Rocky Mountain National Park partnered with Rocky Mountain Conservancy this month to plant limber pine seedlings in an area of the park impacted by the 2020 East Troublesome fire. Over seven days, around 70 volunteers helped to plant a total of 1,769 seedlings.
Limber pine trees (Pinus flexilis) provide food for wildlife, improve soil stability, and promote snow retention, and as such are considered a Species of Management Concern within Rocky Mountain National Park. Additionally, limber pines inside the park have shown significant resistance to white pine blister rust, a fungus that tends to kill five-needles pine trees at high rates. A fifth of the limber pines in the park have shown resistance to the disease.
“By supporting RMNP’s limber pines through planting efforts such as these, the NPS is helping maintain a special population of trees that can withstand the challenges of disease.” – Rocky Mountain National Park
The limber pine seedlings recently planted were germinated from seeds originally collected inside the park. The planting during October gives them the best chance of survival with snow providing the necessary moisture to grow and protection from high winds. The seedlings’ locations were recorded using GIS technology, allowing staff to track survival rate and growth in the future.
“We would like to thank all of the volunteers who helped with this project for their time and service. This planting project could not have been accomplished without the help of our amazing volunteers!” – Rocky Mountain National Park
The East Troublesome Fire was one of the most destructive wildfires in Colorado’s history, starting near Troublesome Creek in Grand County on October 14, 2020. By the time the fire was halted by snow and colder temperatures later in the month, the fire had grown to 193,812 acres, killed two people, and destroyed more than 400 houses. No official cause has been stated, but it was believed to be of human origin.