fir bark beetle is currently experiencing an outbreak in the forest adjacent to the village. The obvious red needled trees are the visible signs of the increased fir bark beetle presence. Within the Monashee Community Forest, a trap tree program with salvage harvesting is planned to limit the spread of the beetle. …“The beetle infested area is estimated at 45 hectares,” said village Mayor Kevin Acton, chairperson of the Monashee Community Forest. Debris burning will be planned for late fall to early winter of 2018 for sanitation of potentially beetle infested debris. This may generate greater than normal smoke levels for a short duration. The logging blocks are planned as a series of small patches.