2016 Whitebark Pine Seedling Planting for Post-Fire Restoration
General Project Information
Project Title: Whitebark Pine Seedling Planting for Post-Fire Restoration
Project Dates: 2016
Year project implementation started:
How many more years is this project expected to continue, if any? Planting is expected to occur in 2018.
Project Contact: (Please provide complete information for primary contact(s), e.g., name, position, phone number, email, agency name, unit/sub-unit)
Phillip Chi, Sisters Ranger District, Deschutes National Forest, Forestry Technician, 541-549-7718, pchi@fs.fed.us
Location (Land management agency or ownership and name of geographic area(s) where project was implemented. This information should be specific enough to identify a general project location on a map but not specific enough to compromise the project.)
USDA Forest Service, Deschutes National Forest, Sisters Ranger District, Oregon
Cooperators: (List cooperating agencies and sub-units, other companies/organizations, and individuals as needed.)
Project Funding
Funding Sources (amount FHP/amount other incl. in-kind)
Forest Health Protection funding $9,600
Total $9,600
Did Whitebark Restoration funding get used or obligated? (If not, please explain.)
Yes, funds were obligated to the Coeur d’ Alene Forest Service nursery and the Forest Service Dorena Genetics Resource Center.
Project Details
Scope and/or Size of Project or Treated Area: (Include a short description of the project or treatment area if helpful in understanding the scope of the project.)
Number of Acres or Other Units Treated, Monitored, or Surveyed:
20 acres were planted (pending seedling development)
Specific location of project or treated area(s): (If desired, add more specific project location information here, e.g., UTMs, Lat-long, specific landmark. Otherwise, indicate if more information is available by request.)
Objective(s) (from original request):
This whitebark pine (WBP) tree planting project will help restore WBP populations that were lost due to a large wildfire in 2012. The fire burned throughout thousands of acres of WBP habitat, including stands along the 16 Road corridor leading to the popular Three Creeks Lakes basin. Seedlings will be planted in view of the road system to restore the scenic character along this popular road and promote WBP regeneration.
Planting: (Please answer the following questions if the project includes plantings or cone collections.)
Number of seedlings planted (List by location if applicable): 4,000
Was the seed source screened for resistance? (If other, explain.) Yes
Were Plus trees used? Yes
Results/Outcome:
Seed for the project was successfully sent to the respective facilities. An updated inventory of available A/B resistant whitebark pine seedlots was prepared by the staff at Dorena GRC to help determine which seedlots to utilize.
Project Status (Is the project complete? If not, what remains to be accomplished and when?
The project is not complete. Funds were utilized to pay for sowing and grow out of ~4,000 seedlings. Plants will be available in 2018 and will be out planted in the fall of 2018.
Will outcome meet objectives?
Yes, sufficient seed was available to provide to our nurseries.
Project Follow-Up
Are there plans for monitoring or follow-up? (If not, please explain.)
Yes. Once the trees are planted we intend to monitor seedling survival for a minimum of 5 years.
Changes Needed or Problems Encountered:
One problem we encountered is the limited amount of resistant seed available. Collections from this year were used to supplement the stock of A/B seedlots, however, there still is not sufficient seed available for much larger scale projects.
Sharing Results/Products/Outcomes: (Please include pertinent photos and links to any relevant reports or publications)
We will provide photos of seedlings post-germination as well as a final report once implementation is completed.