The Calgary Forest Area’s Mountain Pine Beetle survey and control program for 2019-20 begins Thursday, November 28 and goes until Tuesday, March 31, 2020.
Crews will be working in the Kananaskis area around Barrier Lake and in Bow Valley Provincial Park as well as sites in the Crowsnest Pass, Exshaw Valley and around Canmore.
They'll use chainsaws to cut, pile and burn infested trees on-site in order to kill the beetles.
They're trying to lessen the negative effects to park goers and also minimize the number of trees the bugs kill in Southern Alberta.
Alberta Parks says if the beetles are allowed to multiply unchecked, they are prone to population explosions.
In recent years, the pine beetle has experienced favourable weather and habitat helping them flourish.
If their population reaches epidemic levels, they become extremely difficult and more expensive to control.
The beetles are known to start producing their natural antifreeze in late fall and hit their peak cold tolerance in January.
This means the cold weather would really have to last until February or March to make a big impact.
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