Supervisor of Forest Protection, Jeff Motty says crews have been monitoring populations of spruce budworm throughout the province over the winter to determine whether control programs are required.
There’s more to the Forestry and Agriculture’s Spruce Budworm Early Intervention Control Program than just spraying agents. Supervisor of Forest Protection, Jeff Motty says crews have been monitoring populations of spruce budworm throughout the province over the winter to determine whether control programs are required. He says based on this research, the Department will be spraying about 90,000 hectares of forest in western and Northern Newfoundland. He says a very small amount is applied on a per hectare basis and it’s diluted with water. Motty says last year, they sprayed thousands more hectares and since the program started in 2020, they are seeing positive results. Aerial treatments will take place on forest land located south of the Bay of Islands, east of Gros Morne National Park extending to the Baie Verte area, north of Gros Morne National Park up to the Plum Point area, and the Roddickton-Bide Arm area. More information is available by calling the Forest Insect Control Program Daily Update Line at 1-877-636-2996.