The adelgid is an important pest of true firs in the Atlantic provinces, the NE and NW United States and SW British Columbia. There is tremendous concern it will spread into the Interior and infest the very important and widely distributed subalpine fir forests. There is a provincial regulation that restricts the movement of true firs within BC to reduce the risk of balsam woolly adelgid spreading into the Interior of BC.
Trees grown outside the quarantine zone (Figure 1) have free movement within the province. True firs grown in the quarantine zone cannot be shipped outside the zone within British Columbia. There are no restrictions on the domestic movement of true firs outside of British Columbia. Sale and movement of cut trees or foliage of true firs grown in the quarantine zone is prohibited between January 31 and November 1 anywhere in the province. Cones and seeds are exempt from this regulation. When moved between November 1 and January 31, cut Christmas trees, boughs for wreaths or decorations, and cones are also exempt from zone restrictions.
Figure 1. Areas within British Columbia regulated for Balsam Woolly Adelgid.
Updated February, 2007