Mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae)
Last Review/Updated: January 25, 2008
The following information summarizes the annual pest conditions for each year. For historical maps of the previous infestation, click here . For more detailed information, click here to download the annual reports.
If there is any discrepancy between the forest health information on this website and the original paper versions, the paper originals are considered to be the authoritative ones. Although every effort is made to ensure that all information posted on the forest health website is accurate and complete, its integrity is not guaranteed. This information is provided for personal use only and is not intended for commercial use. Written permission to publish this information must be requested from the Manager of Forest Health at (780) 427-8474; Fax (780) 427-0084, or Fh.Info@gov.ab.ca.
| Year | Description | Click Map to Enlarge |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Sustainable Resource Development is moving into a new phase of mountain pine beetle (MPB) management in the province for 2007/08, as strategies evolve to meet changes in beetle populations and distribution. The 2007 surveys confirm that the combination of a cold winter and ongoing control activities by SRD, the forest industry and municipalities resulted in a decreasing or static beetle population in the northern regions of Alberta. Additionally, there was not a large distance dispersal event in 2007 as there was in 2006. The southwestern Alberta region is experiencing growing beetle populations. It’s climate and the amount of highly susceptible pine in the region provide ideal habitat for beetle to thrive. SRD has responded to the beetle’s push east by adapting its management strategies to focus on:
To best meet these objectives SRD has divided the forested area into three management areas: the Leading Edge, Holding and Salvage zones |
Current Maps |
| 2006 | The Department of Sustainable Resource Development (SRD) was quite successful in treating beetle-infested trees detected in 2005. However, new mountain pine beetle (MPB) infestations are expected to occur further north and east than before in the province. This is most likely due to the continued influx of beetles into the province. In 2006, SRD will continue its aggressive management program to deal with new MPB infestations. This program involves working in close collaboration with all levels of government and other stakeholders in the province, and the BC Ministry of Forests. |  |
| 2005 | In 2005, SRD continued its aggressive approach to manage the mountain pine beetle infestations in the province. In the winter/spring of 2005, SRD removed 1247 beetle-infested trees from the forested Crown land in the Bow Valley and Willmore Wilderness Park; in addition, municipal authorities and private landowners removed 252 infested trees in Canmore area. In the summer of 2005, additional beetle-infested trees were detected on some forested Crown land in Foothills and Smoky corporate areas, Willmore Wilderness Park and in Kakwa Wildland Provincial Park. A combined survey and control program resulted in the removal of another 5257 beetle-infested trees from these areas. In addition over 1100 pheromone baits were deployed in these areas in an effort to contain the beetle infestation. | |
| 2004 | A total of 401 green attacks by the mountain pine beetle were detected in the public and private lands of the province, excluding the national parks, in 2003/04 season. All these trees were cut and burned. The number of green attacks in 2003/04 was significantly lower than the 1332 trees found in 2002/03. The new infestations were found in Willmore Wilderness Park, Canmore area and in Spray Lakes FMA area. With large resident beetle populations in Banff National Park and along the border areas with BC there is a potential for continuing MPB attacks in 2004/05. |  |
| 2003 | Consequent to the 98% success in the 2002/03 program to remove beetle-infested trees in the Bow Valley, the number of trees with new attacks has been reduced from 1013 in 2002/03 to 235 in 2003/04. |  |
| 2002 | The mountain pine beetle populations in Banff National Park appears to have reached epidemic proportions in 2002. Mountain pine beetle-infestation spilled over from Banff National Park, for the first time during the current outbreak, to Canmore area east of the park. An estimated 700 trees are beetle-infested in Canmore area. Few lodegpole pines were killed by the mountain pine beetle in Jasper National Park in 2002. However, new beetle infestations have been observed along the western border of this park. In Willmore Wilderness Park about 100 trees infested with the beetle were cut and burned in 2002. |  |
| 2001 | The mountain pine beetle populations increased in Banff National Park in 2001. An estimated 1427 trees with current beetle attack were detected during a ground survey in this park. New beetle infestations were detected in 2001 at Tunnel Mountain and along Fairholme Range. The mountain pine beetle infestations in Jasper National Park (JNP) appear to have declined in 2001. About 100 beetle-killed trees were detected during a 2001 survey over Willmore Wilderness Park. In Cypress Hills Provincial Park, 134 beetle-hits were recorded at pheromone-baited plots. |  |
| 2000 | In 2000, the mountain pine beetle populations continued to increase in Banff National Park. About 700 green-attack trees were found at four locations in this park. A new mountain pine beetle infestation was also found in Jasper National Park and 25 pine beetle-killed trees were detected in Willmore Wilderness Park. No pine beetle-killed trees were detected during aerial surveys over the forested Crown land of the province. However, pine beetles attacked many pheromone-baited trees at several sites in the forested Crown land and in Cypress Hills Provincial Park. |  |
| 1999 | Although mountain pine beetle-killed trees were not observed in the forested Crown land of the province, few small patches symptomatic of this beetle were found along Brewster and Healy creeks in Banff National Park. Five small patches of mountain pine beetle-infested trees were found in Willmore Wilderness Park in the northern east slopes. The beetle hits on pheromone-baited trees decreased in the southern east slopes but remained high in Willmore Wilderness Park. |  |
| 1998 | No mountain pine beetle-killed trees were observed within the forested Crown land during the annual aerial survey carried out in southwestern Alberta. However, mountain pine beetle-killed lodgepole pines were observed in Banff National Park; lodgepole pines suspected to be mountain pine beetle-killed were also observed in Waterton National Park and in the adjoining Blood Indian Reserve in southern Alberta. Compared to 1997, the number of mountain pine beetle hits on pheromone-baited lodgepole pines increased, especially in the foothills area and Willmore Wilderness Park. |  |
| 1997 | No mountain pine beetle-killed trees were observed during the annual aerial survey carried out in southwestern Alberta. A ground survey with pheromone-baited trees showed relatively high beetle activity in the foothills of the northern east slopes. Beetle activity was low in the southern east slopes. |  |
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Last Historical Outbreak 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 |
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