Fall and Burn Program (Spring 2005)

As a result of the pine beetle surveys described below, a fall and burn program in the Park has been completed. Just over 200 lodgepole pine trees were cut down, bucked up and burned to kill the pine beetle larvae that would have emerged as adults this summer. The Nature Park Society is concerned about beetle impacts from a forest fire fuel loading perspective only. We considered the fall and burn program the beginning of a larger effort to reduce the amount of fuel in the Park and the risk to Kimberley from a wildfire. Many hundreds of trees in the Park that have pine beetle in them, have not been burned. Future fuel reduction will be part of a holistic, comprehensive plan for the Park.

This draft map shows some of the areas where the fall and burn program took place.

A crew of contractors busy falling, bucking and burning beetle infested pine.

A burning pile of lodgepole pine.

Susan and friend beside an ash pile. A fair bit of debris, (tops, branches and small trees knocked down in the process) remain scattered around the site.