November 2, 2005 for immediate release

The community and forest management effects of the mountain pine beetleinfestation will be explored at a UNBC forum on November 9 & 10.The forum is intended to link researchers with community advocates andforest managers to identify what we know – and what we still need toknow – about the effects of the pine beetle on forests, the economy,and communities.

Wednesday, November 9, 6pm, 9-200 (Dr. Donald Rix Northern Health Sciences Centre)
Introduction to the conference by UNBC Vice-President Research MaxBlouw. The keynote address will be given by UNBC professor Greg Halsethon the need for economic and community renewal in the North. Dr.Halseth is a Canada Research Chair on rural and small-town studies andis involved with national research on the New Rural Economy.

Thursday, November 10, 8:30am, 9-200 (Dr. Donald Rix Northern Health Sciences Centre)
Various presentations on the forest-level effects of the mountain pinebeetle, including the impacts on future timber supply and outdoorrecreation. There will also be break-out sessions in the afternoon. Intotal, there will be eight presentation and four breakout themes.

Thefollowing website has the full details about the conference:http://www.forrex.org/events/mountainpinebeetleforum/program.html

Registration is free.

The pine beetle forum at UNBC will be a continuation of a similarworkshop at UBC earlier in the week. The forum will utilize thevideoconference technology installed for the Northern Medical Program,allowing local residents to participate in the UBC forum and vice versa.
 
British Columbia is currently facing the largest mountain pine beetleepidemic that Canada has ever seen. Aerial surveys of the province haveshown the area infested by mountain pine beetle in BC has increasedfrom 165,000 hectares in 1999 to more than seven million hectares in2004.

Contact:
Rob van Adrichem, Director of Media and Public Relations, UNBC - 250.960.5622