Issue No. 28: Summer 2015 nutcrackerJournal of the Whitebark Pine Ecosystem notes Foundation The Slyest Seed Predator: Interactions between red fox and whitebark pine in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Rocky Mountain red fox (Vulpes fulva macroura) near Cooke City, MT Story and photos by Patrick Cross - Yellowstone Ecological Research Center were there to conduct snow tracking surveys, collecting habitat use data that could explain why the red foxes that live there seem "Aha, there's a fox scat for you, Joel!" I proclaimed, pointing ahead different from those at lower elevations. With kit-rearing dens up with my ski pole across the otherwise unblemished snow. It was a to 9,400' (2,820 m) and year-round occupation of elevations as high crisp January day, with alpine sunshine sparkling off ice crystals as 11,000' (3,300 m), this is the highest known fox population in suspended in the mountain air, high on the Beartooth Plateau near North America(1). It is also distinguished by unique physical and Top of the World, Wyoming. Field technician Joel Forrest and I genetic characteristics: visitors to nearby Yellowstone National Red Fox continued on page 10 OUR MISSION The Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation is a science-based nonprofit organization dedicated to counteracting the decline of whitebark pine and enhancing knowledge of its ecosystems. BOARD Inside Nutcracker Notes Diana Tomback, Director Foundation News: Denver, Colorado Director’s Message.......................................................................................2 Cyndi M Smith, Associate Director WPEF Canada Director’s Message............................................................3 Mountain View, Alberta Restoration Website Launched...................................................................4 Melissa Jenkins, Secretary Membership Report.......................................................................................5 Pint Night Thank You..................................................................................5 Kalispell, Montana Election News................................................................................................6 Vick Applegate, Treasurer Treasurer’s Report.........................................................................................6 SAVE THE DATE: Annual Meeting Sep 17-20........................................back Missoula, Montana Randy Moody, WPEF Canada Articles: Cranbrook, British Columbia The Slyest Seed Predator: Interactions between Bryan Donner Red Fox & Whitebark Pine in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem - Cross...................................................................................front Columbia Falls, Montana Robert Keane Whitebark Pine in Northwest California - Kaufmann...................................7 Missoula, Montana Chainsaws and Fire for Restoring Whitebark Pine: Michael Murray Lessons Learned - Aniballi.......................................................................13 Nelson, British Columbia Protecting and Restoring Whitebark Pine Shawn McKinney at Grouse Mountain - Buermeyer.............................................................16 Orono, Maine American Forests and Whitebark Pine - Westerhold..................................18 Liz Davy Whitebark & Limber Pine Experience and Outreach in the Driggs, Idaho Canadian Rocky Mountain National Parks - Shepherd..............................19 Edith Dooley Does Fire Improve Conditions for Whitebark Pine Missoula, Montana Seedling Establishment? - Perkins............................................................22 Gerry Gray Montclair, Virginia Rocky Mountain red fox (Vulpes fulva macroura) near Cooke City, MT Whitebark Pine Forever 2015 Restoration Fund Campaign How can you help? Donate now to fund restoration projects such as: - Plant whitebark pine seedlings - Collect whitebark pine cones for future seedlings - Grow blister rust resistant trees in whitebark pine seed orchards - Protect high value whitebark pine trees from bark beetle attacks PO Box 17943 - Remove other trees from growing whitebark pine Missoula, MT 59808 www.whitebarkfound.org Go to our website whitebarkpinefound.org and donate NOW to Whitebark Pine Forever 2015. Director’s Message - Whitebark Pine restoration in wilderness A wilderness, in contrast with those areas where man and his own works dominate the landscape, is hereby recognized as an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain. An area of wilderness is further defined to mean in this Act an area of undeveloped Federal land retaining its primeval character and influence, without permanent improvements or human habitation… Diana F. Tomback -- U.S. Wilderness Act, Sec. 2c,1964. In the last issue of Nutcracker Notes, I discussed the significant But, human activities outside wilderness now have serious, contribution of the Wilderness Act, on the occasion of its 50th larger-scale, and burgeoning impacts within wilderness and are anniversary, to the American conservation movement. The degrading wilderness character. In the case of whitebark pine, Wilderness Act established the only system of reserves in the human activities outside wilderness have resulted in a precipitous U.S. with the objective of maintaining a truly natural state. It still decline of whitebark pine almost everywhere across its range, represents one of the most powerful and important pieces of including inside wilderness. I argue that we should “untrammel” environmental legislation in the United States, and a global the indirect “trammeling” within our current capabilities. model. Indirect trammeling with direct consequences The Wilderness Act has benefited whitebark pine. Among the Whitebark pine is declining across its range from several hazards, first wilderness areas established, three had extensive whitebark all connected to human activities: pine communities: the Bob Marshall Wilderness, Montana; the Bridger Wilderness, Wyoming; and the Ansel Adams Fire exclusion policies that have altered natural fire regimes. The Wilderness, California. In fact, in my previous message I pointed suppression of fires both inside and directly outside wilderness in out that whitebark pine is a “wilderness species” with more than general eliminates the natural mosaic pattern of different 2 million hectares (nearly 5 million acres) or nearly 40% of all successional stages across the landscape. Whitebark pine whitebark pine habitat in the United States protected by prevalence has declined in some wilderness areas in response to wilderness designation. successional replacement. But, I also pointed out some of the failings of the Act. Fifty years Invasive species and disease. Globalization has resulted in ago, the thoughtful and earnest authors of the Wilderness Act worldwide transport of plants, pests, and diseases that can could not begin to imagine how humans could impact or profoundly alter community composition and structure. “trammel” the most remote and pristine wilderness areas from Cronartium ribicola, the pathogen that causes white pine blister afar, although evidence was growing. Their concern was to rust was inadvertently transported to the U.S. West in the early protect natural areas from the changes imposed by a growing 20th century. If all other threats to whitebark pine disappeared, human population, and to keep these areas in pristine condition white pine blister rust would still extirpate the species in many for the enjoyment of future generations. The major activities they areas, and could even lead to its range-wide extinction. noted and prohibited included road-building, use of motorized vehicles or equipment, aircraft, and permanent installations or Climate change. Rising levels of greenhouse gases are altering our structures. These activities, or human “trammeling”, clearly alter global climate, with local impact. Major outbreaks of bark the wilderness character and experience, and prohibition was vital beetles, which include mountain pine beetles, during the last 15 for protection of these lands. years are attributed to rising temperatures, and especially higher Tomback continued on page 25 Summer 2015 www.whitebarkfound.org | 2 Director’s Message www.whitebarkpine.ca Randy Moody The Canadian board of directors has recently taken Five needle pines in Canada really seem to be a major shift with three members stepping down – moving to the forefront and things seem to be Judy Millar, Joyce Gould, and Brad Jones; we wish happening at last. Limber Pine was recently each of them the best. A call to stand for these reviewed by Committee on the Status of positions was put out with only three members Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) and coming forward to fill them: Jodie Krakowski, assessed as endangered as of November 2014, now Adrian Leslie, and a shared Parks Canada position it is over to Species at Risk Act (SARA) to see where of Danielle Backman and Rob Sissons. things go from here for limber pine. There are possibly more grad students working on whitebark Although we did not have enough interest in and limber pine than ever at Canadian Universities; becoming board members to hold an election, we I am aware of individuals at University of British are pleased with the individuals that came forward Columbia, Simon Frasier University, University of as they are strong advocates for whitebark pine Northern British Columbia and University of Alberta and provide good representation within the all doing good work and I may be missing