2026 Whitebark Pine Science and Management Conference and Training

The Fate of High-Elevation Forests in a Changing World: Ecology and Management of Western 5-Needle Pines

South Lake Tahoe, CA
September 22-24, 2026

We are delighted to announce that the 2026 WPEF Science and Management Conference and Training will be held in South Lake Tahoe, CA. This exciting conference is scheduled from Tuesday, September 22 through Thursday, September 24. The main venue will be at Valhalla Tahoe right on the south shore of Lake Tahoe, and we will have an exciting program that covers the science and management of high-elevation, five-needle pines, especially whitebark pine.

General Schedule

• TUESDAY 9/22: Scenic Hike at Carson Pass (optional)
• TUESDAY EVENING 9/22: Community Program
• WEDNESDAY 9/23: Conference Presentations
• WEDNESDAY EVENING 9/23: Social & Silent Auction
• THURSDAY 9/24: Field Trip & Training

Proposals for Presentations have closed. We will re-open the submission form for Poster submissions in July and these will be accepted through the end of August.

The Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation is looking for scientists, managers, and students to present oral presentations (20-minute and 10-minute lightning talks) and posters at our annual conference. Presentations and poster session will take place on Wednesday, September 23 at Valhalla Tahoe in South Lake Tahoe, California.

Presentations and posters should highlight projects assessing the state of or advances in management, conservation, and science on high-elevation five-needle pines. Please submit abstracts using the form linked below by EOD on June 15, 2026. Applicants will be notified in mid- to late-June about the status of their abstract.

Form to Submit Abstracts

Please reach out with additional questions to [email protected]

Registration Information

Early Registration is available through August 21, 2026. Prices will then increase by $50.

All non-member registrants will receive a 1-year WPEF membership with their registration. Full registration includes all Tuesday- Thursday events listed in the general schedule. If you are not currently a WPEF member, you will receive a one-year membership with your full conference registration payment.

Please contact us at [email protected] if you would like to request an alternate registration type with a reduced payment. We rely on conference registration funds to cover the costs of the conference and associated programs, but we do not want cost to be a barrier for attendance.

• Full non-member registration $175
• Full member registration $150
• Full Student registration $75

Virtual registration is available for Wednesday presentations only.

• Virtual non-member registration $50
• Virtual WPEF member registration $25

Full refunds (minus a $25 admin fee) are available up to 4 weeks prior to the conference. Starting on August 24, 2026 50% refunds will be available until the week of the conference. No refunds will be available after Friday, September 18, 2026. Conference registrant name transfers are permitted up until the week of the conference (ending 9/18/26).

Plan your Tahoe visit with the activities, travel, and accomodation information compiled by our conference team. We look forward to seeing you in September!