There is no sense in being overly dramatic about the arrival of mountain and western pine beetles in the area, but there is no question the tiny pests pose a significant threat.Just as in Kamloops, Kelowna and other Interior communities, Vernon and the North Okanagan could see a significant invasion of the insects. And that means hundreds, if not thousands of ponderosa pines could be killed. Once dead, they must be removed before they fall over and injure people or damage property. The dead trees also increase the potential fuel for wildfires.
But on top of this, the epidemic could change the physical look of the region we call home. Imagine the cemeteries in Vernon and Coldstream without their majestic pines? What about the heritage growth on East Hill or the large swaths of dead trees on the way to Silver Star? Already tree removal is providing for some empty spaces in local provincial parks. It seems like there is little that can be done to stop the insects, but that doesn’t mean we should just give up.
We welcome the City of Vernon’s plans to launch a strategy soon, including possibly assisting residents financially to save trees. While these trees may be on private land, all residents benefit from their esthetic value while bugs don’t recognize property rights. Beetles can easily spread from backyard trees to those on civic lands, and vice versa. We would hope that the city isn’t alone in this battle, and the other local municipalities and the North Okanagan Regional District will also actively get involved. A concerted effort is required by everyone, and that will require the necessary financial resources.
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