Bob Keane USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station Fire Sciences Laboratory Whitebark Pine Ecosystems Keystone and Foundation Species Covers over 15 landscape Protects snowpack ID: 500423
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Restoring whitebark pine ecosystems in the face of climate change pine
Bob Keane,
USDA Forest Service
Rocky Mountain Research Station
Fire Sciences LaboratorySlide2
Whitebark Pine Ecosystems
Keystone
and Foundation Species
Covers over 15 % landscape
Protects snowpackDelays snowmeltProvides high quality waterProvides critical habitatUnique plant communitiesAdds to landscape diversityProvides important food
Glacier National ParkSlide3
Whitebark Pine Decline
Great Burn Roadless Area, Idaho
Decline a result from the complex interactions of many factors
Our ability to address these interactions will dictate rangewide restoration successSlide4
Whitebark Pine Interactions
Whitebark
Pine
Clark’s
NutcrackerWildlandFireMountain
Pine
Beetle
White Pine
Blister Rust
Climate
Land
ManagementSlide5
A rangewide restoration strategy for whitebark pine
Keane, Robert E.; Tomback, D.F.;
Aubry
, C.A.; Bower, A.D.; Campbell, E.M.; Cripps, C.L.; Jenkins, M.B.; Mahalovich, M.F.; Manning, M.; McKinney, S.T.; Murray, M.P.; Perkins, D.L.; Reinhart, D.P.; Ryan, C.; Schoettle, A.W.; Smith, C. M. 2012. A range-wide restoration strategy for whitebark pine (
Pinus albicaulis). Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-279. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station 108 p. Slide6
The WBP Rangewide Strategy:
Guiding Principles
Possible ActionsSlide7
Whitebark Pine Decline
Climate
Change
Why treat whitebark pine?
Won’t it decline anyway?Why invest the money?Won’t disturbances render treatments ineffective?
Consider the alternative
Doing nothing will ensure whitebark pine’s demise
Whitebark pine forests may be the most resilient under future climates
Without assistance, the species will find it difficult to remain on the landscapeSlide8
Rangewide restoration strategy for whitebark pine
Missing important information on restoring whitebark pine communities under new climate and management regimesSlide9
A new report…“Restoring whitebark pine in the face of climate change”
Bitterroot National Forest
Funded by GNLCC
Authors: Keane, Holsinger, Tomback, Mahalovich
Due out next springSlide10
Management recommendations and climate change considerations are given for each of the guiding principles and management actions
N
ew report…
“Restoring whitebark pine in the face of climate change”
Companion document to the Rangewide strategySlide11
N
ew report…
“Restoring whitebark pine in the face of climate change”
Developed based on a integration of literature syntheses and simulation modeling
Summarized research findings
Simulated landscapesSlide12
N
ew report…
“Restoring whitebark pine in the face of climate change”
Literature search and
expert evaluation
Used existing knowledge and data to make projections of whitebark pine under future climatesSlide13
FireBGCv2: A research simulation platform for exploring fire, vegetation, and climate dynamics
Keane, Robert E.;
Loehman
, Rachel A.; Holsinger, Lisa M. 2011. The FireBGCv2 – a landscape fire and succession model: a research simulation platform for exploring fire and vegetation dynamics. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-255. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 137 p.Slide14
Climate
Historical
RCP4.5-warm moist
RCP8.5-hot, dry
Fire managementNo suppressionHigh suppression (92%)Restoration treatmentsNoneLow (10 ha/yr)
High (100 ha/
yr
)
Planting
None
Low (10 ha/
yr
)
High (100 ha/
yr
)
FireBGCv2 Simulation Experiment
Simulated levels of four important factors on three landscapesSlide15
Simulation results
EFBR upper subalpine landscape composition
Historical climates
PIAL gone if no action
Just a little action helps
Aspen increases
Future climate
PIAL does better
Need restoration
Makes resilient forestsSlide16
Simulation results
Whitebark pine basal area in EFBR upper subalpineSlide17
Simulation results
Subalpine fir basal area in EFBR upper subalpineSlide18
Management Action: Plan Activities
Recommendations:
Avoid treatments at the lower elevational ranges in local areas
Prioritize mid- and upper elevational stands in planning processes
Ensure fuel treatments minimize damage to living whitebark pine trees with increasing firesAugment treatments with planting rust-resistant pine to increase regeneration potential with drier and warmer site conditionsAllow longer times for site mediationCreate heterogeneous landscapes
N
ew report…
“Restoring whitebark pine in the face of climate change”
Document StructureSlide19
Reference document for restoration activities
Other sources of interest:
NRAP Climate change vulnerability assessment
N
ew report…“Restoring whitebark pine in the face of climate change”Document PurposeSlide20
Which endangered species is more important
?
Whitebark pine (Listed but precluded)
Canadian Lynx
Grizzly BearWhat FS policy is more important?
Wilderness (48% whitebark range in wilderness)
Wildfire Cohesive Strategy
Ecosystem Restoration initiative
N
ew report…
“Restoring whitebark pine in the face of climate change”
What it doesn’t cover…
A clash of policiesSlide21
Restoring whitebark pine in the face of climate change
Collect putative rust-resistant seed
Grow rust-resistant seedlings
Allow
wildfire and WFU to do most of the work
Plant as much as you
can
Save the relics
and rust-resistant individuals
Patch in the
holes with proactive restoration
Measure
and then measure again
Here we can make a difference