Spruce Budworm information
In July 2025, with support from the Silviculture Innovation Program, Líl’wat K’wezúsmin’ (Title and Rights Department), Provincial Forest Health specialists, local naturalists, tenure holders, and Spel’kúmtn foresters came together on the land to share knowledge, observations and concerns related to forest health in the Territory.
Much of the discussion focused on the current spruce budworm outbreak. Encouragingly, what the Provincial entomologists observed in the Pemberton-Mount Currie area left them cautiously optimistic. Although outbreaks can last several years, the insects migrate from one stand to the next, seeking ‘greener pastures.’ This movement can give previously affected trees time to recover. Also, more mature trees, with a larger proportion of older needles and greater stored reserves, tend to be less impacted in the longer term.
In consultation with Líl’wat Nation and local stakeholders,the Provincial forest health team is now working on a Pest Management Plan. Generally, the primary proposed control method used for spruce budworm is the use of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (B.t.k.), a bacterium that occurs naturally on dead or decaying matter in the soil.
However, foundational to any land use or management decisions in Líl’wat Territory is the guidance from the Nation, K’wezúsm’in (Líl’wat Title and Rights Department) and the input of community members and Knowledge Keepers. Currently, management direction in the Land Use Plan for Líl’wat Nation Traditional Territory is to eliminate the use of pesticides and herbicides. The forest health team will work in collaboration with Nation on planning next steps.
To support forest health more broadly, Líl’wat Forestry Ventures - the primary tenure holder within the Nation’s Territory and Forest Managers for Spel’kúmtn Community Forest - are implementing resilience-building strategies. Given the abundance of dense, second-growth forests in the area, stand thinning is an approach that targets multiple objectives: increasing light into the understory to encourage growth of berry bushes, other browse or mushrooms, while also reducing fuel loads in forests near communities.
Learn more about innovative forestry practices within Líl’wat Territory: https://lilwatbusiness.ca/first-nation-led-innovation-in-forestry-uses-cultural-burns-and-thinning-to-bring-back-food-and-wildlife/
Following the outing, PiqueNewsmagazine ran an article on the outbreak in the Sea to Sky area:
https://www.piquenewsmagazine.com/cover-stories/in-the-red-10937238
Provincial level resources on spruce budworm can be found here: