The territorial government has been monitoring a decline in trembling aspens, also known as white poplars, that is currently taking place mostly within the southern Deh Cho region.

SA国际影视传媒淥ur current efforts focus on mapping the full extent of this phenomenon,SA国际影视传媒� stated Jacob Olesinski, a forest ecologist with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, in an email.

SA国际影视传媒淪o far, we have mapped areas in the Liard Valley and near Fort Simpson totaling over 35,000 hectares and over 1,200 hectares in the South Slave.SA国际影视传媒�

Natural Resources CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 website states there has been widespread declines in trembling aspen across west-central Canada, much of which is attributable to droughts. Olesinski says the case is a little different in the NWT.

Olesinski says the die-off is likely due to shifts in the saturation of ground with water in the area.

SA国际影视传媒淚t's not a typical drought-caused die-back,SA国际影视传媒� stated Olesinski, SA国际影视传媒淏ut rather a complex mixed bag effect of various environmental factors including local flooding and also drought that was prevalent in the Deh Cho over the last few years.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淓NR is keeping an eye on this and our efforts are focused on mapping the full extent of the decline and better understanding its causes.SA国际影视传媒�

According to Olesinski, there have also been tent caterpillar infestations noticed over the years among trembling aspen, and ENR is monitoring these as well.

These infestations donSA国际影视传媒檛 kill the trees, he wrote, but they do consume much of the treeSA国际影视传媒檚 foliage, which hampers the treesSA国际影视传媒� growth.

The only other tent caterpillar infestation on record in the NWT was in the Deh Cho during the mid-90s. The current spread of infestations, which is in the South Slave region, began in 2015, expanding along the Slave River and Fort Smith area the next year. Defoliation from tent caterpillars declined by 58 per cent last year.

There are several other insects around, as well, which defoliate aspens.

According to a map released as part of ENRSA国际影视传媒檚 2017 Forest Health Report, much of the aspen die-off has been observed around Fort Liard, Nahanni Butte, Jean Marie River and Trout Lake. Olesinski says an updated Forest Health Report is due out next month.

Officials at Natural Resources Canada, as well as staff at the Northern Farm Training Institute, did not return requests for comment by press time.