Over 310 ponderosa pine trees are being planted on the Davis Mountain Preserve and at the McDonald Observatory this week by Central and West Texas foresters and staff. These seedlings are being planted using a tree watering device called a cocoon to test the effect of slow watering on the seedlings’ survival rate.
This initiative is part of the Ponderosa Pine Restoration, an ongoing effort that began in 2014 to replant ponderosa pine trees. Over the last decade, up to 75% of the ponderosas on the Davis Mountain Preserve have been lost due to environmental stressors such as drought, bark beetle invasions, and the 2011 wildfires.
Mature ponderosas are well adapted to fire, and increasing their numbers in these areas can lead to enhanced fire resistance and provide a source for future seed collection.
The Davis Mountains contain some of the largest populations of Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine, Pinus ponderosa var. scopulorum, in Texas. However, environmental stresses, including drought and bark beetle invasions, have significantly reduced these populations. Wildfires in 2011 further devastated the stands, leading to the loss of up to 75% of the trees in the Davis Mountain Preserve over the past decade.
In response, Texas A&M Forest Service partnered with The Nature Conservancy in 2014 to begin reforestation efforts. Initial recommendations included collecting native seed for grow-out and reforestation, thinning overpopulated stands, and removing competing vegetation to reduce drought and wildfire threats.
Between 2015 and 2016, TFS received a three-year $200,000 grant from the USDA Forest Service for initial forest stand assessments and management prescriptions. Over 2,000 seedlings were planted in both site prep experiments and wildland planting efforts. Despite challenges such as herbivory, with gophers being a major issue, the survival rate of seedlings is on par with averages seen in similar reforestation efforts in New Mexico and Arizona.
Future plans include the continual gathering of cones for grow-out and reforestation, and the development of best management practices publications based on the findings from this project.
For more information about the Ponderosa Pine Restoration, visit Operation Ponderosa.
Image Credit Texas A&M Forest Service
