Water storage of pine - A strategy to mitigate losses due to mountain pine beetle

The pine forests of BC are currently subjected to an epidemic infestation of mountain pine beetle. This paper provides a review of the history and extent of the infestation, a report on the likely economic effects of extensive pine mortality and an evaluation of a strategy to mitigate some of the projected negative economic impacts. Because of the infestation's scale, the limited shelf-life of dead standing timber, and milling capacity constraints, a majority of the affected pine will not be salvaged. The merchantable value of some of the affected timber could be maintained by storing it in lakes. Lake storage involves substantial carrying charges as logging costs are incurred in the near term while the timber will be processed and sold at some time in the future. Incentives will likely be required and it is recommended that the Province defer stumpage, facilitate regulatory approvals and appoint a "Facilitator of Innovation".