What’s Going on with Whitebark Pine?

Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) is one of the three species of 5-needled white pines - sugar pine, western white pine and whitebark pine - found in the Tahoe Basin. It grows at the highest elevations, where it helps hold the snowpack and soils to prevent runoff and erosion. Whitebark pine seeds are an important food source for the Clark's nutcracker, bears, squirrels and other wildlife.

Under the Endangered Species Act, the US Fish and Wildlife Service officially listed whitebark pine as a threatened species in January 2023. The incurable, non-native fungal pathogen white pine blister rust is the primary threat. Other major threats include drought, predation by mountain pine beetle, impacts from altered fire regimes, climate change and the combined negative effects of these individual threats.

In the Tahoe region, white pine blister rust infection rates of up to 50% have been noted in whitebark pine populations near Mt. Rose, Barker Pass and Dick's Pass. The Sugar Pine Foundation helped gather some of this data.

For many years whitebark pine were not found to have any resistance to the fungus. More recently, however, research is starting to yield evidence that some populations of whitebark pine can survive the presence of white pine blister rust. The US Forest Service, National Park Service, Parks Canada, American Forests and the Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation are at the forefront of beginning to restore this important species.

Although no populations of whitebark have yet been found to exhibit resistance in California, perhaps the live tree on Echo Peak holds the proper genetic code to survive the fungus?! If whitebark restoration becomes viable in California, the Sugar Pine Foundation will be sure to join the movement to keep this keystone species on the landscape.

Watch this visually stunning and moving film to learn more about the majesty and tenacity of the whitebark pine and its defenders!