BC Forest Industry Challenge and Opportunities The Blue Challenge BC Forest Industry Challenge and Opportunities

Forestry Quick Facts 25% of forested area is Lodgepole Pine. B.C.’s land base is 95 million hectares (235 million acres). Two-thirds of B.C.’s land base is forested (60 million hectares). Less than one per cent (600,000 hectares) of B.C.’s forests logged each year. 25% of forested area is Lodgepole Pine. Forestry is a 7 Billion dollar per year industry.

Forest Management in BC At the end of 2007 B.C. had more than 48 million hectares (118.6 million acres) certified to one of three global standards for sustainable forest management. B.C. has more than 13 million hectares of protected lands (parks, ecological reserves etc.). B.C. has designated another 13 million hectares for special management (other values such as wildlife habitat take precedence over logging).

The Blue Challenge What to do with the Blue stained pine wood caused by the Mountain Pine Beetle. Watch this video:

The Blue Challenge

Pine Beetle Facts The life span of an individual mountain pine beetle is about one year. Pine beetle larvae spend the winter under bark. Adult mountain pine beetles emerge from an infested tree over the course of the summer and into early fall. The mountain pine beetle transmits a fungus that stains a tree's sapwood blue. Comprehensive testing has confirmed that the blue stain caused by the beetle has no effect on wood's strength properties.

Life Cycle Of The Mountain Pine Beetle

Impact on BC’s Forests Current mountain pine beetle infestation on a scale never before seen in BC. Millions of trees have been killed. The direction and spread rate of the beetle infestation is impossible to predict. Potential to infect and kill 25% of BC’s forests.

Controlling the Pine Beetle Cold weather with temperatures consistently at or below -35 Celsius for several straight days will kill off large portions of mountain pine beetle populations. Forest fires can kill beetle eggs, pupae and larvae. Natural predators such as woodpeckers. Sanitation harvesting - removing single infested trees. Snip and skid - removing groups of infested trees that are scattered over a large area.

One Opportunity British Columbia is facing a big question: what to do with the billions of trees killed by the mountain pine beetle? Sorin Pasca, A graduate student at UNBC doesn’t have the whole answer but he has a concrete suggestion.

Cement Wood

Other Opportunities Given the billions of beetle killed pine trees available… What would you do with blue-stained pine wood? Given BC’s upcoming world events, how could you market the products as “uniquely BC”?

Denim Pine Hand Turned Bowl Picnic Table Rustic Bed Frame Furniture Flooring Denim Pine Hand Turned Bowl Oiled Blue Pine Salmon Chest

Conclusion Pine wood is being used in the manufacture of: Lumber Plywood OSB Pellets For more information on the Mountain Pine Beetle visit the BC Ministry of Forests and Range Website : http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfp/sof/