UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Region One BR REPORTS Annual - 1956 WHITE PINE BLISTER RUST CONTROL Calendar Year 1956 INF. IV. National Park Program I. Highlights of the 1956 Season The 1956 objectives of the National Park Service Region II white pine blister rust control program were accomplished. The program was planned and conducted as in previous years according to the cooperative arrangements between the Na- tional Park Service and the U. S. Forest Service. National Park Service personnel participating: Glacier Elmer Fladniark, chief ranger *A. D. Cannavina, s~pervisory park ranger Paul Webb, district ranger Yellowstone Otto Brown, chief ranger •~H. o. Edwards, assistant chief ranger Rocky Mountain: Harry During, chief ranger ->~Merle Stitt, staff ranger Grand Teton '-'"Ernest K. Field, chief r~ger Maynard Barrows, National Park Service consulting forester U. s .. forest Service· representatives: ~John C. Gynn, forester C. M. Chapman, forester The Na tionai Park Service Director approves new areas for -control. In January 1956, John c. Gynn met with National Park Service Region II Director Howard w. Baker, Regional Forester Frank ff. Childs, Fore:ster Maynard Barrows, and other members of their .s-taff at Omaha, "Nebraska, to review the results of the 1955 white pine and ribes survey on l7,270 acres of National Park lands. The group deter- mined ·the following areas should be incl\Jded in the pro;gram and the areas were later approved by the Director of the National Park Service. ~15- Glacier - expanded protection zones to present control areas only. Unit Acres Park Headquarters 300 East Glacier (Rising Sun Campground) 370 Twd Medicine 200 Total 870 Yellowstone New Unit Antelope Creek 1,390 Canyon 11,470 Fishing Bridge 2,090 Craig Pass (extension) 5,240 Total 20,190 Grand Teton New Unit Snake River (De adman 's Bar) 1,010 Grand Total 22,070 New areas surveyed at Roc~Mounta~~· At the request of Superintendent James V. Lloyd, Rocky }'fountain National Park, a l-fhi te pine ribes survey was completed on 4,050 acres, including the north portion of Windy Gulch and the entire adjacent Hidden· Valley ski development area. The survey data will be compiled, cost estimates made, feasibility of control determined, and recommendations made for his consideration. Inspections and a few survey strips showed that control could not be economically justified in the Twin Sisters area due to the small amount of National Park land involved. Disease found at Grand Teton. For the first ti.me white pine blister rust (Cronartium ribicola) was discovered in the park. A fruiting canker of 19'49- 50 origin was found on limber pine (Pinus flexilis) adjacent to the newly ap- proved control area surrounding the Dead.man's Bar vis.ta point-. l'his find in- dicates the disease is established and can be expected to appear in the stands of the more susceptible species white bark pine (~qitoa.UUtit) existing at higher elevations on the east slope of the Teton Range. The disease is spreading toward Colorado.. Blister rust was. ag~in found on the gooseberry hosts (Ribes s_etostim) n'ear Laramie, Wyoming. This indicates the rust may be intensifying in-this vicinity ·and spreading into southeastern Wyoming toward the Rocky Mountain area. Training increases production. An intensive preseason training school in the use of portable power spraying equipment was held at Yellowstone for all BRC overhead. Immediately following the arrival of the crewmen, thorough training in all phases of the work was conducted. Moving pictures, charts, slide lec- tures, and field demonstration and practice were employed. Evening classes in -16- National Park personnel management, crew organization, work efficiency, and production in- crease were held for prospective supervisors and leadmen. U. S. Forest Service, Region One, Trainihg Officer Victor o. Sandberg and Assistant Park Superintendent Warren F. Hamil ton at.tended the sch&ol. The:ir contributions helpe.d to implant a feeling of "the importance o.f the work" in the men. An increase o.f 22. 7 percent in production per effective man day in 1'956 can be attributed in large part to the preseason and follow•through training programs. II. Field Program, 1956 Ribes eradicat.ion was performed in Glacier, Yellowston~, and Rocky Mountain. Ad- ditional inspections for planning ribes eradication work were inade at Grand Teton. Extended protection zone ~ork started at Glaci~r. Initial work ~as started on a buffer strip parallel and immediately adjacent ±o the west boundary of the East Glacier (Rising Sun campground) control unit. Initial work was completed on Mt. Washburn extension and several portions par- ticularly hazardous for rust invasion were reworked. Seedlipg ar~as stabalizing at Rock_l.