Project Profile: Build Seed Bank for Threatened Conifer Restoration

An NPS tree climber cages developing cones on a potential seed source tree in wilderness site at Mount Rainier National Park.

NPS / Josh Drown

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
National Seed Strategy | FY23 $45,000

North Cascades National Park, Olympic National Park, and Mount Rainier National Park will build a collaborative network and internal capacity to identify seed source trees, collect and curate seeds from whitebark pine and other 5-needle pine species. Seeds will be collected from trees that are likely or known to be resistant to white pine blister rusts. Collected seeds will be used for immediate restoration and stored to create and maintain a viable seed stock for future restoration actions.

Why? Climate change, extreme fires, and invasive fungal pathogens are threatening the survival of whitebark pine and other conifer species in the west. A sustainable supply of disease-resistant seeds is needed to provide managers with sufficient plant materials to restore high elevation woodlands, promote climate resiliency, and conserve conifers.

What Else? Training and skill development of National Park Service staff will support long-term capacity for seed collection and curation. In years when conifers produce large quantities of seed, the parks will be able to collect and store the maximal quantity of seed. This capacity will benefit other national parks and support the conservation of a healthy ecosystem for plants, animals, and people.

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – Ecosystem Restoration

This project was made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – Ecosystem Restoration, signed on November 15, 2021. It is a historic investment in the restoration and protection of the environment.