The spruce budworm is a native forest insect that inhabits the spruce-fir forests of northeastern North America. Outbreaks of this insect occur every 30 to 40 years. During this cycle, populations range from being very low (endemic) to very high (epidemic). If left unmanaged, these outbreaks can result in significant growth reduction and mortality of spruce and balsam fir trees.
Scientists from Natural Resources Canada’s (NRCan) Canadian Forest Service and five Canadian universities are testing a unique approach to managing spruce budworm populations – the early intervention strategy (EIS) for spruce budworm. If successful, the EIS could prevent an outbreak from occurring, with minimal or no defoliation in forests and therefore no impact on the wood supply, the economy, and the ecological services that spruce-fir forests provide.