2026 Whitebark Pine Science and Management Conference & Training
September 22-24, 2026 in South Lake Tahoe, California
Late registration is $175 & student registration is $75 for the presentations only. We are not currently accepting additional registrations for the Tuesday organized hike or Thursday field trip. Virtual registration ($50/$25) is available for the Wednesday presentations only.
REGISTERPlease plan to join us in South Lake Tahoe, California from September 22-24 for three days filled with learning and enjoying high-elevation forest ecosystems.
Program Schedule
A draft conference and training schedule is provided below. The final schedule and abstract booklet will be sent to registrants in September.
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Scenic Hikes, Field Trip and Training (meet at Carson Pass Trailhead). We are not accepting any additional registrations for the organized hike.
Eldorado NF whitebark pine stands at Carson Pass
Optional group or solo hiking routes for conference participants. Visit whitebark pine forests near Carson Pass (Hwy 88 south of Lake Tahoe) in the Mokelumne Wilderness. Attendees need to bring their own water and lunches (lunch is NOT provided). Options for hikes ranging from 3-10 miles round-trip; group size limit of 12 applies. Easiest hike to Frog Lake (2.5 miles), moderate hike to Winnemucca Lake (6 miles), challenging hike to Round Top Peak (9 miles).
Management Training group topics: Five needle pine species identification and life stages; cone survey and collection considerations; whitebark pine data collection and inventory demo; Wilderness Act compliance.
7 pm to 9 pm Whitebark Pine Community Event
Location: South Lake Brewing Company (1920 Lake Tahoe Blvd, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150)
There will be a free community program in the evening with a public talk by author and ecologist Michael Kauffman. The event will be at the South Lake Brewing Company (1920 Lake Tahoe Blvd) with beer and snacks available for purchase. Several local conservation organizations will have outreach tables set up by 630p.m. The program will start at 7p.m. Near “the Y” with free parking on site. Everyone is invited to attend and share their enthusiasm for our high-elevation forests!
Wednesday, September 23, 2026
The science and management program will be held all day on Wednesday, September 23, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., in the Boathouse Theatre at Valhalla Tahoe. The program will include a mix of 20-minute presentations and a lightning-talk session, covering the ecology, management, and restoration of high-elevation, five-needle pines. A keynote presentation will be given by Dr. Michèle Slaton of the US Forest Service. Poster presentations will be on display at the Grand Hall throughout the day.
Location: Vahalla Tahoe
Valhalla Tahoe sits right on the shore of Lake Tahoe, so plan to enjoy your lunch on the grounds, maybe even take a swim! Lunch will be available for purchase from several food trucks parked at Valhalla, or bring your own. Also within walking distance (~10 min) at Camp Richardson are: the General Store & Deli, Ice Cream Parlor, and Coffee & Confectionary. Coffee will be provided during the mid-morning break.
Wednesday Draft Schedule
| Time | Title |
|---|---|
| 7:30-8:00 | Late Registration |
| 8:00 | Conference welcome |
| 8:10 | Introduction |
| 8:20 | Keynote/Plenary (40 min) |
| 9:00-10:00 | Early morning session |
| 10:00 - 10:15 | Questions/Discussion (15 min) |
| 10:15-10:45 | BREAK (30 min) |
| 10:45-12:00 | Late morning session |
| 11:45 | Questions/Discussion (15 min) |
| 12:00- 1:30 LUNCH | LUNCH BREAK (90 min) |
| 1:30- 2:30 | Early afternoon session & lighting talks |
| 2:30 | Questions/Discussion |
| 3:00 | BREAK (30 min) |
| 3:30 - 4:40 | Lightning Talks: 7 10-minute slots |
| 4:40 | Questions/Discussion |
| 4:50 | Closing Remarks/Fieldtrip Prep |
| 5-7pm | Poster session, social, silent auction |
List of Wednesday Presenters
| Presenter | Presentation Title | Management Training Block |
|---|---|---|
| Michele Slaton, Ph.D., US Forest Service | Keynote: High Elevation White Pines of California | |
| Brian Allen, University of California, Davis | Genomic Tools to Support White Pine Blister Rust Resistance Screening and Restoration in Whitebark Pine | x |
| Josh Beisel, University of Montana Department of Forest Management | Impacts of fire and site characteristics on juvenile whitebark pine populations in high-elevation forests | |
| Eve Bernhard, American Forests and National Park Service | Restoring whitebark pine in the Pacific Northwest: Roots of seed and seedling establishment | x |
