Sawtooth Whitebark Pine Restoration Project

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Sawtooth Whitebark Pine Restoration Project
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Within 30 Miles of Ketchum, how old is the oldest
tree?
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Whitebark pines live over 1200 years Limber
pines live even longer
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Whitebark and limber pines are the heart of our
treeline ecosystem You can find them on our
ridgelines above 7700 feet elevation
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The whitebark pine is one of five stone pines in
the world. It is the only stone pine in North
America. About one million years ago the
whitebark pine migrated from Eurasia to North
America Thanks to its bird
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Most pines have cones which open in early fall,
allowing the wind to catch small wings on the
seeds and disperse them. Whitebarks cones do not
open and their rich seeds have no wings. Instead
the whitebark pine was brought to us by the
clarks nutcracker, which has co-evolved with the
tree. Nutcrackers use their special beaks to
extract seeds and store them under their
tongue Up to 85 seeds at a time.
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The nutcracker will cache his mouthful, 3 to 5 at
a time, in carefully selected locations up to 12
miles from the tree. The nutcracker will
remember 80 of cache sites for 3 years Pairs
mate for life and can live and raise young from
their seed caches year round
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The North American Red Squirrel, or chickaree,
loves whitebark pine nuts
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Chickarees cut whitebark cones and carefully
store them in middens, which may be generations
old and as big as 20 square feet
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Whitebark pine nuts are 21 carbs, 21 protein,
and 52 fat, 2700 calories to the pound, perhaps
the richest food in the mountains
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Our black bears depend on the whitebark nuts
stored in chickaree middens for a significant
portion of their diet
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The pine marten is one of very few animals able
to catch chickarees
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Blue grouse often shelter in whitebark crowns
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Whitebark stands on the treeline create a
microclimate which allow other species to survive
in an otherwise hostile enviroment. The
whitebark and limber pines of the Sawtooth
National Forest are a national treasure Their
future is uncertain
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In the past four years a mountain pine beetle
epidemic has killed many mature whitebark
pines. Warmer temperatures have allowed the
beetles to enhance reproduction and move higher
into whitebark populations. The beetles prefer
large trees.
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From 1920 to 1940 a similar MPB epidemic ravaged
mature whitebarks in a regional warm
period. Many of these dead still stand. Cold
winters and heavy snows in the 40s and 50s helped
to end the devastation. A similar respite is
unlikely today
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Young whitebarks are overlooked by beetles but do
not produce seed till around age 40
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Young whitebarks also face a new threat in our
mountains
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White pine blister rust, which has devastated
young whitebarks in other areas, is sporadically
present now
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The combined threats of MPB and WPBR could spell
the end of our treeline ecosystem There are
strategies to address both of these threats.
Though imperfect, these methods could make the
difference. What really could be done to help
ensure enough whitebarks survive to repopulate
our treeline?
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Simple steps to provide some protection from
mountain pine beetle First, trees are inspected
for signs they have already been attacked and
cannot be saved When beetle bore into the trees,
they leave frass
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The most cost-effective protection against
beetles are verbenone pouches Verbenone is a
pheremone designed to signal beetles that the
tree is already full of beetles Verbenone
testing shows as many as 80 of pouched trees are
protected from beetle attack
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Near Baker Peak, this whitebark remains
unattacked Cost for verbenone to protect this
tree would be about 15.00 Verbenone must be
applied in late June, before beetles leave their
dying hosts With limited resources the SNF is
unable to protect many whitebarks
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The Sawtooth Whitebark Pine Restoration Project
is a local non-profit formed to channel donations
directly to whitebark and limber pine restoration
efforts like verbenone application in the
Sawtooth National Forest The SWPRP has no paid
staff or overhead and has established a
relationship with the SNF
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Some whitebarks are resistant to the other
serious threat, the fungus, white pine blister
rust Another goal of the SWPRP is to fund seed
collection from these individuals and planting of
WPBR resistant seedlings in the SNF
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This whitebark is around 1200 years old. Near Sun
Valley a limber pine has been dated at 1700 years
old. Without support from lovers of the Sawtooth
National Forest many of these old trees and the
treeline ecosystem they have created may not
survive for future generations
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The SWPRP has evolved with the help and advice of
many professionals in the USFS and BLM,
including Dana Perkins, PhD, Challis BLM Jim
Rineholt, forester, SNRA Robin Garwood,
biologist, SNRA Alan Young, forester, Fairfield
Ranger District David Skinner, biologist,
Fairfield Ranger District Mary Frances
Mahalovich Dale Bennett Karl Fueling Sandra
Kegley Kurt Nelson Sara Baldwin