It’s a bad situation when progress and development causes animals to be added to the endangered species list. Now, we have consider the effects of climate change. Climate change is caused by humans and nature. We are all guilty of adding to the greenhouse effect and this eventually will mean a price to pay. The White bark Pine Trees are paying a deadly price with the threat of extinction. The least we can do is make sure that while it still is not yet under the endangered species list, we try to lessen our contribution to climate change.
This tree species is usually seen in abundance in Montana which is now the case anymore. The US Fish and Wildlife Service see the grave danger but lacks funds to officially put the tree species or give a schedule when it can put the tree in the list. For now, it is on a high priority status.
To be more specific about the problems of the Whitebark Pine Trees, it is dying because of warmer temperatures. The Rockies are not as cold as they used to be, and these trees along with species are struggling to survive. The beautiful Rockies look more bare now than ever before.
Another reason for dying so swiftly in the past years is the sudden influx of beetles. These are mountain pine beetles which are multiplying faster now because of the warmer weather in the Rockies. They are eating into the trees and leaving them dead before going on to the next set of trees. There is also a fungus that has started eating into the bark of the Whitebark Pine tree. Together, these three factors are killing the cycle and turning the Rockies into a desolate and dreary picture. This is a solid example of biodiversity being challenged and the balance getting upset because of climate change.
Furthermore, without the Whitebark, the soil changes and the fresh, cold water supply to the rivers below can no longer be regulated. The Whitebark provides shade for the snow so that snow runoff is delayed and a steady stream of water continues to flow down. This has all changed and will continue to get worst unless something is done.





