The Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation (WPEF) announces an upcoming international conference on the Research and Management of High-Elevation Five-Needle Pines in Western North American to be held on September 15 to 17, 2020, in Missoula, Montana.
Forest managers, researchers, advocates, and the public are invited to attend this important event! Visit the conference website at www.highfivepines.org for details on presenting your paper or poster, becoming a sponsor, volunteering, or attending. Conference registration is now open and oral or poster presentation submissions have begun.
Why an international conference? Many high-elevation, five-needle pine forests are rapidly declining throughout North America. In particular, the six species that the conference will focus on are of great ecological and symbolic importance to both the US and Canada:
- Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis Engelm.)
- Limber pine (P. flexilis James)
- Southwestern white pine (P. strobiformis Engelm.)
- Foxtail pine (P. balfouriana Grev. & Balf.)
- Great Basin bristlecone pine (P. longaeva D.K. Bailey)
- Rocky Mountain bristlecone pine (P. aristata Engelm.)
With this conference, the WPEF intends to: (1) bring together scientists, managers, and concerned citizens to exchange information on the ecology, threats, and management of these important pines; (2) learn about the threats and current status of pine populations; (3) describe efforts to mitigate threats through restoration techniques and action plans; and (4) build a foundation for the synthesis of research efforts and management approaches.
