The status of whitebark pine along the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail on the Umpqua National Forest.

Abstract

Because of concern over widespread population declines, the distribution, stand conditions, and health of whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis Englem.) were evaluated along the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail on the Umpqua National Forest. Whitebark pine occurred on 76 percent of the survey transects. In general, whitebark pine was found in stands with lower overall densities and fewer late-seral species, particularly Shasta red fir (Abies magnifica var. shatensis A. Murr.) and mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana [Bong.] Carr.). Whitebark pine stocking differed widely, from less than 1 up to 24 percent of the trees on transect plots. Most whitebark pines (87 percent) were less than 5 m tall. Of all whitebark pine encountered, 44 percent were alive and healthy, 46 percent were alive but infected by Cronartium ribicola (J.C. Fisch) (cause of white pine blister rust), and 10 percent were dead. Two-thirds of the mortality was due to white pine blister rust. Mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) alone accounted for 13 percent of the mortality, whereas evidence of mountain pine beetle was found with white pine blister rust on 18 percent of the dead whitebark pines.

Citation

Goheen, Ellen Michaels; Goheen, Donald J.; Marshall, Katy; Danchok, Robert S.; Petrick, John A.; White, Diane E. 2002. The status of whitebark pine along the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail on the Umpqua National Forest. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-530. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 21 p