Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus )

White pine is one of the largest and most long-lived species in Wisconsin. Once a significant

component of our northern forests, most large trees were harvested during the Cutover

Period of the late 19th century. Today, white pine is making a comeback.

The white pine resource has doubled in volume in the last two decades. The number of trees

in all size classes has increased significantly indicating that white pine should remain a major

species in future forests. Models indicate a sharp increase in volume in the next 40 years.

Growth rates are high and increasing. Mortality rates which are relatively quite low, have

increased slightly since 1996. Currently, white pine accounts for 8.1% of volume and 12.5%

of growth statewide but only 2.3% of total mortality.

White pine makes up 3.2% of roundwood production and is mainly used for pulpwood and

sawlogs. The density of white pine wood is very low making it a less desirable species for

biomass production.

Division of Forestry WI Dept of Natural Resources

Feb 2017

How has the white pine resource changed? Volume and diameter class distribution:

Where is white pine found in Wisconsin? Growing stock volume by region with map

What kind of sites does white pine grow on? Habitat type and site index distribution

How fast is white pine growing? Average annual net growth: trends and ratio of growth to volume

How healthy is white pine in Wisconsin? Average annual mortality: trends and ratio of mortality to volume

Does white pine have any disease or pest issues? White pine blister rust: biology, symptoms and impact

How much white pine do we harvest? Roundwood production by product and ratio of growth to removals

How much white pine biomass do we have? Tons of aboveground biomass by region of the state

Can we predict the future of white pine? Modelling future volumes

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0-19 20-39 40-59 60-79 80-99 100-119

Change in acreage of red pine forest type

1983

1996

2005

“How has the white pine resource changed?” Growing stock volume and diameter class distribution

The growing stock volume of white pine is 1.8 billion cubic feet or

about 8.1% of total statewide volume (chart on right). White pine

volume has risen steadily and dramatically in the last 50 years,

tripling since 1983 and increasing 43% since 2004. Volume in all

diameter classes has increased significantly (chart below left).

The numbers of trees in all size classes has increased over 60% (chart

below right), including a more than doubling in the number of

saplings. This indicates that white pine will probably play a very

significant role in future forests of Wisconsin.

Percentage change in the number of live trees by size class between 1996 and 2015. Source: USDA Forest Inventory and Analysis data 1996 and 2015.

Growing stock volume (million cubic feet) by diameter class (inches). Source: USDA Forest Inventory and Analysis data

Growing stock volume (million cubic feet) by inventory year. Source: USDA Forest Inventory and Analysis data

1,765

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1938 1943 1948 1953 1958 1963 1968 1973 1978 1983 1988 1993 1996 2004 2009 2015

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Growing stock volume of white pine

127%

64% 69%

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Sapling Pole Sawtimber

Percentage change in tree numbers:

Eastern white pine

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1983 1996 2015

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Volume of white pine by diameter class

5-8.9

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25+

“Where is white pine found in Wisconsin?”

Growing stock volume by region with map

Eastern white pine is a common species in northern and central

forests (Table 1).

In addition to the pine forest types, white pine is typically found in

combination with hardwoods in the oak-hickory, oak-pine, aspen-

birch and maple-basswood forest types. About 25% of the white

pine forest type is planted.

Table 1. Growing stock volume (million cft) by species and region of the state.

Species Central North east

North west

South east

South west

Total

White Pine 540 612 388 100 124 1,765

Percent of total 31% 35% 22% 6% 7% 100%

Source: USDA Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis

For a table of Volume by County go to: http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/ForestBusinesses/documents/tables/VolumeCountySpecies.pdf

“What kind of sites does white pine grow on?”

Habitat type1 and site index distribution

White pine grows on a wide variety of habitat types (chart below). About 40% of growing stock volume occurs on

The majority of white pine growing stock volume, 62%,

occurs in stands with site indices over 60 (chart on

left).

The average site index by volume for white pine is 66,

equal to the average for all species which is also 66.

drier sites, another 16% on more mesic habitat types and 21% on wetter sites.

Percent distribution of growing stock volume by habitat type group (USDA Forest Inventory & Analysis data).

Percent distribution of growing stock volume by site index class (USDA Forest Inventory & Analysis data).