| Charlie Cartwright, British Columbia Ministry of Forests | Climate-based Seed Transfer of Whitebark Pine as Predicted by Age 10 years performance | x |
| Mary Clapp, Ph.D, The Institute for Bird Populations | Setting the stage for whitebark pine recovery in California by identifying gaps in knowledge about its primary seed disperser, Clark's nutcracker | x |
| Hall Cushman, Ph.D, University of Nevada, Reno | Influence of climate, biotic interactions and land management on the mortality and growth of whitebark pine in California and Nevada | |
| Lydia Druin, M.Sc., National Park Service | Where will whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) regenerate? Estimating natural regeneration to prioritize planting and conservation efforts in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. | |
| Sharon Hood, Ph.D., US Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station | Fuel treatments in whitebark pine forests: ways to limit whitebark pine mortality during burning | x |
| Riley Jones, University of Nevada, Las Vegas | Regeneration in the High Elevation Conifer Forests of a Southern Nevada Sky Island, the Spring Mountains | |
| Nickolas Kichas, Ph.D., U.S. Wildland Fire Service | Growth and Defense Response of Whitebark Pine to Daylighting Treatments | x |
| Zoe Klein, M.Sc., American Forests | The Future of Whitebark Pine in the Southern Sierra Nevada: Understanding Threats and Guiding Conservation | |
| Amy Langston, Ph.D.,Desert Research Institute | Monitoring stand dynamics to inform management of whitebark pine in the Warner Mountains, Modoc National Forest | x |
| Karina Li, University of Colorado Denver | Clark’s nutcracker movement patterns in Wyoming and Montana with potential consequences for population estimation | x |
| Marc Meyer, Ph.D., USDA Forest Service | Whitebark Pine Post-fire Regeneration Patterns in Two Recent Wildfires of the Sierra Nevada | |
| Michael Murray, Ph.D., Canadian Ministry of Forests | Canada’s Endangered and Enduring Pines: Disturbance as Opportunity for Innovation | x |
| Diana Tomback, Ph.D., University of Colorado Denver | Whitebark pine recovery and persistence require large-scale ecological restoration | x |
| Co-presenters: Dani Yashinovitz and Abbigail King, University of Colorado Denver | Implementation of experimental direct seeding projects in the Inland West to improve restoration outcomes | x |
5 pm to 7 pm Wednesday Evening Conference Social
Poster session, social, silent auction
Immediately following the presentations on Wednesday, WPEF will host an evening social from 5-7 pm, just across the lawn at the Valhalla Grand Hall. This is additional time to continue conversations, view the posters, and enjoy the spectacular setting. There will be a no-host bar and light appetizers, and events including a silent auction and awards presentation. All auction proceeds fund student research grants.
Thursday, September 24, 2026
8 am to 4 pm Field Trip and Management Training (7:45 departure from hotel)
The field trip is planned for Thursday, September 24, to visit whitebark pine stands near Mt. Rose Summit (Hwy 431 at the northeast corner of Lake Tahoe). Attendees need to bring their own water and lunches (lunch is NOT provided). We plan to carpool in vehicles provided by conference attendees. It is ~1hr drive from South Lake Tahoe to the field trip site.
This day will focus on white pine blister rust identification, mountain pine beetle outbreak effects, fuels reduction treatments, and recreation values. There will be several different stops with short walks and opportunities for discussion.
The Annual WPEF Members Meeting will be held this day during the lunch break. At the end of the day, attendees can either return to South Lake Tahoe or head directly to the airport in Reno. This concludes the conference program.
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Carpools (self-organized) and Shuttles (available to sign up on Wednesday at conference) will depart South Lake Tahoe from the Hotel Azure Event Center Front Parking lot at 7:45am. Please arrive 15 min early.
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Meet @ 9am to start our field trip day at Incline Lake and Third Creek Trailhead if participants would rather meet at the field trip site with their personal vehicles.
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At the conference on Wednesday, we will have a sign-up sheet for the shuttle (15 spots available, potentially more) and a QR code with the map for the field trip location