"It's all up from here": Forest openings and seedling growth in western white pine restoration

Abstract

For centuries, western white pine (Pinus monticola) dominated moist forests of the northern Rocky Mountains. The fast-growing species, which can reach heights of 150 feet, was once an economic driver in the region. However, not much of the former forest remains. A combination of blister rust, beetles, and logging severely reduced the range of white pine during the 20th century. Managers have traditionally used large clearcuts followed by broadcast burning to grow western white pine and other early seral species. While this approach can be an effective and efficient way to get white pine on the landscape, clearcutting can come at the expense of other objectives, such as aesthetics, wildlife habitat, and water management. Over a decade of research by Rocky Mountain Research Station scientists Terrie Jain and Russell Graham is now providing updated guidelines for regenerating and establishing white pine on the landscape by focusing on factors such as forest openings and visible sky.

Citation

McDaniel, Josh; Jain, Theresa; Graham, Russell. 2020. "It's all up from here": Forest openings and seedling growth in western white pine restoration. Science You Can Use Bulletin, Issue 41. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 11 p.