A new study indicates that over the past 10 years, the Nanaimo region has gained more winter days above 0 C than anywhere else in Canada. The study comes from Climate Central, a non-profit based in New Jersey… The report found that over the 10-year period from 2014 to 2023, Nanaimo gained 18 winter days above 0 C, and now averages 70 days each winter when the temperature doesn’t dip below zero. …She warned that the rapid change in year-over-year temperature can have devastating impacts on Vancouver Island’s ecosystems, with one example Dahl being waterways, which are heavily influenced by the snowpack from each winter. …The main bark beetle of concern on Vancouver Island is the Douglas-fir beetle, which prefers recently dead, dying or severely stressed trees. Stress can be due to severe drought, disease or sometimes even lightning strikes. In addition, inclement weather can lead to boosted populations with windthrown trees.