Project Profile: Whitebark Pine Restoration and Resilience

Whitebark Pine at Glacier National Park

NPS / Jen Hooke

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
National Seed Strategy | FY23 - 26 $355,000

Inflation Reduction Act
Restoration | FY23 - 24 $2,750,000

The National Park Service will build climate resilience and increase biodiversity in threatened whitebark pine forest ecosystems across Montana, Wyoming, California, and Washington. First year efforts focused on compliance, site assessment, establishment of agreements and contracts for planting and seeding, direct seeding, and identifying rust resistant trees.

Why? Without a dedicated conservation effort, threats from plant disease, beetle infestation, changing fire regimes and climate change could cause irreversible loss of the species, as well to the ecosystem services provided by whitebark pine forests, including snow retention, reducing erosion, providing cover for other trees, and food for 19 wildlife species including the threatened grizzly bear.

What Else? Efforts with Bipartisian Infrasturcture Law and Inflation Reduction Act funding support the National Whitebark Pine Restoration Strategy. Work in California and Washington national parks builds on 20 years of work at Glacier, Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and will cover over 300,000 acres and involve partners from other agencies, Native American tribes, the Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation, and American Forests.

Learn More About This Project

Duration:

5 minutes, 25 seconds

Climate-informed science enhances resiliency in high mountain ecosystem, such as Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, where Whitebark pine are found. Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act funds are being leveraged to implement Whitebark pine restoration actions and meet National Park Service goals. 

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – Ecosystem Restoration

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law makes critical investments in the resilience and restoration of America’s lands, skies, and waters, and enhances conservation and recreation opportunities. Visitors will see tangible results such as repaired and upgraded trails and campgrounds, removal of invasive species, as well as healthy wetlands, grasslands, and forests. 

About the Inflation Reduction Act

The Inflation Reduction Act provides the National Park Service with an historic opportunity to address critical ecosystem resilience, restoration, and environmental planning needs. Projects funded in national parks represent broad-scale and impactful resource investments across every corner of our nation—from Alaska to Florida to Maine.