Graph Of The Month: Hectares Of Can. Forests Damaged By Pine Beetles Over Time

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Mountain Pine Beetle in BC (1981-2005) 2, 3

The area of BC forest affected by the Mountain Pine Beetle (MPB) has more than doubled, from 4 million hectares in 2003 to 8.7 million hectares in 2006, with much of this in the Fraser Basin. The MPB reduces trees' nutrient and water uptake, resulting in defoliation and tree mortality. The large areas of dead trees can increase the intensity of forest fires, change water runoff patterns and water temperature, affect soil and stream bank erosion and degrade fish habitat. The commercial value of wood is significantly reduced if affected trees are not harvested within two to five+ years of infestation. In an attempt to reduce the spread of the MPB and salvage commercially valuable wood, the Chief Forester has increased the allowable annual cut (AAC) in a number of Fraser Basin Timber Supply Areas.

In the absence of extreme cold periods that historically have controlled MPB populations, it has been projected that, by 2013, 80% of BC's central and southern interior mature pine forest could be killed by MPB. This will have significant repercussions for forestry-dependent communities, forest ecosystem health and the provincial economy (See Economy).

ommunity Vulnerability to the Forest Economy (2001) 4

The economy of many communities in the Fraser Basin is heavily dependent on the forest sector. This is particularly true in the Upper Fraser and Cariboo-Chilcotin regions, where Vanderhoof and Quesnel have very high Forest Vulnerability Index values (81 and 78 respectively), while the GVSS and Fraser Valley regions have relatively low levels of direct income dependence on forestry, although economic multipliers benefit all regions of the Basin. As the current MPB epidemic spreads, the economic and social impact will be greatest on communities with a high level of dependence on the forestry sector.



EDIT

http://www.shim.bc.ca/atlases/fbc/ss3/Forest.html

[phantom power]

1. teh hockey stick

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2. Perpetrated by Teh Gay and Teh Elitstsssz Science-NAZIS!!!!!

:hi:

[phantom power]

3. more of that pernicious homosexual albedo

[Bigmack]

4. We were driving thru No. and central B.C.

a few years ago, and it took my breath away THEN to see the THOUSANDS of acres of dead trees. As far as the eye could see - BROWN pine trees. Ms. Bigmack