2009 Simmons Peak WBP Cone Collection

Project: Simmons Peak Whitebark Pine 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    208-245-6284   sdittman@fs.fed.us

Cooperators

Dennis Riley (wildlife biologist) and Sidnee Dittman (culturist), USFS

Source of funding /amount

FHP: $1,000

Supplemental funding: $680 from FS

Dates of restoration efforts 

Identified cone trees on July 6th, caged them on the 9th and 16th of July.  Collected them on September 30th.

Objectives

Collect cones of 5 or more phenotypically rust resistant WBP trees in the Simmons Peak area to complete the operational seed lot (need a minimum of 20 trees). This seed would be used for future landscape level restoration projects.

Acres/ha treated

5 or more trees

Methods

Two certified climbers will cage the cones in July and collect them in mid to late September. We identified several trees with conelets at Simmons Peak in the fall ´08. Mountain Pine Beetle activity is low to none in this area so there is no need to protect trees with verbenone.

Outcome

We collected 204 cones which had 8,813 seeds from 11 trees.

Monitoring since completion of the project

We planted 41 acres with the seed in the upper St. Joe in the Fall of 2012.

Will outcome meet goals?

Yes, we finished a bulk collection of WBP and outplanted the seed back onto the landscape.

Future actions/follow up?

We will continue to monitor these plantations