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Newfoundland’s spruce budworm control program set to begin

Newfoundland and Labrador’s Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture’s Spruce Budworm Early Intervention Control Program will be active along parts of Western Newfoundland and the Northern Peninsula this summer, subject to insect development and weather. Spruce budworm is a destructive forest insect capable of causing widespread defoliation leading to tree mortality and growth losses.

Aerial treatments will take place on forest land located south of the Bay of Islands, east of Gros Morne National Park extending to the Baie Verte area, north of Gros Morne National Park up to the Plum Point area, and the Roddickton-Bide Arm area.

Up to 90,000 hectares of forest is scheduled to be protected using one or more applications of the biological control agent Btk, which has been approved for use by the Health Canada – Pest Management Regulatory Agency. Additional information about Btk is available on the Department of Environment and Climate Change website.

Program information including times, locations and maps related to treatment activities will be available on the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture 2024 Forest Insect Control Program website or by calling the Forest Insect Control Program Daily Update Line at 1-877-636-2996. Public signage and maps will be posted along access roads leading to areas where treatment is planned.