1 For more information on habitat types see Schmidt, Thomas L. 1997. Wisconsin forest statistics, 1996. Resource Bulletin NC-183. St. Paul, MN: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central

Habitat type group1

Very Dry to Dry, 13%

Dry to Dry-mesic, 11%

Dry-mesic,16%

2%Mesic, 14%

Mesic to Wet-mesic, 17%

Wet, 4%

Undefined, 22%

Eastern White PineVery Dry to Dry

Dry to Dry-mesic

Dry-mesic

Dry-mesic to Mesic

Mesic

Mesic to Wet-mesic

Wet

Undefined

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<41 41 - 50 51 - 60 61 - 70 71 - 80 81 - 90 91+

Site index class

Percent of volume by site index

E. White Pine

All Species

“How fast is white pine growing?”

Average annual net growth: trends and ratio of growth to volume

Region Net

growth Percent of Total

Ratio of growth to volume

Northeast 21.0 29% 3.4%

Northwest 13.3 18% 3.4%

Central 24.6 34% 4.5%

Southwest 6.6 9% 5.3%

Southeast 6.7 9% 6.6%

Statewide 72.1 100% 4.1%

Source: USDA Forest Inventory and Analysis

Table 2. Average annual net growth (million cft/year) of growing stock and the ratio of growth to volume by region of the state.

Volume growth of white pine is highest in central and northeastern

Wisconsin but growth rates are highest in the south (Table 2).

The average ratio of net growth to volume for white pine is 4.1%, much

higher than the statewide average of 2.7% for all species.

Average annual net growth (million cubic feet). Source: USDA Forest Inventory & Analysis data

For a table of Average annual growth, mortality and removals by region go to:

http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/ForestBusinesses/documents/tables/GrowthMortalityRemovals.pdf

Average annual net growth of eastern white pine was about

72.1 million cubic feet per year between 2010 and 2015,

representing 12.5% of statewide volume growth (chart on

right). Growth rates have increased significantly in the last

three decades, quadrupling since 1983.

13.5 16.9 28.9 53.5 72.10

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1968 1983 1996 2009 2015

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Average annual net growth of white pine

“How healthy is white pine in Wisconsin?”

Average annual mortality: trends and ratio of mortality to volume

Average annual mortality of white pine, about 5.3 million cubic

feet per year from 2009 to 2015, has more than tripled since

1983 (chart on right). White pine accounts for 8.1% of total

growing stock volume in the state but only 2.3% of total

mortality.

The ratio of mortality to volume is 0.3% for white pine, much

lower than the statewide average of 1.1%.

Species Average annual mortality (cft) Growing stock volume (cft) Mortality / volume

Eastern White Pine 5,312,373 1,765,098,153 0.3%

Table 3. Mortality, volume and the ratio of mortality to volume.

Source: USDA Forest Inventory & Analysis data

Average annual mortality (million cubic feet) by inventory year.

Source: USDA Forest Inventory & Analysis data

For a table of Average annual growth, mortality and removals by region go to:

http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/ForestBusinesses/documents/tables/GrowthMortalityRemovals.pdf

1.2 1.5 3.9 5.6 5.30

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1968 1983 1996 2009 2015

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Average annual mortality of white pine

“Does white pine have any major disease or pest issues?” White pine blister rust: biology, symptoms and impact

Jack pine budworm: biology, symptoms and impact

White pine blister rust (WPBR) is a devastating disease of five-needled pines. Caused

by the fungus, Cronartium ribicola, it can kill branches, create stem cankers and

result in eventual death of a tree. The alternate host for this rust is most commonly

a species of gooseberry or Ribes.

WPBR can be found throughout Wisconsin wherever Ribes is abundant. Ribes species

grow mostly on mesic to wet habitat types and much less on dry sites (Figure on

right). White pine volume is evenly distributed between mesic and dry types but

white pine has a much higher mortality rate on mesic to wet sites (Figure on right).

The white pine blister rust fungus, Cronartium ribicola, needs to infect both white

pine and a Ribes spp. to complete its lifecycle. Spores from infected gooseberry

(Figure on left) are carried to white pine trees on cool moist air currents in late

summer or fall. These spores infect pine needles if moisture is present. The fungus

kills the needle and moves into the shoot or branch

Once the fungus reaches the branch, a canker is formed. The canker will girdle the

branch and the infection will continue down into the main trunk. Seedlings and

small trees are in great danger of dying from this disease when a canker girdles the

main stem.

Girdling stem cankers on older trees result in top-killing and the death of branches.

This may not kill the tree but will expose it to increased stress. Branch flagging as

seen in the figure on the left is a sign of probable rust infection.

