Ontario’s forests are facing a coordinated attack of sorts

By David Hawke
Collingwood Today
October 30, 2023
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada East

ORILLIA, Ontario — What do spruce budworm moths, oak wilt fungus, white-spotted sawyer beetles and Ontario wildfires all have in common? These were just some of the topics addressed at the annual Ontario Forest Health Review conference recently held in Orillia. This annual sharing of information was hosted by Natural Resources Canada, Forests Ontario, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, and the Invasive Species Centre. …Our forests are indeed being besieged by numerous stressors, including insects, fungus, drought, fire, and a changing and violent weather pattern (think ice loading and tornado-like winds). A few years ago, this conference would have addressed each of these concerns individually. …This year there was a real blending of information, as ongoing research is showing that, surprise, everything is connected to everything else. 

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