White pine (pinus strobus) trees have played a significant role in American forests long before we were here to enjoy them. This magnificent species dates back 12,000 years to the last glacial age; it has been present in various mixtures for 7,000 years in what is now the Great Lakes region.

Does white pine have commercial value?

The white pine is characterized by its height (commonly 80 to 120 feet tall) and the strong, clear lumber it produces. A century ago in America, white pine was the straightest, the most desirable, the best for buiding homes and churches and barns. The first cuttings supplied the needs of wood-starved Europe and were used to build British and American ships; the last were used to build America's heartland.(1) Even today, as homes built during that time are renovated, you will find structural testaments to the lasting value of white pine.

White pine today is used in specialized applications -- in consumer products such as doors, decorative moldings and furniture. Rajala Companies also produces thin slices, or veneer, of white pine, a process that greatly extends the value of a single white pine tree.

Is white pine still available?

Yes. However, for a variety of natural and manmade reasons, the white pine is not as predominant in American forests today as it was in pre-European settlement days. One big change has been few forest fires. White pine's earlier abundance relied on fires for regeneration, a process that naturally releases seeds from cones. Intense fires every 100-150 years and lighter fires at 30- to 50-year intervals helped to prepare the seed bed for natural regeneration. Today, we must rely on planting and forest management for regeneration.

Extensive harvesting in the 19th and early 20th centuries, followed by policies of land-clearing for agriculture and development, also caused reductions in white pine. Changes in land-use policies, coupled with the debilitating effects of diseases, insects and browsing by deer, have further complicated the management and regeneration of white pine. The appearance of modern threats such as blister rust and tip weevil has discouraged land managers and foresters from attempts to regenerate white pine.

What are Rajala Companies doing to regenerate white pine?

During the last several years, there has been increased interest in white pine from various quarters for its aesthetic, ecological and economic importance. Sometimes conflict arises as to how best to manage these trees for the future, but at the heart of the debate is strong desire by many to ensure white pine's role in our lives and in the lives of those who, in 150 years, will enjoy the white pines we plant and nurture today.

In the late 1970s, the Rajala Companies began a program to regain white pine dominance in northern Minnesota. We quickly learned that the obstacles -- disease and browsing by animals -- were real. Today, Rajala Companies manage 35,000 acres of forests, much of which is being managed for white pine. Our long-term strategy involves expanding healthy stands and introducing white pine into other cover types such as hardwoods.

Two major challenges facing public and private foresters as we work to regenerate Minnesota's white pine are:

Blister Rust

In collaboration with researchers and foresters, we have found ways to outsmart both disease and deer. To prevent blister rust, the most common disease affecting white pine, we find pruning the first 5-10 feet of lower branches limits the opportunity for the pathogen to infect the tree.

Browsing by wildlife, particularly deer

Confounding deer, too, is labor-intensive. During winter months, when snow hinders the deer's ability to forage for food, they enjoy the tender buds of young white pine. To prevent such browsing, we actually staple a small white piece of paper around the tree's terminal (or lead) bud. This is done every fall until the lead bud is out of the reach of a mature deer. In 1996, the Rajala Companies have manually bud-capped 500,000 white pines.

See:

1. Alan C. Jones, Forest Health Specialist, DNR, BetterForests , August 1996