The forests up ridgemont would normally be comprised of more tree variety and a more varied composition of tree ages. However, due to the Fernie Fire 100 years ago , the stands are very uniform in age and species resulting in an expansive landscape of prime beetle habitat.
Also, epidemics do not “destroy” the forests. True, large amounts of trees die as a result of beetles, but new growth rapidly appears below the dead stands. This is nature’s way of breaking up uniform stands into ones that are more varied in composition, structure and age – a more natural forest condition.
The way to fight pine beetle is as follows ;
-Allowing natural processes to prevail (i.e. do nothing);
-Pheromone baits and traps;
-Individual tree fall and burn on-site;
-Large-scale prescribed burn; and
-Skid pile and burn on-site with low impact machinery.
I don’t think they are fighting pine beetle up ridgemont. I think they are thinning out the “pecker poles” so the finer species can thrive. In another 7 years they will thin it again, and then in ten or so years it will be clear cut again.
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