EDMONTON – Member of Parliament Rob Merrifield (Yellowhead), today announced an additional $2 million in funding to boost spread control of the mountain pine beetle in Alberta. The announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural Resources.
"Today's investment is one of the positive actions our government is taking to fight the northward and eastward spread of the mountain pine beetle," said Mr. Merrifield. "With this funding, we are helping the province of Alberta deliver their control efforts in areas that scientists have identified as top priorities."
Alberta will receive the funding to address spread control in the southern Rockies and the Lesser Slave Lake area of the province.
"This funding is aimed at priority areas that were identified in our risk assessment," said Mr. Merrifield. "This is a targeted control program based on the best scientific knowledge, which is ensuring that our resources are used effectively to slow the spread of the beetle infestation."
Today's announcement is a new funding allocation under the government of Canada's ongoing Mountain Pine Beetle Program. In addition to economic diversification and community protection activities, $49.5 million has been invested in the past year to control the spread of the beetle in Alberta. Recent investments have included $2 million to be shared between B.C. and Alberta for work in the South Peace Region and $4 million for beetle spread control in Alberta.
In addition to this federal support for beetle control on provincial forest land, the Government of Canada is also funding beetle control and habitat adjustment in federal parks in the Rocky Mountains in Alberta and British Columbia.
In January 2007, the Government of Canada announced the Mountain Pine Beetle Program, a $200-million investment over three years to slow the eastward spread of the mountain pine beetle infestation, to recover economic value from impacted forests and to protect forest resources and communities.
FOR BROADCAST USE:
MP Rob Merrifield today announced $2 million in funding for further mountain pine beetle spread-control efforts in Alberta. This funding will assist with coordinated efforts to slow the eastward and northward spread of the mountain pine beetle.
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