Faces & Places: Randy Moody

Story by Megan Jamison

Kootenay Conservation Program

Randy Moody, co-founder of the Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation of Canada (WPEFC), is a leading provincial expert in whitebark and limber pine ecosystems and the recovery of these endangered species. Based in Kimberley, he has worked on related conservation and restoration projects throughout B.C. and beyond.

Randy is fascinated by these species of pine and their many interconnections, including wildlife, climate change, fire ecology, mountain pine beetle, and forest health, and he enjoys being able to collaborate with people from a wide variety of specialties. The fact that whitebark pines grow in the subalpine is also a big draw for him; Randy spends much of his time hiking in the mountains, whether for work or for recreation.

About 16 years ago, Randy started the WPEFC as a sister agency to the original Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation based in Montana. The Canadian chapter works in BC and Alberta and plays a leading role in coordinating projects promoting recovery work, engaging public and private partners, supporting research, and conducting educational programs to further knowledge, expertise, and management of these ecosystems.

“Collaboration is crucial to recover these endangered species.” Randy explained. “We host whitebark pine meetings every month and collaborate with the provincial and federal governments, First Nations, Parks Canada, non-profits, and biologists. Each year, WPEFC also hosts two-day intensive training workshops, which are open to anyone who wants to learn more about whitebark pine.”

Both whitebark pine and limber pine are endangered species, with whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) being the only Species at Risk Act (SARA)-listed endangered tree species in Western Canada.

Limber pine (Pinus flexilis) is the rarest conifer in B.C. and a blue-listed species. The decline of limber and whitebark pine is attributed to several factors including the recent mountain pine beetle outbreaks, increased competition from shade-loving trees caused by fire suppression, and the existential threat to both species – impacts of the introduced white pine blister rust.

A fourth threat looms over all: climate change, which amplifies the other threats and is predicted to shift whitebark pine habitat to even higher elevations and higher latitudes. Limber pine has also been affected by urban development in the Rocky Mountain Trench.

Whitebark pine communities are considered a keystone species providing critical ecosystem services including protecting watersheds, reducing erosion, and being an important food source for Clark’s nutcrackers and other birds, as well as mammals such as grizzly bears and rodents. The range of whitebark pine in B.C. is from north of Smithers to the US border, and the WPEFC helps steward these trees and support recovery work throughout the entire region.

“Columbia Basin Trust’s multi-year funding has been instrumental,” said Randy, “as well as funding from the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program and Environment and Climate Change Canada. The Trust’s multi-year funding allows us to collect cones from whitebark pine on years when the cone crop is good. Once we have enough cones, we invest our funds and energy into seedlings, planting, and getting the restoration done. When surveying trees for cone collection, we look for areas with high infection from white pine blister rust; in that sea of infection, we search for the rare healthy individuals with genetic resistance to the disease.”

Seeds from harvested cones are sent to the provincial forest genetics research station, and the seedlings identified as having genetic resistance to blister rust are planted, typically in areas that have burned – whitebark pine grows well following fire, and recent burns are ideal for restoration.

Randy explains that climate change is also having a large impact on their restoration efforts. “On some sites where whitebark pine previously grew, if you were to plant a seedling there today, it would die because it’s now too hot. We plant them on the slightly cooler sites or gentle slopes where they’re not as exposed to the sun.”

In addition to funders mentioned above, the WPEFC has previously received funding through the Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund, to support limber pine restoration in the valleys through cone collection and planting seedlings.

A total of 1,405 limber pine seedlings were planted from Canal Flats to Brisco in 2010-2011. The foundation has also collaborated with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) on a whitebark pine recovery project at Darkwoods Conservation Area near Creston.

Kootenay Conservation Program (KCP) is a partnership of over 85 organizations that work together for connected habitats and landscapes in the Kootenays that sustain biodiversity and naturally functioning resilient ecosystems that, in turn, support community well-being. Learn more at www.kootenayconservation.ca.

Lead image: Randy Moody planting whitebark pine seedlings, with Mount Robson in the background. Photo submitted

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