http://www.1075kiss.com/news/headlines/ (Pete McIntyre)
The Western pine beetle is expected to arrive in Vernon this spring, and the city is being urged to take action. Mike Carlson from the B-C Forest Service told city council, the tree killing bug should be nesting in local trees by late April, and could kill hundreds of Ponderosa Pines. He tells KISS FM, Vernon has not yet seen the devastation of other areas."Why we've been passed over, for the most part, I have no idea. There have been a few trees killed on East Hill and around the city but nothing like either Kamloops or Kelowna, but our time is coming, I'm sure." Carlson is advising the city take preventative action on its trees and to educate the public about the situation.
He says installing protective window screening around trees at a cost of around $200 per tree ($30 for screening and $170 for service) , is the most effective alternative to spraying pesticides."Thirty feet of the stem of the Ponderosa pine has to be covered with this and limbs within the first thirty feet have to be taken off. It does appear to be effective in most cases. It appears to be the best alternative to pesticide spraying, particularly the pesticide Seven that kills everything."Carlson says installing the screening would be cheaper than the estimated $800 to remove each tree.
City council instructed its staff to prepare a report on the issue for its next meeting, outlining the number of trees and the costs. Council's finance committee will also discuss if the city should cover the costs for affected trees on private property as well as those on public sites.
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