Mountain Pine Beetle in Alberta – Looking Back (and Forward)

Dr. Keith McClain, Mountain Pine Beetle Ecology Program lead, and researchers from several projects supported by the Federal-Provincial MPB Research Partnership will present at the Canadian Institute of Forestry, Rocky Mountain Section 2024 Fall Tech Session.


When

November 27, 2024
09:00–16:00 MST

Where

DoubleTree by Hilton West Edmonton
16615 109 Ave NW, Edmonton


The Rocky Mountain Section and fRI Research are collaborating on hosting a fall technical session focused on selected topics from research conducted on mountain pine beetle in Alberta over the past 15 years. By participating in this technical session, you will gain an appreciation of the science-policy interface and how it works to guide policy development supported by science. When management decisions face public scrutiny, managers must be able to support their decisions with evidence.

In the 1990s, the mountain pine beetle invasion into Alberta from BC was considered unlikely as the Rocky Mountains were deemed an effective barrier. However, in 2000, beetles had found their way into Alberta over the Rockies. While Alberta pinned their hopes on scientific advancements made in BC, it was quickly realized that the province could not rely entirely on science conducted elsewhere to shape operational decisions and policy due to geographical and ecological differences. Hence, Alberta embarked on a deliberate research program to provide specific information to manage the damage and spread of the beetle in pine-dominated forests of the province.

In this technical session, we will highlight important features of research conducted and their impact. We encourage you to participate and add your insights into this important subject.

Lunch will be provided. For more information, visit the CIF registration page.