Fort St. John Forestry Workers Prevent the Spread of Pine Beetle

Through a 300 thousand dollar fund injection, the Community Development Trust has given a helping hand to forest workers and trees in the Fort St.John Area. In collaboration with the job opportunity program, twelve forest workers are being employed to help clear beetle-attacked trees near Fort St.John and held reduce the spread of the mountain pine beetle in the area. Over 3000 Trees have been identified as larvea infested in the South blueberry and Aikman Creek. In order to prevent the spreading, the trees must be cut and burned. While the forestry industry is struggling during tough economic times, the provincial government ceased the opportunity to help out unemplyed forest workers in the province.

To date, the Job Opportunities Program has approved over $16 million to support 93 projects, which will in turn employ more than 750 forest workers in communities across the province.

Kathy Mueller -- Fort St. John