[canada_bruno]

Environment Canada is calling for a colder winter than Canada has experienced in years. See this link for a report. http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta ... 8-sun.html There are lots of reports on the net, just check google news for more if you want.

I've heard many times over the years that in order to control the mountain pine beetle infestation in BC's forests all we need is one really cold winter to kill them off. I can't find any news reports about the impact this winter can potentially have on the pine beetle population. Anyone know anything about this? I hope that this does benefit the forests. If we have to put up with a super cold winter at least there should be some benefit!

[Crabbypants]

So torn, me. I like trees - they're swell. But oh dear god I hate the cold.

I think this calls for some new, improved trees! Bug resistant! Now with added adaptability to climate change. Order now!

[Pimpbrewski]

Hey Bruno,

Don't want to be a party pooper or anything

If you want some info, Maybe you may want to check out this thread:

Canadians should brace for coldest winter in almost 15 years

[RUEZ]

I live in central BC, Prince George to be exact. It's too late for us here. The trees are dead and a cold winter won't do us a bit of good. The beetle has moved south and it was just starting to hit the Okanagan when I left last year. The chance of them having a winter that would kill the pine beetle is very slim. They do have cold winters but no where near what it will take. It's like the perfect storm right now in BC, the beetle, the high dollar and the housing crisis in the U.S. have killed the forest industry.

[xerxes]

I really see what you mean Ruez. I remember on my drive up from the coast to PG. The further north I drove, the more dead trees I saw. Like you said, it's an unholy combination of bad circumstances making a bad situation horribly worse.

Though, speaking as someone from the coast, it feels as though it's cold enough to kill every living thing today...

[RUEZ]

xerxes xerxes:

I really see what you mean Ruez. I remember on my drive up from the coast to PG. The further north I drove, the more dead trees I saw. Like you said, it's an unholy combination of bad circumstances making a bad situation horribly worse.

Though, speaking as someone from the coast, it feels as though it's cold enough to kill every living thing today...

LOL this is nothing man, it's currently -16, I remember when I was younger living in Vanderhoof it would get to -35 regularly. On many occasions I would have to call my dad up to come start up my car because I would stay at a friends too long without plugging it in and it would freeze solid. Last February it got to -30 in the city.

[xerxes]

So I'm told. Apparently January and February are real trials by icicle up here...

[RUEZ]

xerxes xerxes:

So I'm told. Apparently January and February are real trials by icicle up here...

Ya, but you'll be busy with all your crazy university parties you will never notice it.

[xerxes]

I wish. By February, I'm already going to be busy poisoning minds, I mean teaching.

[RUEZ]

xerxes xerxes:

I wish. By February, I'm already going to be busy poisoning minds, I mean teaching.

Awesome. Do you plan on staying up north when you are done school, or are you going back where you came from?

[xerxes]

RUEZ RUEZ:

xerxes xerxes:

I wish. By February, I'm already going to be busy poisoning minds, I mean teaching.

Awesome. Do you plan on staying up north when you are done school, or are you going back where you came from?

I really don't know yet. I know back home on the coast there aren't any jobs for new teachers and up around here there are plenty especially in the smaller towns. Plus I'd get paid more.

That being said, I still don't like living up north that much...at least not yet. I miss being close to Vancouver and everything Vancouver has to offer (especially the concerts). I also rue the fact that only the most widely distributed movies (aka the crap movies) play at the one theatre in town. I've also been creeped out by the occasional odour warnings on the radio. But mainly, I miss my friends. Not to say I haven't made friends up here, but some of my friends I've known since elementary and this is the longest I've been away from them.

But I'll have to make up my mind sometime I suppose. Hopefully by then, I've stopped wearing t-shirts on days like today....

[RUEZ]

xerxes xerxes:

RUEZ RUEZ:

xerxes xerxes:

I wish. By February, I'm already going to be busy poisoning minds, I mean teaching.

Awesome. Do you plan on staying up north when you are done school, or are you going back where you came from?

I really don't know yet. I know back home on the coast there aren't any jobs for new teachers and up around here there are plenty especially in the smaller towns. Plus I'd get paid more.

That being said, I still don't like living up north that much...at least not yet. I miss being close to Vancouver and everything Vancouver has to offer (especially the concerts). I also rue the fact that only the most widely distributed movies (aka the crap movies) play at the one theatre in town. I've also been creeped out by the occasional odour warnings on the radio. But mainly, I miss my friends. Not to say I haven't made friends up here, but some of my friends I've known since elementary and this is the longest I've been away from them.

But I'll have to make up my mind sometime I suppose. Hopefully by then, I've stopped wearing t-shirts on days like today....

I understand what you are saying, there are definate benefits to being in the Lower Mainland. I like PG but it has room for improvement.

