whitebark pine
-
Ralph Maughan
They will claim whitebark pine are not necessary to delist Yellowstone area grizzly bears- They tried to delist the Greater Yellowstone grizzly population back in 2007, but skeptical bear conservationists sued because of the collapse of the thought-to-be-vital whitebark pine in the Greater Yellowstone. Bears feed voraciously on their protein and fat-filled nuts in the fall at…
-
Ralph Maughan
Poor whitebark pine crop but a good berry crop brings bears lower and closer to people- This year as the Yellowstone country grizzly bears enter their time of peak appetite to prepare for hibernation they have a good berry crop to fatten on. However, there is a poor crop of the oil and protein rich…
-
Ralph Maughan
It’s called “hyperphagia” Grizzly bears get a serious case of the “munchies” this time of the year. “Ravenous” is more the word. It is overwhelming and not a matter of personal character, but genetic programming to prepare for the winter hibernation. News media articles, agency warmings, and word of mouth tells people that the bears…
-
Ralph Maughan
Critical high altitude pine has been nearly wiped out by beetles, fire, blister rust- These trees with fat rich nuts are already getting federal government attention, but mortality is even worse than thought. The large majority of whitebark grow on U.S. public lands. The work will concentrate on protecting existing stands using pheromones to confuse…
-
Ralph Maughan
But several million dollars a year for starting seedlings in nurseries might restore it- This is perhaps the first article I have read that offers a glimmer of hope for this rapidly disappearing tree, so vital to grizzly bears and Clark’s nutcrackers. Whitebark Pine Trees Face Long Odds for Survival. By Laura Petersen, E&E reporter…
-
Ralph Maughan
Record population is reached amidst a year of bear food stress and many mortalities- This is a replacement of the original article (it’s more complete). Grizzly numbers hit new high in Yellowstone region. By Matthew Brown. AP Because of the late spring, just average berry crop, and failure of the whitebark pine nut crop (there…
-
Ralph Maughan
Hungry grizzlies at lower elevations, find livestock, along with natural food- Although federal grizzly bear managers have been sanguine about the the death of whitebark pine in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem, the effect on the grizzlies is obvious in Wyoming. They have come down from the subalpine where the whitebark pine will never again have…
-
Ralph Maughan
“We don’t know what’s going to happen without whitebark.”- I know it will soon be functionally extinct, although no doubt some token remnants will be protected from beetles and blister rust. Ecologically speaking, it is already almost gone. Here is a long essay on its demise and the effects. Feature article in New West. Grizzlies…
Subscribe to get new posts right in your Inbox
Latest Posts
- Vermont Groups Promote Degradation of Forests By Loggingby George Wuerthner
- California Wolf Restoration: A Look Back, Today And The Future.by George Wuerthner
- Reading Recommendationby Jonathan Ratner
- The welcome demise of the ‘conservation’ collaboration fraudby Jonathan Ratner
- Why Ranching Won’t Preclude Subdivisionsby George Wuerthner
- Savory BS – The Contagious Fairytale Diseaseby Jonathan Ratner
- National Audubon Society Embrace of Ranchingby George Wuerthner
- Climate Breakdown – Losing Aspen Forests in the Westby John Carter
- Wildfire and Chaparral Communitiesby George Wuerthner
- Don’t Mourn. Organize!by Mike Garrity