This year we are partnering with @grandtetonnps and @northernrockiescc to fund critical research and conservation efforts to protect whitebark pine trees throughout the park. This work is important because whitebark pine trees serve as a nutrient rich food source for several species of wildlife, and they are a keystone to the melting regime of snow and ice that fuel the rivers in the ecosystem. . . Unfortunately, whitebark pine trees are becoming increasingly threatened from non-native and native organisms. White pine blister rust (a non-native fungus) and mountain pine beetle (a native insect) are causing widespread mortality among whitebark pine across the West. . . Funding for continued monitoring will allow researchers to treat select whitebark pines with verbenone, a pheromone that deters beetles from infesting trees and to collect cones for genetic material to determine individual tree resistance disease. . . You can learn more about this project by clicking the link in our bio and by following @fortheloveofwhitebark . . . . . . . . . #todayingrandteton #mygrandteton #findyourpark #jacksonhole #wyoming #thatswy #visitwyoming #jhdreaming #theoutbound #adventurejournal #usinterior #grandteton #tetons #gtnp #grandtetonnationalpark #optoutside #nationalparks #mygtnp #onlyinjh #grandtetons #discovergrandteton #nationalparkgeek