What happens if the whitebark pine is added to the endangered species list?
The Fish and Wildlife Service would devise a strategy to deal with the threats to the whitebark pine. Right now there are only limited efforts and research underway to deal with both the blister rust and the beetles, but this would require a concerted effort — one that’s enforceable by law. Our hope is to bring the added resources and attention to what this species needs to survive. As with any species threatened by climate change, the single most important thing we can do is address global warming. But there are also a few things that can be done in the short term that might help stop the spread of the beetle and the fungus. One strategy might be to selectively cultivate trees that show natural resistance to the blister rust. There’s also some research into using pheromones that trick beetles into thinking a tree is already infested, which makes them less likely to burrow into it. But there’s no way to predict how long it will take to see any recovery. The seeds of the whitebark pine
