New Brunswick, Canada is bracing for the return of the spruce budworm, a pest that ravaged the province's forests in the 1960s and 70s. The outbreak lasted until 1993. It is starting to move into New Brunswick from Quebec. Dave MacLean, one of Canada's leading authorities on this pest, forcasts the cost to the Province in lost stumpage revenue, forestry jobs, and overall economic impact of another outbreak if nothing is done to mitigate the damage. He and his colleagues have analysed the cost/benefit ratio of various responses to an outbreak. They include doing nothing, focused spraying of biological agents and changing harvesting schedules. He presented these at a Forest Pest and Disease Workshop, hosted by Fundy Model Forest in Fredericton, N.B. Feb. 15, 2012. This movie was created from his Power Point presentation. Dr. MacLean retains copyright.
