Research: Is Maine prepared for the next spruce budworm outbreak?
In 1980, Maine’s North Woods was a sea of gray, the result of a spruce budworm infestation that decimated millions of acres. The eastern spruce budworm is believed to be the most damaging forest insect in Maine and North America. Outbreaks of the insect that kills balsam fir and spruce trees occur every 30 to 60 years. And another one could be heading for Maine. In advance of the outbreak, the University of Maine has partnered with the Maine Forest Service and Maine Forest Products Council to form a Maine Spruce Budworm Task Force to keep forest landowners and government officials informed about the insect and aspects of Maine’s forest resources that would be affected by the next outbreak.
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