2007 Plus Tree Protection in the Greater Yellowstone
Project: Plus tree Protection in the Greater Yellowstone Area
Agency/Forest or Park/District: Grand Teton & Yellowstone National Parks; Gallatin, Caribou-Targhee, Beaverhead-Deerlodge, Shoshone and Bridger-Teton National Forests.
Project coordinator: Liz Davy
Contact: Liz Davy- GYCC Whitebark Pine Subcommittee Chairperson, P.O.Box 1888, Jackson, WY 83001. 307-739-5562. edavy@fs.fed.us
Cooperators:Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, Gallatin, Caribou-Targhee, Beaverhead-Deerlodge, Shoshone and Bridger-Teton National Forests, Region 1,4,2 Forest Health Protection Groups.
Source of funding /amount
FHP: $9,770
Supplemental funding: $34,840 from individual units
Dates of restoration efforts: June 2007
Objectives
Protect WBP plus trees from mountain pine beetle attack in units that did not receive funding from their local FHP groups.
Acres/ha treated
81 trees
Methods
Spray Carbaryl (approved insecticide) on the plus trees that can be reached with spray equipment. Carbaryl is virtually 100% effective in protecting trees from mountain pine beetle for two years. Apply anti-aggregant pheromone (Verbenone) bubble caps on inaccessible trees. Verbenone provides mountain pine beetle protection, but is less effective than Carbaryl and is more costly because it must be applied twice a year.
Planting? If so, source of seedlings? Resistance?
No
Outcome
All 81 trees were protected with Verbenone pouches or sprayed with Carbaryl.
Monitoring since completion of the project: Trees are visited yearly, so survival is monitored in this way.
Will outcome meet goals?: Approximately 30 plus trees on the Bridger-Teton NF were killed by mountain pine beetle due to a pesticide mixing error on the part of a spray contractor. However, seed collected from these trees prior to their death has fortunately preserved their genetic material.
Future actions/follow up?: Surviving plus trees continue to be protected. Due to a downturn in mountain pine beetle populations, some jurisdictions are using pheromones in lieu of Carbaryl spray until MPB populations build again.