Conifer Content

An Extreme Tree Hunt in the Sierra Nevada

Katherine E Kerlin — November 10, 2025 - 9:00am

Across 24 peaks and 240 miles through the Sierra Nevada, a UC Davis team searches for high-altitude Jeffrey pines to learn how climate change is reshaping forests.

Scientists Sequence Genome for Threatened Whitebark Pine

Katherine E Kerlin — December 13, 2023 - 9:00am

UC Davis scientists and partners sequenced the whitebark pine genome, presenting opportunities to help the threatened, high-altitude tree.

High-Severity Wildfires Complicate Natural Regeneration for California Conifers

Katherine E Kerlin — December 21, 2016 - 3:31pm

A study spanning 10 national forests and 14 burned areas in California found that conifer seedlings were found in less than 60 percent of the study areas five to seven years after fire. Of the nearly 1,500 plots surveyed, nearly half showed no natural conifer regeneration at all. The study, co-led by UC Davis and the USDA Forest Service, presents a tool to help foresters prioritize which lands to replant immediately after a fire, and which lands they can expect to regrow naturally.