Alberta Whitebark and Limber Pine Recovery Planning

Transcription

1 Alberta Whitebark and Limber Pine Recovery Planning Brad C. Jones Forestry Division, Alberta Sustainable Resource Development Western Canada Forest Health Workshop Golden, BC May 10, 2012

2 Outline Whitebark and limber pine in Alberta Endangered status Recovery planning process Recent recovery and conservation efforts Jean Lussier

3 Whitebark and limber pine in Alberta Alberta distribution General separation of range (with some overlap) Whitebark high elevations Limber lower elevation

4 Willmore and Whaleback photos Joyce Gould

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7 Day 1967, Forestry Chronicle: Large trees discovered north of Crowsnest Pass in 1963 Largest: 107 ; 31 dbh; 250 yrs Several more recorded in that ballpark Day refers to them as mother trees Seedlings found in cutblocks Suggests whitebark is good competitor (e.g. shade tolerant) 80 /25m; 30 /75 cm dbh

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12 Whitebark and limber pine in Alberta White pine blister rust (Cronartium ribicola )

13 Whitebark and limber pine in Alberta Health transects Alberta Parks: 38 in whitebark 8 in limber Parks Canada: 115 in whitebark between US border and McBride, BC 85 in limber with Canadian Forest Service (CFS) Alberta Forestry: 7 in whitebark 1 in limber

14 Whitebark and limber pine in Alberta Health transects Whitebark: For Canadian Rockies and Alberta protected areas (COSEWIC 2010): Mean infection level is 41.3% Mean mortality level is 22.1% Highest infection and mortality towards south

15 Whitebark and limber pine in Alberta Health transects Limber: For Canadian Rockies and Alberta protected areas: Mean infection level is 43% Mean mortality level is 35% Highest infection and mortality towards south

16 Whitebark and limber pine in Alberta Mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) Brooks Horne

17 Whitebark and limber pine in Alberta MPB vs. whitebark and limber pine in current outbreak Approximately 5000 trees attacked during current infestation Mostly north of Crowsnest Pass and in Willmore Wilderness Attacked five-needle pines removed Verbenone protection Targeting plus trees in Waterton Protecting three healthy stands in Willmore since 2006

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20 MPB vs. WBP & LP Threat to whitebark and limber diminished at the moment Keeping an eye on Flathead Valley infestations

21 Previous MPB outbreaks Last infestation in 70s/ 80s killed over 35,000 limber pine (Alberta Forest Service 1986) Observational reports indicate high number of whitebark killed in Castle area along divide

22 Endangered status Provincial Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) and limber pine (Pinus flexilis) are designated as Endangered under Alberta s Wildlife Act Listed on September 9, 2009 Based on an ongoing and projected decline across the species provincial range, caused by the introduced WPBR and MPB Endangered designation means a species facing imminent extirpation or extinction Recovery plan to be prepared within 12 months of the species listing

23 Endangered status Federal Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) recommended whitebark listed as endangered in April 2010 Receipt acknowledged October 27, 2011 Final consultation closes May 21, 2012 Decision by July 27, 2012 (9 months after receipt) Limber to be submitted for assessment within foreseeable future

24 Recovery planning process Recovery plans One team, two plans Fosters team approach to conservation (i.e. inter-jurisdictional) Builds on recovery work being done prior to initiation of process

25 Alberta Whitebark and Limber Pine Recovery Team Fish and Wildlife Division, Alberta Sustainable Resource Development (co-chair) Forestry Division, Alberta Sustainable Resource Development (co-chair) Parks Division, Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation Parks Canada Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada Alberta Native Plant Council Recovery planning process Alberta Forests Products Association

26 Recovery planning process Recovery planning Serves as advice to the minister Provide clear direction for recovery Not legal document Plans nearing completion

27 Recovery planning process The overall goal of the recovery program is to restore species identified as Threatened or Endangered to viable, naturally selfsustaining populations within Alberta. Objectives include: Reduce direct mortality Conserve genetic diversity Develop and introduce rust-resistant strains Increase and enhance natural regeneration Restoration planting Assess impacts from climate change Support research Reduce impact from recreational and commercial activity

28 Recovery planning process Strategies for both whitebark and limber pine: Protection of high-value stands and individual trees Population monitoring (inventory and assessment) Propagate and deploy whitebark and limber pine Habitat and natural regeneration management Facilitate research Information and outreach

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30 Recent recovery and conservation efforts Carmen Wong (UBC) Stand dynamics in whitebark pine in Willmore Wilderness Evan Esch (UA) Phenology of mountain pine beetle in whitebark and lodgepole Vern Peters (King s University College) Seed predation and regeneration (whitebark and limber) Tracy McKay and Karen Graham (FRI) Grizzly bear utilization of whitebark Adam McLane/Andrew Befus (UC) Predictive modeling of distribution of whitebark and limber Joyce Gould/Ellen Macdonald (AB Parks/UA) - in-house Identification of whitebark regeneration sites

31 Recent recovery and conservation efforts Distribution and inventory Require stand-level distribution maps Particularly poor in C5 FMU Research in U of C remote sensing lab (Dr. Greg McDermid) using predictive models 91% accuracy in Waterton

32 Recent recovery and conservation efforts Cone collection and seed extraction Stored at Alberta Tree Improvement and Seed Center (ATISC): 19.6 kg of whitebark seed kg of limber seed Waterton Lakes NP: Potentially blister rust resistant trees 50,000 seeds from limber in 2010 Seed from 10 limber and 3 whitebark pine trees sent for screening to Coeur d Alene Nursery

33 Recent recovery and conservation efforts Grizzly bear connection AB Parks project in Willmore to determine if bears use whitebark pine seeds as food source Initial results supported hypothesis Next step isotope analysis of hair

34 Recent recovery and conservation efforts Incorporation of protection of whitebark and limber pine into provincial policy and guidelines Operating ground rules Land-Use Framework Enhanced Approval Process

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36 Recent recovery and conservation efforts Communication: Creating products and programs Snazzy brochure Parks interpretive programs

37 Recent recovery and conservation efforts Communication Mail-out to landowners, leaseholders, stakeholders, etc. in southwest Alberta Include brochure Help in locating trees Avoid unnecessary damage or mortality

38 Robin Gutsell, Fish and Wildlife Division, Alberta Sustainable Resource Development (co-chair) Brad Jones, Forestry Division, Alberta Sustainable Resource Development (co-chair) Leonard Barnhardt, Forestry Division, Alberta Sustainable Resource Development Dr. Joyce Gould, Parks Division, Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation Dr. David Langor, Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada Cyndi Smith, Waterton Lakes National Park, Parks Canada Kelly Ostermann, Alberta Native Plant Council Contact: &