Whitebark pine restoration strategy for the US Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region
Location
USU Eccles Conference Center
Event Website
www.restoringthewest.org
Abstract
There are over 1.1 million acres of whitebark pine habitat in Oregon and Washington, 96% of which is on US Forest Service land. The US Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region (OR and WA) has allocated substantial financial and human resources in efforts for conservation and restoration of whitebark pine. These efforts have followed a plan outlined in a document titled the “Whitebark Pine Restoration Strategy for the Pacific Northwest Region” which presents a comprehensive 5-year plan to reach the goal of “a network of viable populations of whitebark pine throughout the Pacific Northwest.” The key actions prescribed include: collect seed for gene conservation and rust resistance screening; assess stand conditions in priority management units; develop plans for planting seedlings in priority management units; continue a rust screening program with emphasis on seed zones in grizzly bear areas; treat for mountain pine beetle in high risk management units; develop an approach for planting seedlings in designated wilderness areas; develop an approach to mitigate the predicted impacts of climate change. Highlights of some of the activities that have been undertaken as prescribed in this strategy will be discussed.
Whitebark pine restoration strategy for the US Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region
USU Eccles Conference Center
There are over 1.1 million acres of whitebark pine habitat in Oregon and Washington, 96% of which is on US Forest Service land. The US Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region (OR and WA) has allocated substantial financial and human resources in efforts for conservation and restoration of whitebark pine. These efforts have followed a plan outlined in a document titled the “Whitebark Pine Restoration Strategy for the Pacific Northwest Region” which presents a comprehensive 5-year plan to reach the goal of “a network of viable populations of whitebark pine throughout the Pacific Northwest.” The key actions prescribed include: collect seed for gene conservation and rust resistance screening; assess stand conditions in priority management units; develop plans for planting seedlings in priority management units; continue a rust screening program with emphasis on seed zones in grizzly bear areas; treat for mountain pine beetle in high risk management units; develop an approach for planting seedlings in designated wilderness areas; develop an approach to mitigate the predicted impacts of climate change. Highlights of some of the activities that have been undertaken as prescribed in this strategy will be discussed.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/rtw/2013/Poster/11