Ellen MacDonald, professor in the Department of Renewable Resources at the University of Alberta, talks about research on lodgepole pine regeneration after mountain pine beetle outbreaks in Alberta. This work includes developing operational-scale harvesting and site preparation treatments to rehabilitate pure lodgepole pine stands that have been partially killed by MPB, and assess the fire risk of forests receiving partial harvesting and mechanical site preparation treatments designed to facilitate tree regeneration.
Research found that pine stands in Alberta mostly show very gradual mortality post-MPB. Since most sites are without seedlings, there will be almost no chance for successful natural regeneration in the near future. Future work includes assessing the potential for lodgepole pine regeneration post-MPB attack across a range of lodgepole pine ecosite types in west-Central Alberta.
This presentation was a part of the Mountain Pine Beetle Information Exchange Forum in Edmonton, in April, 2015.
