One Million Seedlings Planted in Canada!
A Major Milestone for Whitebark and Limber Pine Conservation in Canada
This September, the Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation of Canada (WPEFC) and our incredible network of partners celebrated an exciting milestone: one million five-needle pine seedlings planted across Canada!
This achievement represents more than a decade of dedicated restoration efforts, scientific research, collaboration, and hard work to recover endangered whitebark pine and limber pine ecosystems across British Columbia and Alberta.
From collecting cones and growing seedlings to planting trees in remote mountain environments, reaching one million seedlings is a testament to the commitment of the many organizations and individuals working together to protect these remarkable species.
Jasper National Park Celebrates a Record Planting Year
Adding to this exciting milestone, Jasper National Park planted approximately 13,000 five-needle pine seedlings in 2026, marking its largest single-year planting effort to date!
Planting took place at several locations throughout the park, including Bald Hills, Whistlers Peak, Mount Tekarra, and Signal Mountain. Parks Canada has been actively restoring endangered five-needle pine species for more than a decade, and its continued efforts are an important contribution to the broader recovery of these species across Canada.
Whitebark pine plays a vital role in high-elevation ecosystems, providing food for wildlife, supporting biodiversity, and contributing to healthy mountain landscapes.
While wildfire can create opportunities for whitebark pine regeneration by reducing competition from other tree species, climate change, white pine blister rust, and other threats continue to challenge the species’ recovery. Active restoration, including planting seedlings, remains an essential part of supporting resilient five-needle pine populations.
A Million Seedlings, Made Possible Through Collaboration
Reaching one million seedlings would not have been possible without the dedication of our incredible conservation community.
A huge thank you to the Parks Canada, the Bulkley Valley Research Centre, Nature Conservancy of Canada, provincial government agencies, nurseries, researchers, funders, restoration practitioners, volunteers, and the many other partners who have contributed to five-needle pine recovery across Canada.
We also want to recognize the tremendous dedication and hard work of our WPEFC staff, field crews, and contractors, who spend their summers collecting cones, monitoring restoration sites, and planting seedlings in challenging mountain terrain into the fall. Their passion, expertise, and commitment to five-needle pine recovery are at the heart of everything we do and have been instrumental in reaching this incredible milestone!
One Million Seedlings and Counting!
While one million seedlings is an incredible achievement, our work is far from finished.
Whitebark and limber pine continue to face significant threats, and their long-term recovery will require ongoing collaboration, monitoring, research, and active restoration. Every seedling planted represents an investment in the future of Canada’s high-elevation ecosystems.
Here’s to the next million seedlings and the incredible community making five-needle pine recovery possible! 🌲
Learn More
🌲 Learn more about whitebark pine restoration in Jasper National Park
Photo credit: Nick Pochailo, WPEFC Senior Manager of Conservation, who spent his summer supporting five-needle pine restoration efforts across British Columbia and Alberta, including in national parks and local communities.