Download Whitebark and Limber Pine

Conservation of Endangered Fiveneedled Pines in Alberta Parks
Joyce Gould PhD
Parks Division, Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation
BC Protected Areas Research Forum
December 7, 2011
Outline
• Introduction
• Conservation initiatives
• Research
Whitebark and
Limber Pine
•General separation of
range (with some overlap
in some areas)
•Whitebark—high
elevations
•Limber—lower elevation
Limber pine (Pinus flexilis)
• Endangered in Alberta
• Primary threats:
–
–
–
–
white pine blister rust
mountain pine beetle
fire
climate change
Provincial Distribution
Limber Pine
Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis)
• Endangered in Alberta
and assessed for Canada
• Primary threats:
–
–
–
–
white pine blister rust
mountain pine beetle
fire suppression/exclusion
climate change
Whitebark Pine
Provincial Distribution
Whitebark Pine
Whitebark as Keystone Species
• Modifies microclimate to
facilitate establishment of other
trees (subalpine fir)
• Often found in headwaters
– influences hydrology and
drainage—often increased snow
accumulation, reduced erosion
• Food source for birds and
mammals
– Clark’s nutcracker
– Grizzly bear (listed)
– American red squirrel
• Seeds are high in carbohydrate
(21%), protein (21%) and fat
(52%)
• ‘charismatic mega-flora’
Cyndi Smith
Distribution of whitebark and limber
pine in AB protected areas
• Prior to 2005
– Incidental observations
– Limited information on
extent of occurrence and
population size
– No information on
health
Assessed distribution within AB
protected areas
• Aerial and ground
surveys (a few sites per
year)
• Started in 2005
Recovery Planning
•One team, two plans
•Fosters team approach to
conservation
•Builds on recovery work
being done prior to initiation
of process
•AB Parks member of team
•Provide clear direction for
recovery
•Plans nearing completion
Recovery Goal
• to ensure viable, selfsustaining populations
Objectives:
• Reduce mortality
• Conserve genetic diversity
• Develop and introduce rust-resistant
strains
• Increase and enhance natural
regeneration
• Assess impacts from climate change
• Support research
Reduce Mortality
Prescribed fire
– Exclude high value stands
from burn unit
– Stand modification to reduce
risk
– Protect mature trees (cone
production)
– Reassess post-burn
Reduce Mortality
Protection from MPB
• Removal of infected
lodgepole in stands
• Application of verbenone
pouches in vulnerable
stands (ASRD)
– tells beetle that tree is
‘occupied’
– Very expensive
– Must be reapplied every year
– Not a long-term solution—
buys time
Habitat Modification (fire)
• Application of fire into
stands being advocated
• Majority of stands are
climax(?)
• Competition not as strong
• Preliminary work by Wong
(UBC) supports this
• Competing values pose
challenges to Park
management
Photo: Bob Gray
Kakwa
Wildland
Willmore Wilderness Area
Jasper National Park
Kakwa
Wildland
Willmore Wilderness Area
Jasper National Park
Kakwa
Wildland
Willmore Wilderness Area
Jasper National Park
Kakwa
Wildland
Willmore Wilderness Area
Jasper National Park
Kakwa
Wildland
Willmore Wilderness Area
Jasper National Park
Kakwa
Wildland
Willmore Wilderness Area
Jasper National Park
Gene Conservation
• Whitebark and limber are
priority species
– Banking of seed
– Identification and planting of
rust resistant trees
– Identification and
development of genetic
resistance for rust
• Recognition of importance
of seed zones in restoration
efforts
Seed Collection
• Seed bank, blister rust
screening, planting (Alberta
Tree Improvement and Seed
Centre)
• Cage cones to protect from
predators: nutcrackers and
squirrels
• Identify “plus trees” – those
that are potentially blisterrust resistant
Photo: Cyndi Smith, Parks Canada
Monitoring
Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation
Whitebark
Limber
Either
Assessing health
• Alberta Parks:
– 38 health transects established
in whitebark
– 8 in limber pine stands across
latitudinal gradient
• Parks Canada:
– 115 whitebark pine transects
between international border
and McBride, BC
– 85 limber pine, including 2 in
BC, with Canadian Forest
Service (CFS)
• Alberta SRD (Forestry):
– 7 whitebark and 1 limber pine
transect near Crowsnest Pass
overall percent infection 43%
overall mortality 35%
Health Transects
Whitebark Pine and Limber Pine
Cyndi Smith, Parks Canada
mean infection level -- 41.3%
mean mortality level is 22.1% (Achuff and
Wilson 2009).
Health Transects
Whitebark Pine and Limber Pine
Cyndi Smith, Parks Canada
Health
• some of healthiest
stands in North America
occur in Alberta
• healthiest stands in
north (generally)
• health declining
• variability within sites
60
50
40
Stem
30
Branch
20
10
0
06WBP01 06WBP02 06WBP03 06WBP05 06WBP07 06WBP08 06WBP09
Increase (%) of active and inactive cankers by site, Willmore, 2006-2011
AB SRD, Hinton
Climate Change
•Climate not controlling
distribution
•Challenges
•Identification of future
habitat
•Identification of future
regeneration sites
•Identification of pests and
diseases
Support Research
Research Projects
• Predictive modeling (Dr. G.
McDermid, U of C)
• Characterization of
regeneration sites (Dr. J. Gould
and E. Macdonald, U of A)
• Grizzly bear utilization (FRI)
• Seed predation (Dr. V. Peters,
Kings University College)
• Climate change (A. Clason,
UNBC)
• Treeline (Drs. D. Tomback, U
Colorado and L. Resler, Virg Tech)
Communication Items
Interpretive Programming
• Public amphitheatre
talks
• Guided hikes
• Health of whitebark and limber pine continues
to decline in spite of being in protected areas
• Recovery of populations will require intensive
management and research
Contact information
• Alberta Parks
– Joyce Gould ([email protected])
• Recovery Team Leads
– Robin Gutsell ([email protected])
– Brad Jones ([email protected])