A Vernon neighbourhood has united in the fight against the voracious western pine beetle. Six properties in the 2600 block of 24th Avenue have hired crews to wrap ponderosa pines in an attempt to save the trees, some of which are about 300 years old. “Our trees are precious and everything will change once they are gone,” said resident Gary Deleenheer. That view is shared by Janice Clements. I bought the house because it’s surrounded by pines,” she said. “The idea of what the place could look like is depressing.” The neighbourhood decided to take collective action after an arborist investigated the area and it was discovered some trees had already been infested. In the case of Brian Quiring, he had to cut down 17 trees on his lot. It’s anticipated other trees will be lost, but the goal is to save as many as possible.
“There’s no 100 per cent cure for this but we’re trying what we know,” said Ultimate Logging’s Pete Tovani, who has been contracted to do the work. Fiberglass mesh is wrapped around each tree to about 30 feet in height. It is secured in place with stainless steel staples. The rush is on as the beetles could start flying in May, spreading even further through the area. “The clock is ticking,” said Tovani. Beyond mesh, the neighbours will also use pheromone packages to try and disrupt the beetles’ habits. About three treatments of pheromones will be required per tree for three or four years. “It could be an ongoing thing for a few years,” said Deleenheer. It will cost about $200 per tree to try and save them, but Deleenheer points out that is considerably less than removing dead trees.
But while the neighbours have taken a co-operative approach, there is concern the beetles could take root in a number of trees on a Ministry of Transportation right-of-way. “They don’t want to do anything about it. We’re going to put pressure on them,” said Deleenheer. And because beetles don’t recognize boundaries, the residents are hoping the city may provide financial assistance to save trees on both private and public lands.“They cold help out, even if it’s just to buy the materials,” said Deleenheer. Tovani is urging other residents in Vernon to prepare for the beetle epidemic. “It’s not a case if they hit, it’s when they get hit,” he said.
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