Thunder Bay city councillors have delayed a decision on whether to adopt a proposed action plan to combat the emerald ash borer in the city. Administration was looking for approval — as well as $550,000 in the 2017 municipal budget — to start treating eligible ash trees with an injected chemical that destroys the invasive…
The push to have a large swath of rare boreal forest designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site has suffered a setback.The forest, called Pimachiowin Aki, spans 33,400 sq. km. on the Manitoba/Ontario border. The forest is also home to several First Nations territories, and the Pikangikum First Nation pulled their support, said the Pimachiwin…
A group of forest fire scientists are studying areas of forest in the Northwest Territories that have re-burned in the past 15 years to try and understand what the future boreal forest might look like. “We’re seeing more and more big fire years in the past decade or so,” said Daniel Thompson, a forest fire scientist…
City administrators in Thunder Bay, Ont. say they expect dealing with the arrival of the emerald ash borer in the city will cost millions over the next decade. A report slated to go to council Monday lays out several options for combating the invasive beetle, which destroys ash trees. The report, prepared by city forester…
A failed reforestation effort in the Kootenays has left B.C.’s logging watchdog concerned. Arrow Glenn Ltd, a private logging company with access to over 600 hectares of forested land in B.C., failed to reforest several clear-cuts near Creston — a direct violation of the regulatory Forest and Range Practices Act. According to a two-year random audit from the Forest Practices Board, Arrow Glenn had seven years…
The BC Forest Safety Council is working to reduce the number of logging truck accidents on BC roads. Director of Transportation Safety Dustin Meierhofer says the inherent risks associated with hauling any type of cargo makes the logging truck one of the most dangerous spots in the forest industry. “Overall within the industry, log hauling…
A “remarkably quiet fire season” in Yukon so far this year may be due in part to the Fort McMurray fires, said fire information officer George Maratos. He says the number of human-caused fires in Yukon is down. “I think it was just more of an awareness thing, where people saw the devastation [in Fort McMurray] and…
Look up. Way up. And gaze upon the hidden treasures at Cottonwood Island Park where carver Elmer Gunderson has bestowed upon the bark of a few select trees images of a host of characters and wee fairy houses for the whimsical enjoyment of all who pass. It’s crossed the mind of many a tree lover…
Every Wednesday, climate journalist Tyler Hamilton gathers up the latest Ontario climate news and cutting-edge research on how climate change is shaping the world. It’s a recurring theme in our weekly roundup, but it’s difficult to talk about climate change during the summer without some mention of wildfires. And on that front, Alberta has suffered…
Preemptive work done in the Lillooet area proved effective in June when wildfire struck. Two fires started on June 30 in the area, but never got very intense, thanks to the fuel reduction efforts of local municipalities, First Nations groups and the B.C. Wildfire Service, according to a release from the B.C. Wildfire Service. The…