District of North Vancouver says discoloured trees have been appearing in significant numbers in the forested areas of the community.
“We believe this brown discolouration is caused in part by the hemlock looper moth infestation, which began two years ago, and by the heat dome that we recently experienced,” DNV said.
The brown colour indicates stress and defoliation (loss of leaves) from the looper moth.
Some trees that were already impacted by the looper moth infestation were further affected by the extreme heat.
Though there are no immediate measures we can take to control the outbreak, DNV is working with Metro Vancouver and the Province to assess the damage to our forests and determine potential next steps.
The western hemlock looper is a native species, and is part of the natural coastal forest ecosystem that feeds on trees, particularly in the Fromme and Lynn Valley area where the community borders the forest.
