The Spread of Whitepine Blister Rust

Devastation caused by Whitepine blister rust

The commercial value of Eastern White Pine was one of the contributing factors to the American Revolution in 1776. The Royal Navy claimed many of the trees as property of the crown and imposed fines and floggings on anyone caught chopping them down. Just like the Boston Tea Party, colonists often disguised themselves as Indians to avoid being identified when cutting the trees for their own use.

Eastern White Pine seedlings were taken to Europe in the 1700’s to see if they could be grown closer to the British shipyards and over-harvesting of the trees in North America continued right into the 1900’s. After the clearing of almost all the Eastern White Pine here, the U.S. government decided it needed to replenish the forests. With not enough local seedlings, in the early 1900’s it imported seedlings from Europe unaware that these were infected with whitepine blister rust. A massive reforestation project spread these infected seedlings throughout the eastern U.S.A. In 1910, similar infected seedlings were imported through Vancouver, BC and the disease started its spread through the Western White Pine forests.

Whitepine blister rust is a disease that attacks pine trees through their needles. Five needle pines like the Eastern White Pine, Limber Pine and Western White Pine are particularly susceptible to this disease. The spread of the disease is complex and requires two hosts. It does not spread from pine to pine but instead spreads from pine to currant plants in the spring then from currant plants to pines in the fall. The airborne spores can travel many kilometers so the disease is not confined to areas where currants and pines grow in close proximity.

Once the disease and its connection to currant plants was discovered around 1920, the U.S. government decided to fight it by exterminating currant plants. There was a ban on cultivating currants and many men were employed during the depression in a futile effort to try and exterminate wild currants. In Canada, the currant was often valued more than the pine and similar bans and extermination efforts were not put in place.

When the disease enters the pine needle, it starts to work its way back through the branches to the trunk where it will eventually cut of the flow of nutrients to the rest of the tree. If caught early, it is possible to prune the infected branches and save the tree but this is not practical in the wilderness. Younger, smaller trees can be quickly killed by the disease.

Today, white pine blister rust has spread throughout Canada and the U.S.A. It evens threatens the Bristlecone Pine of California, some of which have thrived for over 3,000 years. Much research is going into developing disease resistant white pine with some limited success but not without its own controversy.

The fascinating story of the Eastern White Pine is woven throughout the history of North America and demonstrates the massive impact our actions can have on our environment.

Overview

Algonquin Provincial Park is the first park the Ontario province set aside to be protected. It was established in 1893 and covers an incredible 7,725 square kilometers (2,983 square miles). This Algonquin wilderness protects many natural ecosystems like bogs, beaches and forests. The landscape can change from rocky ridges to maple forests or flowing rivers in a couple of kilometers. Wildlife is as variable as the landscape. Keep a look out for a moose in the water, his antlers covered in underwater plants, dripping, as he raises his head from eating beneath the surface.

Backpacking and Hiking Trails

Hiking trails are available in all the sections of the park. Along the Highway 60 Corridor there are several hiking routes to choose from including an easy one hour hike on the Spruce Bog Boardwalk, a moderate two hour hike on the Hemlock Bluff Trail to see Jack Lake or the strenuous three to four hour hike on the Centennial Ridges Trail with breathtaking views from towering ridges.

The eastern and northern sections of the park offer fewer trails but some of them have guides including the one on the Barron Canyon Trail who will explain the history of the canyon to you. On the Brent Crater Trail you can read the posted information about how the crater was formed thousands of years ago when a meteorite smashed into the earth.

Algonquin Park - Photo courtesy Jason Irwin, www.parksreport.com

Take your time really enjoying this incredible wilderness of the northern section of the park. Take your backpack and spend a couple days exploring the 140 km of backpack trails and spend your nights in one of the provided campsites.

On the Water

Pass some time in one of Algonquin’s lakes swimming or fishing. Canoeing is the favored mode of water transportation in the park. With over 2,000 km of canoeing routes you are bound to find the one that suits you the best. Motorized boats are permitted in specific lakes of Algonquin park. The size of the motor dictates which lake it will be allowed in and when. Check the regulations on the Algonquin Park website. Keep in mind that water-skiing and jet-skiing are prohibited throughout the park.

