…The white pine was the iconic symbol and the crux of the ‘old growth’ controversy in the late 1980s. The photo of not-yet-premier Bob Rae and the recently deceased Chief Gary Potts on the Red Squirrel Road, just north of Temagami, remain as images of empowerment. In 1989, more than 300 people were arrested blockading the logging road construction. The road was opposed by First Nations, environmentalists, local residents and the tourism industry. …The Group of Seven artists epitomized the majestic and stately appearance of the tree. …Fred Pinto knows a great deal about white pine and weevils. He is a Registered Professional Forester and is the executive director and registrar of the Ontario Professional Foresters Association. …The tops of large pine trees may be also affected by white pine blister rust which you can see oozing out of the trunks. It is a fungal disease that was introduced to North America.