What is a whitebark?

 

• Whitebark pines are five-needle pines that live in the upper limits of the sub-alpine, where few other species are able to exist.

• They are slow-growing and thrive in poor, shallow soils on steep, windy slopes.

• Whitebark pine trees help regulate snow melt in the spring by shading and holding snow into the spring.

• The lifespan of a whitebark pine ranges from 500 to 1,000 years, with the oldest documented whitebark pine being 1,267 years old.

• Whitebark pine seeds are exceptionally high in caloric content; 1 gram of seeds can contain over 7,200 calories. This is the equivalent to 4 pans of brownies!

• These seeds are a critical source of calories for many species, including the threatened grizzly bear and the Clark's nutcracker.

• Whtitebark pine are a keystone species, facilitating critical ecosystem function.

• White Pine Blister Rust and Pine Beetle infestations are decimating whitebark pine populations across the western U.S and Canada. It is estimated that there are now more dead than alive.

• Some seeds in the Pacific northwest have been found to be resistant to White Pine Blister Rust, however, the process of testing for resistant seeds takes 7 years and costs approximately $1,200.

• In December 2020, it was proposed that Whitebark pines be listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. The proposed listing is currently open for public comment through February 1st, at which time the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has one year to make a final determination.