Oldest whitebark pine tolerates Idaho’s harsh climate, crucial for ecosystems

By Anna Daly
BoiseDev
March 27, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US West

IDAHO — The Western Pine may be Idaho’s state tree – but… the Whitebark Pine survives harsh weather conditions and can live over 1,000 years and grow over 90 feet tall. …In addition to feeding several birds and mammals, the tree provides shelter and nest sites for many animals including deer and elk. It is also key to helping with Idaho’s water supply. …Another interesting fact about the Whitebark Pine is that it relies solely on the bird – the Clark’s nutcracker – to reproduce. “Carrying the seeds in a pouch under its tongue, the bird buries them in shallow soil caches, sometimes up to 10 km away,” the National Park Service notes on its website. “Nutcrackers are known to cache up to 90,000+ seeds in a good seed crop year!” These trees are very slow-growing. …In 2022, the Whitebark Pine was officially listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. 

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