The Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture is planning to carry out a spruce budworm control program this summer at various sites in western Newfoundland and on the Northern Peninsula. The program proactively targets rising populations of spruce budworm in an effort to prevent a province-wide outbreak of this destructive forest insect.

Aerial treatments are anticipated to start this week on designated forest treatment blocks at various locations between Jeffrey’s and St. John Bay, subject to weather conditions and insect development.

Treatments will consist of one or more applications of Btk, a biological control product commonly used in forest pest management that has been approved for operational use by the Health Canada Pest Management Regulatory Agency. Additional information about Btk is available on the Department of Environment and Climate Change website.

Program information including times, locations and maps associated with treatment activities will be available on the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture 2022 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 of proposed treatment areas will be posted at forest access 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