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We are teaming up with Hatfield Consultants to develop a cutting edge forest health mapping tool to quickly identify areas of pest outbreaks and tree health issues
Western Spruce Budworm Mapping
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Western Spruce Budworm
Forests throughout the south coast of BC are currently in their third outbreak year of Western Spruce Budworm. This results in unsightly defoliation and potential tree damage over time – if you've driven through Whistler or the Fraser Canyon, you've probably seen widespread areas of brown trees.
The Problem
It is critical to detect where new outbreaks are occurring and to measure the budworm's severity over time so we can better understand how are forests will be impacted, now and in the future.
The Challenge
Western Spruce Budworm is hard to track, and the Ministry of Forests' traditional methods – using fixed wing aircraft and GPS – take a lot of effort and time, relying on what can be seen from the air.
Our Solution
Together with Hatfield Consultants, we're building a solution that utilizes remote sensing imagery to map Western Spruce Budworm more rapidly, more safely, and more effectively.
what we're building
WSB Pilot Study
Frontera and Hatfield Consultants have collaborated to launch a pilot study using an earth observation approach to:
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Detect initial WSB outbreaks annually
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Map WSB occurrence from 2023 to present
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Map likely severity across the Cheakamus Community Forest
