Spruce Budworm: Concerns in Cook County

Environmental & Science Education, STEM, Nature, Wildlife, Sustainability, Global Change

Ed Hessler

Joe Friedrichs, WTIP: North Shore Community Radio interviewed MnDNR's Eric Otto on concerns about growing spruce budworm defoliation in Cook County on July 5.

In the written introduction to the interview, Friedrichs writes "Stands of white spruce and balsam fir in  Cook County are being devastated by spruce budworm throughout the region....

"Officials from the U. S. Forest Service and DNR described a 'tinderbox' in the BWCA and surrounding area during recent wildfires, a direct result of forests being impacted by spruce budworm. These include the Greenwood Fire near Isabella that scorched nearly 27,000 acres in 2021. More recently, local officials referenced spruce budworm as a reason the Spice Lake Fire had the potential to spread rapidly, a notion that resulted in a partial closure of the BWCA in June."

The conversation between Joe Friedrichs and Eric Otto is 13 m 01s long.