British Columbia’s Mountain Pine Beetle Action Plan 2005–2010

Executive Summary

The extent of the Mountain Pine Beetle epidemic in the Interior of British Columbia has passed the point where it is no longer just a forestry issue. The Ministry of Forests projects that 80 per cent of the provincial lodgepole pine inventory could be killed by 2013 – these trees make up over half the Interior’s annual harvest.

The Province is committed to action that will mitigate the impacts of this unprecedented epidemic on forest values, communities and the provincial economy in the short term, and ensure sustainability in the long term. This plan provides a high level framework to direct provincial ministries and assist coordination between governments, industries and stakeholders. It sets out seven (7) objectives, each supported by a number of actions. Some actions will occur over the next five years, while others are scheduled to be done within the first year.

The objectives describe a government-wide effort requiring the involvement of several ministries, each of which will incorporate the appropriate parts of this plan into its annual Service Plan. The objectives are:

1. Encourage long-term economic sustainability for communities affected by the epidemic.
2. Maintain and protect public health, safety and infrastructure.
3. Recover the greatest value from dead timber before it burns or decays, while respecting other forest values.
4. Conserve the long-term forest values identified in land use plans.
5. Prevent or reduce damage to forests in areas that are susceptible but not yet experiencing epidemic infestations.
6. Restore the forest resources in areas affected by the epidemic.
7. Maintain a project management structure that ensures co-ordinated and effective planning and implementation of mitigation measures.

This plan, developed with stakeholder input, describes the provincial government’s response to the Mountain Pine Beetle epidemic, and will provide guidance to all groups involved in the mitigation effort.

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