· Inspections and checking surveys show ribes seed germination in stream and subalpine types to be rapidly diminishing. Only a few man days were required to bring 540 acres of questionable area to maintenance standards. 1. Expenditures, Calendar Year 1956 Forest Service National Park Leadership and National Park INC Technical Direction. Totals Glacier $15,03'3 $2,707 $17,740 Yellowstone 34,464 4,962 39,426 Rocky Moun ta in 13,447 l,353 14,800 Totals $62,944 $9,022 $71,966 2. Organizationz 1956 Camp superintendents and checkers well experienced in National Park Service blister rust control work were available for all parks in 1956.. Batching and Government-subsisted pack camps were used. The 1956 field for~e was as follows: National Park Camps Employees Glacier 2 13 Yellowstone 2 32 Rocky Mountain 1 15 Totals 5 60 -17- 3. Total Progress on Rib~s ~radication in 1956 Work progress and efficiei:i-cy improved in 1956. The increase is significant considering t:raining was interrupted at Rocky and work was halted several times at YellQwstone by forest fire suppression, searching for lost persons, and inclement weather. Regular Checker Total Per Acre Work Flanker Worked Man Man --~ Park Working Acres. Acre~ Acres Days Ribes Days Ribes Glacier Initial 110 110 140 18;700 1.27 170 Rework 370 90 460 440 9,600 • 96 21 Maintenance 30 30 30 600 -1-.00 --·20 Totals 510 90 600 610 28,900 1.02 48 Yellowstone Initial 460 460 570 176,400 1.24 3.83 Rework 1,040 300 1,340 650 1311240 • ~19 98 Maintenance 150 160 ----310 50 960 .16 3 Totals 1,650 460 2,110 1,270 308,600 .so 146 Rocky Mountain Initial 610 610 480 25,200 .79 41 Rework 260 390 650 140 4,800 .22 7 Maintenance 20 80 100 20 200 .20 -·-2 Totals 890 470 1,360 640 30,200 .47 22 All Parks Initial 1,180 1,180 1,190 220,300 1.01 187 Rework 1,670 780 2,450 1,230 145,640 .so 59 Maintenance 200 - 240 --440 100 1,760 .23 4 Totals 3,050 1,020 4, 070 2' 520 367 ,700 .62 90 4. Chemical Ribes Eradication, 1956 Manual and portable power spraying methods were extensive,ly used. Delays caused by mechanical failure were negligible. Power spray lead.men showed considerable ingenuity in adapting this method to the high precipitous areas of' Yellowstone and Rocky. In dry areas spray solution was relayed uphill by pumping from sta- tion to station to spray R. montigenum concentrations that wou,ld otherwise require the more costly Hi-Fog-and hand-grubbing methods. Power equipment and chemical were transported by mules as far into the remote areas as a packer could take them. From there moves were made by man packs. National Park Acres Man Days Ribes Gallons Yellowstone 600 840 291,140 21,430 Rocky Mountain 90 260 16,890 4,910 Totals 690 1,100 308,030 26,340 -18- National Park III. Control Status Checking on current year's work was closely coordinated with ri bes eradica Hon.• All checkers cooperated with camp superintendents to increase eradication ef- ficiency and thereby reduce the amount of mopup necessary. In many cases, checkers trained crewmen in the techniques of searching and the elimination of search in the known ribes-free portions of the mopup lots., Checkers were integrated as working supervisors for ribes eradication wheney~r checking duties allowed. Most checke:-·s are now qualified for camp superintendent positions in 1957. Regular checking was performed on 3,640 acres of current year work, 5,340 acres were post checked to determine ribes status, and 4,050 acres were surveyed in the proposed Hidden Valley-Windy Gulch area, Rocky Mountain National Park. Areas treated by chemical methods will not be checked until 1957. 2. Summary of Control Status Current year accomplishments brought 1,820 acres in portions of the control units to maintenance standards. New ribes seed germination continues to be the chief cause for several areas at Glacier and Yellowstone not beine classified in the maintenance category. The percentage of initially worked acres now in the main- tenance control classification are as follows: Glacier, 68.4 percent; Yellowstone, 67 percent; and Rocky Mountain, 86 percent. Needing Needing On Total Unworked Rework Post Check Maintenance National Park Acres Acres Acres Acres Acres· Glacier 6,010 760 900 760 3,590 Yellowstone 33,290 20,200 3,290 1,030 8,770 Grand Teton 1,010 1,010 Rocky Mountain 8,600 940 280 790 6,590 Totals 48,910 22,910 4,470 2,580 18,950 IV. Recommendations The following recommended field programs include expanded projects approved by the National Park Service Director in 1956. Personnel requirements coincide with tentative working schedules prepared in agreement with National Park Service Region II officials. Adjv.stments will be necessary in working schedules and priorities if sufficient funds are not available or because of recent rust inva- sion.