Join our incredible volunteers as they sow whitebark pine seeds at Forest Service’s Coeur d’Alene nursery!
These seeds, from the Kootenai and Idaho Panhandle National Forests will germinate in approximately two weeks and will grow in the Forest Service greenhouse for two years before being transplanted in the wild. 🌲 #whitebarkpine #conservation
🌲Hear from the incredible volunteers that helped plant over 26,000 whitebark pine seeds 🌲
The WPEF team returned to the Coeur d’Alene nursery to help plant whitebark pine seeds— and even got to check in on last year’s seedlings, which are thriving! The seeds our WPEF volunteers planted will germinate in approximately two weeks and continue to grow in the Forest Service greenhouse for two years before being transplanted into the wild.
✨Huge thanks to all of volunteers and the nursery staff!
🍻🌲 Pints and Pines
Join us Thursday, March 12 at 6 PM at Backslope Brewing in Columbia Falls for an evening of beer and learning!
Come enjoy a Backslope Brewing beverage, some delicious food, and hear from local experts with the Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation about this unique tree’s ecology, its dependence on a bird to plant its seeds, and plans for restoration. Also, learn how Whitefish Mountain Resort works to protect and restore this magnificent tree through a program that encourages ski areas to be “whitebark pine friendly.”
Bring a friend, grab a pint, and talk pines with us! 🌲🍻
#whitebarkpine #pintsandpines #montanaconservation #backslopebrewing
Spotlight on RM-CESU partner research 🌲
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Montana State University recent graduate student Stephen Huysman studies how climate influences whitebark pine, a keystone high-elevation species facing increasing threats.
Recently featured by the Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation, his work combines field monitoring with broad-scale mapping of wildfire and white pine blister rust. These maps can be used by land managers to prioritize landscapes based on projected threats, helping guide conservation and restoration decisions as conditions continue to change.
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Congratulations Stephen!
We’re coming to Bend! Join us to celebrate Mt Bachelors certification as a Whitebark Pine Friendly Ski Area🎿 please note we have had a change in time! This event runs 6:30-8:00!
Join us at UPP Liquids on Thursday for an evening of learning, celebration, and connection around this threatened and keystone species 🌲
#Whitebarkpine #MtBachelor #CommunityConservation #Bend
🌲 If it has five, let’s keep it alive ! 🌲
Christmas trees help bring a little mountain magic straight into your home. ❄️ 🌲 🌟
As you head out to search for the perfect holiday tree, keep an eye out for whitebark pine and avoid cutting them down. If you have already decorated your tree and are admiring it from the comfort of your home take a moment to appreciate ecological value of whitebark pine.
This season, help us give back to the iconic high elevation five needle pines
💚 donate to support the whitebark pine ecosystem foundation: /donate/
Are you ready for a wintertime mission set in the Pacific Northwest?
Add scientific impact to your high alpine adventures with the Tracking Whitebark Pine Project. This collaboration with @whitebarkfound helps create a database of potential whitebark pine trees in select national forests of Oregon and Washington this winter.
Put your adventure skills to work for conservation.
Learn more at the link in bio.
Whitebark pine trees are a keystone species in high-elevation ecosystems, providing a critical wildlife food source, stabilizing soils, and retaining snowpack. These essential trees are experiencing population decline due to white pine blister rust, mountain pine beetles, dwarf mistletoe growth, and a changing climate.
The Tracking Whitebark Pine Project, in collaboration with @whitebarkfound , empowers highly trained volunteers to locate and document these trees. This data will help identify locations that demonstrate resilience and could become the foundation for future restoration and reforestation efforts. This project directly supports the protection of this keystone species and the survival of alpine ecosystems.
Want to learn more?
Check out the link in bio!
Photo Credit: Lila Sadler (1, 2, 4)Cameron Stauder (3)
Now announcing our latest project: Tracking Whitebark Pine
Join us in the Pacific Northwest to search and document these iconic trees. They hold a special place within alpine ecosystems, surviving in high altitude regions and supporting birds, bears, soil, and watersheds with their presence. Many thanks to our project partners @whitebarkfound for their collaboration on this important conservation project.
Want to learn more? Check out the link in our bio!
🌲 Save the date! Our 2025 Member Meeting is happening November 17th at 7 pm MST. Join us as board leadership shares updates. Everyone is welcome to attend ! 🌲
Registration link will be added to the blog in our website soon!
✨ Hear what our conference attendees were most excited about during our 2025 conference field trip ✨
The field trips allowed WPEF board members and attendees to share their knowledge and get to know everyone at the conference
🌲We appreciated everyone who attended and participated in our conference 🌲#whitebark #highelevationforests #communityconservation
🌲 Attention Bozeman community, whitebark pine enthusiasts and mountain adventure lovers! 🏔️
Explore the stories and science behind our high-elevation forests during an evening of discussion, community, and shared purpose — all are welcome.
Stay tuned on stories as we share information about the four incredible speakers presenting.
Will we see you there?