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Very dry-dry mesic

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Left. Frequency of Ribes species on very dry to dry mesic habitat types compared

to mesic to wet types. Source: FIA 1996 data Right. Mortality rate of white pine by habitat type group. Soutce: FIA 2015 data

Upper left. Spores growing on gooseberry leaves.

Upper right: Aeciaspores growing on pine stem.

Lower left. Canker on stem with orange elevated margin. Lower right. Flagging branch indicates probably blister rust infection.

“How much white pine do we harvest?”

Roundwood production by product and ratio of removals to growth

Removals of white pine were 11.9 million cubic feet per year from 2010

to 2015 or 3.9% of total removals.

The ratio of average annual net growth to removals for eastern white pine

was 6.1 from 2010 to 2015 (chart on left), much higher than the average

ratio of 1.7 for all species. The ratio of growth to removals has

increased slightly from 1996 due to a more than doubling of growth.

In 2009-2012, white pine roundwood accounted for 12.3

million cubic feet or about 3.2% of Wisconsin’s total

production, an increase of 16% since 2004. About half is used for

pulpwood , a quarter for sawlogs and veneer and 20% for

fuelwood and miscellaneous products (chart on right).

From 2004 to 2012, pulpwood production increased by 47%.

White pine supplies 6.4 million cubic feet or 3.8% of total

pulpwood production.

Source: USDA Forest Inventory & Analysis data

For a table of Average annual growth, mortality and removals by region go to:

http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/ForestBusinesses/documents/tables/GrowthMortalityRemovals.pdf

9.2 4.7 3.3 6.10.0

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1983 1996 2009 2015

Ratio of growth to removals: White pine

Volume of roundwood. Most recent figures for pulpwood and composite products are from 2012 while other product volumes are from 2009. * Miscellaneous products include poles, posts and pilings.

Source: Ronald Piva, USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, St. Paul MN

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Saw /veneer logs

Fuelwood Miscproducts*

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Volume of roundwood by product: White pine1999 2004 2009-2012

“How much white pine biomass do we have?”

Aboveground biomass by region of the state

There are 31.1 million tons of aboveground biomass in live white pine trees, an

increase of 194% from 1983. This is equivalent to approximately 15.5 million

tons of carbon and represents 4.9% of all aboveground biomass statewide. As

with volume, most white pine is located in northeast and central Wisconsin

(chart below).

The density of white pine wood is fairly low

with a ratio of biomass to volume of only

26 oven-dry lbs. per cubic foot

(ODP/cubic feet). The average for all

softwoods is about 26 ODP/cubic feet

and for all species is 33 ODP/cubic feet.

Over 78% of all white pine biomass is

located in the main stem, 3% in the

stump, 5% in saplings and 13% in the

branches.

Biomass (above ground dry weight of live trees >1 in dbh, short tons) by year and region of the state. Source: USDA Forest Inventory & Analysis data

For a table of Biomass by County go to:

http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/ForestBusinesses/documents/tables/BiomassByCounty.pdf

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Biomass of all live trees: White pine1983 1996 2015

The 5-year ratio of growth to volume is significantly higher for white pine compared to all

species in the state (chart on right) and the rates of both mortality to volume and

removals to volume are significantly lower. This would indicate a large volume increase

in the future all else being equal.

The Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS1) was used to predict future volumes of white pine

through 2054. Three scenarios are forecast. One with current rates of mortality and

removals (i.e. average annual mortality and removals for 2009 to 2014). Another with

current mortality rates and the lower 67% confidence interval for current removals and

another with the upper 67% confidence interval for removals.

“Can we predict the future of white pine?”

Predicted volumes based on current rates of mortality and harvest

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Growth/volume Mortality/volume Removals/volume

White pine All species

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2014 2019 2024 2029 2034 2039 2044 2049 2054

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Predicted growing stock volume under different harvest levels

Average harvest levels Low Harvest level High harvest level

Volume increases in all three scenarios (chart on left),

86% by 2054 for current average removal levels, 100%

for the lower confidence interval for removals and 74%

for the upper confidence interval for removals.

Volume continues to increase linearly for all three

scenarios, not peaking in the next 40 years. White pine

will replace northern red oak by 2024 as the species

with the third highest volume.

The Forest Vegetation Simulator is a forest growth and yield simulation model created by the USDA Forest Service, see http://www.fs.fed.us/fmsc/fvs/.

Five year ratios of growth, mortality and removals to volume. Source: USDA Forest Inventory & Analysis data