6 Feature September 28, 2005 + Over the Edge Coping with the Mountain Pine Beetle Epidemic UNBC conference has international implications NATURAL RESOURCES CANADA In the past, the Mountain Pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) was a benefit to the ecosystem by killing off old and weak trees. Due to the current climate and environmental conditions, their popula- tions have gone out of control, destroying entire forests of Lodgepole Pine trees. BECKY CARMICHAEL STAFF WRITER Whether you are new to central BC or a lifelong resident, it is impossible to miss the large stands of red trees spread throughout the region and the fresh clear-cuts caused by their removal. These dramatic changes to the interior forest are caused by an insect about the size of a grain of rice. The Mountain Pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae, lays eggs beneath the bark of Lodgepole Pine trees and the hatching larvae cut off the nutrient supply of the tree, even- tually killing it from the inside, Nor- mally, Mountain Pine beetles play an integral role in the forest ecosystem by killing off old and weak trees. However, in recent years a variety of factors have caused beetle populations to expand far beyond normal levels. Fire suppression and forestry practices in past years have lead to an over-abundance of mature Lodgepole Pine trees at the stage of life most preferred by Mountain Pine beetle. Climatically, a series of hot, dry summers have weakened the tree population, while unusually mild win- ters have not been cold enough to kill off the beetle larvae. All of these factors have caused the Mountain Pine beetle population to explode out of control, and the infestation only keeps spread- ing, with no decline in sight. The Mountain Pine beetle outbreak has a profound impact on the ecol- ogy and economy of central BC. The makeup of our forests is being radically changed by the widespread death of a dominant tree species in a short per- iod of time, Soil composition is altered and animal habitats are lost, Stands of dead, dry trees pose a fire hazard if not removed. Economically, the removal of pine beetle affected trees has created a temporary boom in the forestry in- dustry. However, in the long term the logging boom is anticipated to decline sharply as all viable trees are harvested with few younger trees growing fast enough to replace them. The provincial government, forest industry and a var- iety of other groups affected by Moun- tain Pine beetle are struggling to find ways of dealing with the problem, Un- fortunately, there is no easy or straight- forward solution to this issue. In order to examine multiple ap- proaches towards dealing with the Mountain Pine beetle epidemic, a workshop hosted by the UNBC School of Environmental Planning was held in mid-May. The workshop, called Liveli- hoods and Ecosystems: Dealing with Complexity in the Forest of Central Interior BC, was one in a seven-part series of workshops organized by the University of Guelph and the Canad- ian International Development Agency (CIDA). The workshops, featuring five in Canada and two in Africa, focused on rural development strategies. Apply- ing the strategies to complex Canadian rural issues provided the CIDA with vital insights that could then be util- ized in developing nations. The work- shop held at UNBC brought together a wide variety of industry professionals, researchers and government officials to _ look at fresh approaches to managing Mountain Pine beetle and forest re- sources in a sustainable way. The two approaches towards rural development used by the CIDA are called sustainable livelihoods and eco- system health. The concept of sustain- able livelihoods has human welfare as a priority. Differing from traditional eco- nomic models, the focus is on quality of life for people in a sustainable way, not necessarily maximum profits. Eco- system health starts from the perspec- tive of having a healthy, functioning ecosystem _as key to sustaining human activities, Used together, they repre- sent a holistic, integrated approach to dealing with complex rural issues. Ap- plying these principles to dealing with Mountain Pine beetle, participants gained a number of insights. For ex- ample, it was recognized that complex ecosystems and economies tend to be more resilient to change. Future plan- ning could include forests with a higher diversity of species and ages, as well as economies that are not reliant on a single industry. Using the sustain- able livelihoods approach, it became clear how critical it was to include the First Nations voice in any discussion of Mountain Pine beetle management. Forest fire management and timber harvesting also play an important role in controlling Mountain Pine beetle, and the most sustainable and effective ways to utilize these may differ from current models. Using the sustainable livelihoods and ecosystem health ap- proaches is vital to dealing with what will happen to rural economies when the short-term logging boom turns to bust. The purpose of the workshop was not to find a neat, immediate solution, but instead to provide a framework for long term management. “The UNBC workshop provided a forum for mutual learning,’ states workshop chair David Connell.“An op- portunity for CIDA to engage experts in a bio-regional context in Canada and an opportunity for the Central Interior region of BC to benefit from CIDAs expertise in the field of rural develop- ment. What CIDA learns in the re- gional Canadian workshops about man- aging complex systems will be taken to Africa and other developing nations to be implemented. Working with CIDA gives UNBC a unique chance to con- tribute to international rural develop- ment. David Connell, an Environment- al Planning professor, recently came to UNBC from the University of Guelph, which has a strong focus on rural and international development. He pro- posed a series of regional workshops on rural development to CIDA, and it was clear that holding one at UNBC to focus on Mountain Pine beetle would be highly appropriate for this region. UNBC currently plays a vital role in coping with the Mountain Pine beetle epidemic, and holding the workshop here strengthens that function. This learning experience was profitable for all involved, and hopefully gave central- interior BC some practical tools for managing this problem, NATURAL RESOURCES CANADA White, sticky resin oozing from the bark of a tree is an indication that it has been attacked by the Mountain Pine Beetle.