Picnics and Camping

You are welcome to stay in the Algonquin Provincial Park for a day, a week or even longer. There are picnic sites set up throughout the area and many include facilities with showers and flushing toilets. These facilities are also open to campers, as well as the facilities sprinkled throughout the park for your convenience. Laundry facilities are also available. Some campsites are set up with electricity.
Most campsites are located near the different lakes, except for backpacking campsites which are located on the trails. For groups of 10 to 40 people the Whitefish Lake Group Campground has basic amenities.

Winter Fun

Algonquin Park is an amazing place to spend some time in a winter wonderland. There are trails throughout the park that provide snowshoeing and cross-country skiing opportunities and a chance to see either tracks of wildlife or the animals themselves. Try your hand at dog sledding in the park with a third party provider. There are different winter camping alternatives available, primitive camping off the main trails, campsites in the Lake Mew Campground that includes electrical hookup and convenient facilities as well as the opportunity to rent a yurt. The yurts have furniture and electric heat and you will need to make reservations in advance.

With almost 100,000 black bears, Ontario is a great place to combine fishing, canoeing, hiking and black bear viewing. Algonquin Park, within three hours of Toronto, has over 2,000 bears, one for every three kilometers giving you a great chance at the terrific adrenalin rush of photographing them up close. Chapleau, about 120 miles (190 km) northeast of Sault Ste. Marie and about 525 miles (850 km) north of Toronto, is recognized as “The Bear Capital of Ontario”.

June to September is the ideal time to view black bears. Many lodge operators have tracked the bears for years and their guides can easily lead you to a place where you have a 90 percent chance of photographing a 100 pound to 200 pound bear up close in the wild with her cubs. Black bears are quite intelligent with well developed short and long term memory so once they find a berry patch or food source they will return regularly and teach their cubs where to return. In fact Black bears have the heaviest brain, relative to body length, of any land carnivore. However they are not always black. Their body fur can be almost any combination of black, brown, cinnamon, blonde, and on a rare occasion even white. A white chest is fairly common in Ontario. Their muzzle is brown and their eyes are blue at birth then quickly turn brown. They are also daytime gatherers and only become nocturnal if they need to in order to avoid human contact.

Black bear cub with mother

Bears do not roam far. Mothers with cubs rarely range more than 1-2 miles, adult females double this on their own and males range 8-15 miles. Although they have been known to undertake Excursions over 200 125 miles, this is rare and usually only as a result of a desperate need to relocate for a better hunting and gathering locale.

It is always best to hike or canoe in pairs and ideally with a well trained and experienced guide especially when you intend to encounter a black bear. A lean black bear may exceed 30 miles/hour and can run well both up and down hills. Their climbing speed in trees is also very fast. Some guides carry a club and a loud fog horn or alarm for emergencies and it is always wise to carry pepper spray even though the chances of an attack are next to none. Usually bears are more curious than aggressive. They may approach, but will usually run if they sense that you are aware of their presence. It is not unusual to see bears on the trail in daylight hours, especially when that is your objective.  Be particularly careful if you are travelling in an area where bears have been baited and NEVER feed a bear you see on any trail or park. If you are confronted by a bear and it is going to attack, pepper spray can be your saviour. Be sure to check the direction of the wind even if you are in a panic. You wouldn’t want it to back blow right into your eyes.  This powerful spray can down a bear and give you ample time to remove yourself from the dangerous situation.  If you are in a crisis situation, the worst thing you can do is panic and run. Never try to outrun a bear. A human doesn’t have that capability especially with a pack and you want to keep your pack on for its protective qualities and roll into a fetal position  in case the bear gets serious.

Do not move until you are positive the bear is out of the area. Bears can and will re-attack if you decide to show signs of life or make noises. Be still and wait it out.

Join us for an Eco Adventure in Canada’s great stand of tall pines. From our base camp, guided day trips throughout the beautiful Canadian Shield watershed. Bring your camera! Check our web site for more details.

Enjoy exciting remote wilderness adventures for all outdoor enthusiasts in remote forest/lake/river areas, along secluded trails, and pristine forestlands that abound with wildlife, flora / fauna & clean fresh air!

4.5 Star Canada Select Lodge, Near Perfection! Algonquin Park offers exceptional guides during July and August for nature walks. Enjoy walks on plant and flowers, on birding, and on wild wolf, moose, deer, and bear. After an exhilarating day in the wilderness of Algonquin, come and be one of our family at this luxury wilderness log cabin retreat.