2008 Operational Cone Caging and Collecting
Project: Operational Cone Caging and Collection
Agency/Forest or Park/District: Lolo NF
Project coordinator: John Errecart
Contact
John Errecart, Plains/T. Falls R.D. – Lolo N.F.
408 Clayton Ave. P.O. Box 429, Plains, MT. 59859
406-826-4316, jerrecart@fs.fed.us
Cooperators
Flathead, Bitterroot & Idaho Panhandle National Forests
Source of funding /amount
FHP: $20,280
Supplemental funding: $7,575 appropriated Forest Service NFVW Funding.
Caging July 17, 18 & 20th. Cone collections August 26th and 28th 5 bushels collected.
Objectives
Collect WBP seed to facilitate outplanting of Blister Rust Resistant seedlings for any cooperator within the seed zone(s) collected.
Acres/ha treated
2 of the 3 remaining Seed Zones on the Lolo that were not collected from in 2007 (Selkirk/Cabinets, Missions/Glacier Park or Central Montana).
Methods
In 2007 the Lolo, working with the West Zone Acquisition Group (Flathead, Lolo & Bitterroot) developed a multi-year contract for cone caging and collection (and other like services). The contract was successfully utilized in 2007 for operational collection in the Clark Fork/Lolo Pass WBP seed zone funded by restoration project funds resulting in over 33 pounds of seed collected. Cone surveys will occur in early-mid June with caging to start soon after. Minimum collection standards will average 25 cones per tree and a minimum of 20 trees per seed zone. If cone crop doesn’t develop in 2008 dollars will be obligated to a 2009 collection. Seed zones will be prioritized for collection by status of areas with available planting sites (current priority: Selkirk/Cabinets (2008) then Missions/Glacier Park (2009), and then Central Montana (2010) zone).
Planting? If so, source of seedlings? Resistance? No
Monitoring since completion of the project
No monitoring related to cone collection
Dates
Plans for future monitoring?
To my knowledge, having been doing this for a dozen years or so, our database of record is FACTS. That is where we record our accomplishments and a final report is not required, it is optional.