Pine Beetle Control

Update from West Fraser Mills Ltd.

The HMBA has been in touch with West Fraser regarding the Mountain Pine Beetle work being done near Hinton.  They have a huge undertaking ahead of them and have begun work already.  They will have approximately 1500 trees to fall in the HMBA trails area - both in Jacks Trail System and Happy Creek Trail System.  The trees will not be burnt, but they will be felled, limbed and peeled.

The results will be very noticeable, especially on the Bighorn trail and a few other trails that have a large number of trees infected by the beetles.

Infested tree

Popcorn-like pitch tubes created by the beetles.

Key messages from West Fraser

• Crews will be walking into most locations as quading would only get them so far. Some may even be biking in.
• Crews will not be quading on our trails and if they do, it will only be to cross them.
• Before falling trees, they will use signs and have staff along affected trails to advise users to avoid walking or riding the trail where the work will be happening.  Users will be advised both at the entrance and exit points of the trail.
• Limbs will be pulled away from the trails and all peeling's and limbs, cones etc will be raked off the trails.
• Trees will be fallen away from trails as much as possible to help avoid any damages to the trails themselves.
• Any stumps within 5m of the trail will be rounded off.
• The trees, once fallen and peeled, will be bucked to small lengths and left in the bush away from the trails.
• The work needs to be complete by June 15th.  This means it will be an intense activity and will have some impact on accessing some trails but it will be short term.

Contact

If for some reason you run into any issues from crew members or just the public at large, you may contact Hal Jackson at 780-865-8741 and point him in the direction of the issue.

Please note that similar pine beetle control is being done within town limits, but under a different contractor.  Their methods may differ.  Contact the Town of Hinton if you have any concerns of the beetle control work being done within town limits.

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