The Mountain Pine Beetle epidemic is a serious threat to the social, economic, and environmental well being of many communities and peoples in the southern interior region of British Columbia.  The Ministry of Forests and Range in its 2007 beetle update report estimated the cumulative area of provincial Crown forest affected ‘to some degree (red-attack and grey-attack) for 2007 is about 13 million hectares’.  While the majority of pine beetle infested timber is in the northern regions of British Columbia there are significant areas in the southern interior.

In response to the beetle epidemic a working group of representatives from nine regional districts, four First Nations’ Tribal Councils, and a representative from Community Futures Development Corporation of Central Interior First Nations met in 2006 to discuss the formation of a beetle coalition.  In April of 2007, the Province of British Columbia and Government of Canada provided initial funding of $50,000 in addition to the $5,000 each regional district had provided.  In July 2007, the Premier announced a further commitment of $800,000 to the coalition.  The monies were targeted for a range of activities intended to quantify the impact of the beetle, find ways to sustain and strengthen the communities most affected, and establish the beetle coalition.