The goal of organic insecticide sprays is to keep the forest alive by protecting 50% of the annual foliage until the epidemic subsides under the influence of natural control agents.
During an epidemic, the annual planning of a protection program begins with an autumn inventory of dormant insects. SOPFIM protects highly targeted sectors that meet predetermined forestry, operational and entomological criteria. The inventory of dormant larval populations and the assessment of anticipated damage are the basic information for prescribing treatments in areas eligible for direct protection. Subsequently, the wooded areas to be protected are divided into operational blocks, which are distinguished by the number of applications of bio-insecticide prescribed.
Several territories are likely to be affected by the spruce budworm. The SOPFIM applies specific selection criteria to protect forest tracts vulnerable to attacks of the spruce budworm in natural forests of the public domain and large private forests.
Each year, the Ministère (MRNF) conducts an aerial survey of damage caused by the spruce budworm in Quebec forests, which allows us to assess the effectiveness of our protection programs. To be successful, our interventions must have protected at least 50% of annual foliage in at least 70% of protected areas.