[ziggy]

Beetles do have their own anti-freeze,only a quick early cold snap will make a dent in them.

There is a niche market for beetlewood,anyone who has cut it for firewood or whatever will notice a greenish tint around the outer circumferance of the tree,its caused by a fungus the beetle carries with him.Some folks actually want this type of wood.

For the most part though when you see the red patch's of pine it's allready a year too late,They wont kill the young healthy pine,they try but high sap flow prevents this.That's one of the reasons beetlekill is so dry and such a high fire hazard,the tree will literally bleed itself to death trying to kick out a burrowing beetle.They were a problem in BC's flathead valley in the late 1970's and mostly ignored,they then jumped over one mountain range into Alberta and have been a problem ever since.

A pine forest is what usually springs up after a fire as there cones only open in real high temperatures where spruce open under 100 degrees and usually are toasted in a forest fire. So a real hot fire will be replaced by pine where smaller spot fires will just clear out the deadwood,natures way of keeping things tidy and allowing spruce and other trees a chance to start.

When you prevent fires you really fuck things up as far as natures concerned,your allowing trees to mature and become deadwood and an even bigger fire hazard.Small fires caused by nature have a way of keeping the forest clean so other species will prosper.Spruce and fir will eventually replace a pine forest here in Alberta if the balance isnt fucked up by man,then it becomes survival of the fittest,fir are fire resistant and will last through several generations of other species growing around them,they also provide shade for spruce and the forest floor which should remain moist and spongy.

I've come across giant fir tree's while logging on the mountain pine beetle program in 1978.Some were 8 to ten feet at the butt so thats something most Alberta loggers never see.They were scattered pell mell around the area we were monitoring,survivors of many forest fires and bug infestations,they had probably seen a few generations of other tree species flourish and die around them.

I think it's too late to do anything,the beetles will speed up the process of mature pine becomeing deadfall and an extreme fire hazard,they will eventually burn,we can only select cut remaining mature pine stands and salvage whats left,clear cutting isnt the answer unless your going to totally replant the block as it takes out the younger beetle resistant pine also.

Controled burns-I used to be totally against them,especially when they get out of control,this is just man playing catch up with mother nature,trying to get the balance back before a major fire breaks out.

I'm not an expert on these bugs,but I did stay at a Holiday Inn express last night.

[RUEZ]

ziggy ziggy:

Beetles do have their own anti-freeze,only a quick early cold snap will make a dent in them.

There is a niche market for beetlewood,anyone who has cut it for firewood or whatever will notice a greenish tint around the outer circumferance of the tree,its caused by a fungus the beetle carries with him.Some folks actually want this type of wood.

For the most part though when you see the red patch's of pine it's allready a year too late,They wont kill the young healthy pine,they try but high sap flow prevents this.That's one of the reasons beetlekill is so dry and such a high fire hazard,the tree will literally bleed itself to death trying to kick out a burrowing beetle.They were a problem in BC's flathead valley in the late 1970's and mostly ignored,they then jumped over one mountain range into Alberta and have been a problem ever since.

I have to correct you on two things here. Firstly the fungus creates a blue colour throughout the wood. People in northern BC try to market it as "denim" pine. Secondly from the reading I've done the fungus prevents the tree from producing sap thereby basically starving the tree rather than bleeding it out.

[ziggy]

RUEZ RUEZ:

ziggy ziggy:

Beetles do have their own anti-freeze,only a quick early cold snap will make a dent in them.

There is a niche market for beetlewood,anyone who has cut it for firewood or whatever will notice a greenish tint around the outer circumferance of the tree,its caused by a fungus the beetle carries with him.Some folks actually want this type of wood.

For the most part though when you see the red patch's of pine it's allready a year too late,They wont kill the young healthy pine,they try but high sap flow prevents this.That's one of the reasons beetlekill is so dry and such a high fire hazard,the tree will literally bleed itself to death trying to kick out a burrowing beetle.They were a problem in BC's flathead valley in the late 1970's and mostly ignored,they then jumped over one mountain range into Alberta and have been a problem ever since.

I have to correct you on two things here. Firstly the fungus creates a blue colour throughout the wood. People in northern BC try to market it as "denim" pine. Secondly from the reading I've done the fungus prevents the tree from producing sap thereby basically starving the tree rather than bleeding it out.

Your right,it is bluish green,the tree bleeds itself by increasing the sap flow to kick out the beetle,thats what those little sap tubes are all about,the tree is dead as soon as the inner layer of bark has been ringed or eaten by the beetle,the fungus is the least of the two evils.
Thats why young pine can withstand a beetle infestation,they have a very high sap flow.
Thats why stands of mature pine should be harvested.