2010 Craddock Peak Cone Collection

 Project: Craddock Peak Cone Collection

Agency/Forest or Park/District: USFS, Idaho Panhandle National Forest, St. Joe Ranger District (Avery, Idaho)

Project coordinator: Sidnee Dittman

Contact: Sidnee Dittman, sdittman@fs.fed.us  #208-245-6248

Cooperators: USFS

Source of funding /amount

FHP: $4,300

Supplemental funding: $4,650 FS

Dates of restoration efforts

Summer 2010

Objectives

Collect cones off 13 or more apparently rust resistant WBP trees in the Craddock Peak area to complete an operational seed lot (need a minimum of 20 trees). This seed would be used for future landscape level restoration projects.

Acres/ha treated

13 Trees (8½ bushels of cones). We were able to collect enough cones to grow approximately 65,800 seedlings for future plantings.

Methods

We have identified 2 separate stands to collect from. All work will be completed with FS employees. All needed materials will be supplied by the District. NEPA is not needed to complete this project. We identified several trees with conelets in the Craddock Peak area.

Outcome

The original collection site (Craddock Peak) had few cones and Freezeout Ridge had a record cone crop.  We changed locations and collected off of Freezeout Ridge.

We collected off every cone bearing WBP tree on Freezeout Ridge that was free of blister rust. We have a new lot of cones to sow from, but from a different location.  Craddock Peak still needs 13 more trees to collect from to complete that project.

Monitoring since completion of the project

In 2011 we added another 5 trees to this seed lot.  Planted 12,600 seedlings in 2013 and have 20,000 seedlings growing at the CDA Nursery to out plant in the Fall of 2014 and 2015.

Will outcome meet goals?

Yes.  Our goal has been accomplished, which was to collect seed for future plantings.

Pictures from collecting cones on Freezeout Ridge in 2010