Bud Worm

The federal government recently released its annual “State of Canada’s Forests” report, showing Newfoundland and Labrador recorded 85,921 hectares defoliated by insects and beetle-killed trees. The count is provided each year to the feds and is based on the most recent year’s data (in this case, 2015). But this latest federal report appeared to be alarmingly higher than the 12,033 hectares recorded just a year earlier (2014 data results). When The Telegram followed up on the jump, it was told there had been a mistake. …The Government of Canada has been notified, according to a provincial rep. There is no alarming year-over-year jump in insect damage. That said, Newfoundland and Labrador must remain vigilant and manage insect spread and forest damage wherever possible … given the potential financial consequences of an outbreak.