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Home , Olympic National Forest, Olympic National Park

Status of Whitebark Pine on National Forest Lands in and Oregon Robin Shoal, Ecologist David Doede, Geneticist Carol Aubry, Geneticist Gifford Pinchot National Forest Olympic National Forest

Olympic National Forest and Olympic Introduction Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulus) is a high-elevation, 5-needle pine that occurs only in western North Whitebark pine occurs on many slopes and On Washington’s rainy Olympic America. In 2002 to 2004, surveys were conducted in whitebark pine stands on National Forests in ridges above 1600 meters on the Okanogan Peninsula, whitebark pine habitat is USFS Region 6 (Washington and Oregon). The primary objectives of these surveys were to locate and NF, situated in the north end of the restricted to the rain-shadow area in the map whitebark pine stands, and to assess the incidence of the damaging agents white pine blister rust Washington Cascades. Much of the peninsula’s mountainous northeast (Cronartium ribicola) and mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae). Additional data whitebark pine habitat on this forest occurs corner. A small population of whitebark collected included total whitebark pine mortality, presence or absence of Ribes species (alternate host in the extensive Area, pine occurs in a narrow, U-shaped for white pine blister rust), cone production, regeneration, and overall stand composition. Most accessible only on foot or by horseback. patch of this high-elevation habitat surveys consisted of variable-length belt transects, containing a minimum of 50 single- or multiple- spanning National Forest wilderness stem clumps of whitebark pine. At least 30 of these clumps had to contain live trees. Transect width Survey summary: Photo: Michele Laubenheimer, ONP Photo: Robin Shoal, USFS and National Park land. varied with stand density, from 5 to 10 meters. All whitebark pines encountered in the transects were No. sites surveyed: 10 Whitebark pine habitat, Olympic NP. No. surveys conducted: 10 Mountain pine beetle-infested mature whitebark pine, Survey summary: observed. Blister rust incidence reported is observed infection rate in live trees. Overall mortality is Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness, Okanogan NF. total whitebark pine mortality from all causes. No. trees observed: 1214 No. sites surveyed: 6 Blister rust incidence – mean (range): 46.6% (19.6 – 76.9) ^_ ^_ No. surveys conducted: 14 ^_ Mt pine beetle incidence – mean (range): 5.0% (0.0 – 13.8) Colville NF No. trees observed: 1550 North Cascades NP Overall mortality – mean (range): 18.5% (5.8 – 45.5) ^_ ^_ ^_ Blister rust incidence – mean (range): 20.0% (3.8 - 39.3) ^_^_ Okanagan NF ^_^_ Site elevations – mean (range): 2070m (1825 - 2267) Mt pine beetle incidence – mean (range): 0.3% (0.0 - 1.8) ^_ Overall mortality – mean (range): 17.9% (2.0 - 45.8) ^_ Site elevations – mean (range): 1785m (1643 - 1864) ^_ Photo: Robin Shoal, USFS Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie NF ^_ ^_^_ Blister rust infection on whitebark pine sapling, Olympic NF. ^_^_ Whitebark pine in WA and OR: ^_ Whitebark pine on ^_ Olympic NP^_ ^_ known sites and potential habitat ^_Olympic^_^ NF North 20-Mile Peak, ^_^_ Range of whitebark pine * Okanogan NF. Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Elevation >= 1524m (5000ft) Photo: Robin Shoal, USFS Whitebark pine occurence is ^_ USFS whitebark pine surveys 2002-2004 patchy on the maritime-influenced USFS Continuous Vegetation Survey plots USFS Ecology & other plots Mt Baker-Snoqualmie NF, limited ^_^_ Wenatchee National Forest Mount Rainier NP^_^_ to locally drier areas near the Wenatchee^_ NF NPS surveys 2002-2004 *(See inset map) Climatic conditions in Washington and Oregon become drier and have more ^_ Cascade Crest and Mt Baker. ^_ pronounced seasonal differences east of the Cascade Crest. As a result, Surveys in 2003 concentrated on ^_ Survey sites are Gifford Pinchot NF indicated by gold stars. conditions on the Okanogan, Wenatchee, and Colville NFs are more the whitebark pine population that ^_^_^_ ^_ USFS Ecology plots and favorable to whitebark pine than those on forests west of the Cascade Crest. ^_^_ occurs near the Crystal Mountain ^_ ^_ Continuous Vegetation Ski Area. Reconnaissance surveys Survey (CVS) plots were in several areas north of Mount used to assist with Baker did not locate any survey site selection. Wallowa-Whitman NF whitebark pine. Photo: Robin Shoal, USFS ^_ Blister rust-infected whitebark pine, Mt Baker- ^_^_ ^_ ^_ ^_ ^_ Survey summary: Snoqualmie NF. (Mt Rainier in the background.) No. sites surveyed: 5 Umatilla NF No. surveys conducted: 3 Mt. Hood NF

