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The Benefits - Timber Supply Impacts The current program provided significant advantages over the "no control" program. The harvest of the present supply of mature lodgepole pine lasted much longer with the current program resulting in a greater total volume of harvested timber. Under the "no control" program, longevity of harvests of the highly susceptible pine was estimated to be 43-48 years. Under the current program the number of years jumped to 70-85. The consequences of the "no control" program included 2- to 5-fold increases in non-recoverable timber losses and a greater chance that harvest volumes will drop over the long term (see Figure 1).
The Benefits - Economic Impacts The effect of mountain pine beetle management was assessed in light of its impact on government revenues and on timber industry revenues. This assessment includes discussions with selected industry and government representatives. The current program provided significant increases in government and industry revenue relative to the "no control" program. The benefits from the current program clearly outweigh the costs (see Figure 2). The reductions in timber quality and increases in the harvested volume of infested trees that would result from a "no control" program, would negatively affect government and industry revenues. The annual expenditure of $4.5 million from the current control program results in a net benefit of $72 million province-wide in stumpage and lumber value recoveries.
The Benefits - Social and Community Impacts The majority of stakeholders indicated that "no control" was not a preferred management option. The preferred approach to mountain pine beetle management would be a program where the emphasis was on "preventative" control tactics. Selection logging, spot treatments with MSMA, or fall-and-burn would have little adverse impact on wildlife or other environmental resource values. Such a program would involve maintaining the following:
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