Rory McIntosh

The provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta continue to collaborate in the fight against the mountain pine beetle. Since 2011 the provinces have worked together as Dr. Rory McIntosh, Forest insect and disease expert for forest services with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment explains. Since 2011 we’ve worked with the province of Alberta to slow the spread east and the spread of beetles in Alberta. We feel the best approach is to prevent the beetle from reaching Saskatchewan rather than try to manage it in a northern forest. Dr. McIntosh adds that in the early 2000s a massive outbreak in British Columbia resulted in the mortality of almost 55% of the growing pine stock. In addition, the beetles spread in two huge dispersal events in 2006 and 2009 scattering beetles halfway across Alberta. According to Dr. McIntosh detection systems have been set up in Saskatchewan’s northern forests and to date, no beetles have been found here.