No. trees observed: 752 ^_ ^_ Photo: Robin Shoal, USFS Blister rust incidence – mean (range): 62.8% (53.3 – 76.0) ^_ Survey summary: Whitebark pine on Tyee Peak, Wenatchee NF. Mt pine beetle incidence – mean (range): 0.0% ^_ Ochoco NF No. sites surveyed: 12 Overall mortality – mean (range): 37.9% (25.9 - 52.7) ^_^_ ^_ No. surveys conducted: 19 Site elevations – mean (range): 2025m (1898 - 2093) Willamette NF Malheur NF ^_^_^ No. trees observed: 1833 Siuslaw NF Blister rust incidence – mean (range): 16.8% (0.0 – 55.7) Photo: Robin Shoal, USFS Mt pine beetle incidence – mean (range): 1.4% (0.0 – 11.5) Photo: Robin Shoal, USFS usa_st Range of whitebark pine Deschutes NF

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canada Gifford Pinchot National Forest PIAL USFS Ecology & other plots Blister rust-killed ^_ USFS whitebark pine surveys 2002-2004 Overall mortality – (not recorded) USFS Ecology & other plots ^_ NPS surveys 2002-2004 whitebark pine sapling, NPS surveys 2002-2004

Doede surveys Site elevations – mean (range): 1972m (1816 - 2066) Conditions on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest are generally similar to those ^_ Wenatchee NF. ^_ Doede surveys Elevation >= 1524m (5000ft) on the Mt Baker-Snoqualmie NF. Most whitebark pine on the Forest occurs on ^_ NPS surveys 2002-2004 gp_eco Events Umpqua NF Whitebark Pine on Federal Lands in WashingtonUSFS and Ecology Oregon & other plots USFS Ecology & other plots the flanks of Mt Adams, with additional patches near the Cascade Crest. ^_ Doede surveys Crater Lake NP ^_ Estimated location (RzS) Survey summary: Rogue River NF No. sites surveyed: 11 Winema NF The Colville NF in Washington’s north- No. surveys conducted: 14 east corner lies on the western edge of No. trees observed: 870 Fremont NF Range of whitebark pine. U.S. Geological Survey, 1999, Digital representation of "Atlas of United the Rocky Mountain portion of the range States Trees" by Elbert L. Little, Jr.. Blister rust incidence – mean (range): Siskiyou NF Photo: Robin Shoal, USFS of whitebark pine. Whitebark pine occurs 52.8% (9.7 – 100) on several of the Forest’s highest peaks. Mt. pine beetle incidence – 0.0% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% Overall mortality – mean (range): Regional Summary Colville NF 7.6% (0.0 – 29.4) 31.2% • 69 sites across nine national Okanogan NF Site elevations – mean (range): Photo: Robin Shoal, USFS 1869m (1714 - 2003) forests and one national park 46.6% Photo: Jennifer Deschong, USFS Olympic NF & NP Blister rust Dead mature whitebark pine, Colville NF. • 116 transects and 187 plots 20.0% incidence by forest, Blister rust infection on a small whitebark arranged roughly Survey summary: pine, Gifford Pinchot NF. • Over 10500 individual whitebark Wenatchee NF north to south No. sites surveyed: 4 pine trees observed 16.8% Mt Baker- No. surveys conducted: 4 Snoqualmie NF • Blister rust incidence – 62.8% No. trees observed: 225 Mt Hood National Forest Gifford Pinchot mean (range): 41.5% (0.0 – 100) Photo: