The Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture is planning to carry out a Spruce Budworm Early Intervention Control Program beginning in early June on the west coast, subject to weather conditions and insect development. Treatments will take place at various locations between the Port au Port Peninsula and Castors River South.

The program will help prevent future outbreaks of the destructive insect and reduce the need for full treatment programs in the coming years.

Up to 140,000 hectares of forest area is scheduled to be aerially treated with one or more applications of B.t.k., a biological control agent commonly used in forest pest management. This agent has been approved for operational use by the Health Canada Pest Management Regulatory Agency. Information regarding B.t.k. can be viewed at the Environment and Climate Change website.

Information including times, locations and maps associated with treatment activities will be available on the department’s 2021 Forest Insect Control Program web page or by calling the Forest Insect Control Program Daily Update Line at 1-877-636-2996.

Public signage and maps with information regarding proposed treatment areas will also be posted at resource roads leading to proposed treatment areas.

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Media contact
Craig Renouf
Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture
709-637-2923, 640-6922
craigrenouf@gov.nl.ca