Are beetle control treatments in parks effective?
When beetle populations are small, treatments such as fall and burn are highly effective in controlling populations, although treatments must be applied consistently over the course of several years to be effective. In the case of Tweedsmuir Park, the infestation has become so large that comprehensive treatments are not cost effective. However, in other protected areas, BC Parks has been successfully keeping pine beetle infestations in check for the last four years using fall and burn techniques. By keeping beetle populations controlled in protected areas, impacts of beetle spread into commercial forests can be minimized.