Robin Shoal, USFS mean (range): 41.5% (0.0 – 100) NF Blister rust incidence – The Mt Hood National Forest is the 52.8% • Mountain pine beetle incidence – mean (range): 31.2% (23.3 – 43.6) Whitebark pine is a dominant component Mt Hood NF northernmost national forest in of these ridgetop stands, Colville NF. mean (range): 4.5% (0.0 – 34.3) 61.2% Mt. pine beetle incidence – 0.0% Oregon’s Cascade Range. Whitebark • Overall mortality – Willamette NF Overall mortality – mean (range): 23.4% (19.6 – 32.8) pine occurs in the upper montane and mean (range): 33.4% (0.0 – 89.4) 42.5% Site elevations – mean (range): 2035m (1938 - 2144) subalpine habitat surrounding Mount Umatilla NF Hood, and in patches of high- 49.0% elevation habitat to the east of the – Blue Mountains mountain. Willamette National Forest In northeastern Oregon, whitebark pine is restricted to high elevation (>2285m) Survey summary: The Willamette National Forest in central Oregon lies to the west of the Cascade Crest. Like forested plant associations throughout the Blue, Wallowa, Elkhorn, and No. sites surveyed: 10 the Mt Baker-Snoqualmie NF in Washington, the climate on the Willamette is wetter than it is Strawberry Mountains. In 2002, the Umatilla National Forest conducted No. surveys conducted: 38 to the east of the crest. Whitebark pine is limited surveys in whitebark pine stands in the Indian Rock/Vinegar Hill area in the No. trees observed: 1583 to the mountainous eastern edge of the Forest. south central portion of the Blue Mountains. Blister rust incidence – Survey summary: Survey protocol: mean (range): 61.2% (22.8 – 90.0) No. sites surveyed: 10 Stand exam-type surveys: 1/10-acre Mt. pine beetle incidence – No. surveys conducted: 13 circular plots in a grid within each mean (range): 0.4% (0.0 – 2.4) Photo taken by Gifford Pinchot, August 1901. No. trees observed: 1242 surveyed stand to sample whitebark Overall mortality – Original photo caption reads, “Highest timber Blister rust incidence – on Mount Hood – White-bark Pine.” pine over 4” dbh. 1/20-acre plots to mean (range): 47.0% (5.4 – 89.4) mean (range): 42.5% (4.5 – 100) Elevation 7000’ (2133m). sample smaller diameter trees. Site elevations – Mt. pine beetle incidence – mean (range): 1875m (1729 - 2013) mean (range): 11.3% (0.0 – 34.3) Survey summary: Overall mortality – 187 plots established in 31 stands. Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank the ; USFS mean (range): 35.4 % (11.2 – 59.1) No. trees observed: 987 Geneticists Tom DeSpain and Vicky Erickson; Forest Health Protection Plant Pathologist Diane Site elevations – Photo: Dave Doede, USFS Photo: Mike Roantree, USFS Blister rust incidence: 49% Photo: Vicky Erickson, USFS Hildebrand; the USFS GIS Specialists, Ecologists, and others who provided known site data; mean (range): 2021m (1628 - 2356) Surveying whitebark pine on the Willamette NF. Overall mortality: 27% Recent mortality in young whitebark pine, and the field crews and contractors who conducted the surveys. Umatilla NF.