Whitebark Pine Conservation Program 2016 Annual Report

Beck, Jennifer

This report outlines the activities that were completed in 2016 as part of the Crater Lake National Park Whitebark Pine Conservation Program. Major activities of Crater Lake National Park’s Whitebark Pine Conservation Program in 2016 supported the Park’s goals and objectives for conserving and restoring whitebark pine. Seventy-four trees were subject to annual Collection tree monitoring efforts. This monitoring detected no new mortalities of Collection trees; three trees newly infected with white pine blister rust; two trees freshly attacked by mountain pine beetles; and no new dwarf mistletoe infections. One hundred ninety-two trees of management importance were treated with verbenone to help ward off attack by the mountain pine beetle. Cones were collected from nine new whitebark pines and recollected from five Collection trees that needed additional seed to meet minimum numbers for rust-resistance screening. Results from the Park’s long-term monitoring plots indicate that whitebark pine is continuing its decline within plot areas, as mature whitebark pine have been reduced by 28.3% from 2003 – 2016. The leading mortality agent of whitebark pine within plot areas continues to be the mountain pine beetle. The Park’s four whitebark pine restoration plantings were monitored with survival rates ranging from 68.2 – 87.3% four to seven years after planting. Two new whitebark pine restoration plantings occurred at Grouse Hill and Scott Bluffs with 482 seedlings planted.

Whitebark Pine Conservation Program 2016 Annual Report

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