Bishop - Brighter days ahead for bristlecones

A young Edmund Sculman standing next to Andrew Ellicott Douglass, the father of dendrochronology, or tree ring research, circa. 1943. Photo courtesy of Inyo National Forest

The Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest is making headlines this week on a more positive note than previous reports.
The 50th Anniversary Celebration of the forest being designated as special botanical area by the Department of Agriculture will be held at Schulman Grove, in the Bristlecone pine forest, Saturday, Sept. 20, at 1 p.m. The celebration will also include a book signing by three authors and their Bristlecone pine books.
The large-sized photo/essay book, “A Day in the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest,” written by Mark Schlenz with photography by Dennis Flaherty, was released just last month by Bishop publishing house Companion Press. “The Bristlecone Book” was published last year by former research scientist Ron Lanner and “A Garden of Bristlecones” by Michael Cohen came out in 2000. All three authors will be in attendance Saturday to discuss and sign their works.
The loss of the Schulman Grove Visitor Center by fire on Sept. 4, has done little to deter plans for the upcoming event, or the momentum of its organizers. However, the visitor center, its past and, more importantly, its future, will undoubtedly be a topic for conversation.

Schulman is credited with discovering the oldest living tree on Earth and having a special grove of the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest named after him, The Schulman Grove. Photo courtesy of Inyo National Forest

Despite news that plans are already in the works to rebuild the center, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest Manager John Louth said Thursday he does not want this celebration to be a “fundraiser.”
“No one likes to go party where they ask for your money,” Louth said.
Nonetheless, according to a press release from the Inyo National Forest on Thursday, an announcement will be made at the celebration as to the future plans for the forest and a kick off to the local fund raising event to replace the “much beloved log cabin visitor center.”
And a log cabin is exactly what the future calls for at Schulman Grove.
“People want to see the log cabin again,” Louth explained. “A log-home style cabin very similar to the one that was there will be there again.” He said there are certain protocols and approval processes that must be hurdled to build any visitor center, but the intent is to build the same log-cabin style structure.
A 15-year veteran as manager of the forest, Louth has been on board from the very inception of the former visitor center, from designing to building to managing.
Louth said he hopes to see new architectural designs by October of this year, with construction beginning the next year and a grand opening by 2010. Louth said he’s got his fingers crossed that funding, weather and bureaucracy will not hinder the plans.
“We’ve had great support from D.C. and everybody’s in agreement about design and nobody wants to wait around,” he said.
According to Louth, there maybe some modifications to a new visitor center, of course, but it will be minor and only to better the facility. He added that the new visitor center will also be a “green building,” meaning it will be utilizing solar power again and recycled materials will be used for construction when possible. For example, maximum thermal efficiency will be attained by using double- or even triple-paned glass and waste will be minimized during and after construction.
The local fundraising drive will key in to the log-cabin concept with a campaign to “sell” logs for a new visitor center. Louth said he’s looking for 1,000 donors, be it individuals or organizations, to buy a log, not physically buy one and bring it to the construction site, but symbolically “purchase” a log for around $285. Those purchasing a log will have their name engraved on a plaque or be given some other sign of recognition, but there will be no individually tagged logs so as to keep with the visual aesthetics of the forest, Louth explained.
Louth said he wanted it to be clear that the money from the fundraising campaign will go directly back to the reconstruction effort, not sent to some Washington, D.C coffer.
Louth said donations have already started coming in, estimating them to total about $1,000. He said he recently talked to a Boy Scout troop from Los Angeles that makes an annual pilgrimage to the White Mountains and the Bristlecone pine forest and was stunned by the news about the visitor center. The Boy Scouts said they would start right away on raising money to buy a log.
Greg Weirick and the Advocates for Access to Public Lands said they have committed $1,000 in donations.
Louth said people are stopping him on the street and asking him what they can do to help rebuild. Louth said he remembers “each and every one of you and you’ll be getting the e-mail about the log campaign soon enough.”
According to Louth, he’s going to have donation forms and information available by e-mail, not only making it easier for those who want to donate, but also allowing them to quickly and easily forward information along to their list of friends. Those friends can then e-mail their friends, and so on. The faster the information is out there the faster the funds will come in and the faster the rebuilding can begin, Louth explained.
Yesterday, Louth said a correction must be made that the Eastern Sierra Interpretive Association will not be constructing the building as earlier reported, but the group will serve as the “donation vehicle” by which people can donate. He said the Forest Service will be doing the actual construction.
In the meantime, a staffed trailer is functioning as an interim visitor center for the remainder of this season. For next year, Louth said he’s already found a refurbished office trailer that will serve as the visitor center. This office trailer will hold a tiny theater that will show the documentary “Living History: The Ancient Bristlecone Pines,” some books and shelves and even a desk.
Louth said the shock and disbelief has worn off a little for him and his staff and has turned to a resolve to rebuild.
“We need to work on moving ahead. Looking back is not going to get us a new building,” Louth said.
Those wishing to attend Saturday’s celebration are encouraged to carpool and bring a shade hat.
The Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest is located 24 miles east of Big Pine off State Route 168. Take S.R. 168 to Westgard Pass, turn left at White Mountain Road and follow the steep, winding road to an elevation of more than 10,000 feet and the visitor center is on the right-hand side just before the pavement turns to dirt. For more information, call John Louth at the White Mountain Ranger Station at 873-2514.v