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Preliminary Results
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Crater Lake National Park
Effects Of Prescribed Fire In Mixed Conifer Forest, Crater Lake National Park, Oregon
R.J. & J.D. Mastrogiuseppe |
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An investigation of fire effects was conducted from prescribed underburning in mixed conifer forest within a 973 acre area of Crater Lake National Park (CLNP) called the Panhandle. The primary objective of prescribed fire management was to restore and perpetuate the natural role of fire in natural areas of the park. Specific attributes of the mixed conifer forest which were investigated were preburn and postburn tree densities, understory vegetation response, and conifer seedling establishment and survival.
Before burning, the study area was
characterized by an abundant understory of white fir
(Abies concolor (Gord. and Glend.) Lindl.) trees largely
established since 1900. Some managers believe that this
represents an unnatural abundance of A. concolor, primarily
due to fire exclusion since the park's establishment
in 1902. Preburn densities of understory A. concolor
of all size classes were estimated to be 4,960 trees/ha
(2008/ac). Densities for all size classes ten years
after the burn were estimated to be 3,354 trees/ha (1358/ac).
Preburn densities of A. concolor > 1 dm dbh were
estimated to be 4,240 trees/ha (1717/ac), while postburn
densities were estimated to be 363 trees/ha (147/ac),
a reduction in density of over 90 percent during one
decade. Factors affecting mortality of A. concolor and
the overstory ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl.)
and sugar pine (P. Iambertiana Dougl.) included cambial
and foliage scorch, disease and insect infestations.
During the ten years following the burn, mortality of the overstory P. ponderosa (> 5 dm dbh) has been at least 25 trees per ha (10/ac). Mortality has been brought about by attacks of the mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopk.), and the western pine beetle (D. brevicomis). Local areas within the CLNP Panhandle forest are now distant from remaining seed sources for the two key pine species, and seedling recruitment during the postfire decade has been dominated by A. concolor. The survival ratio of conifer seedlings in the study area has been five A. concolor seedlings to one P. ponderosa seedling.
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Dinosaur National Monument
Fire Effects Monitoring
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| Fire-related
monitoring, as prescribed in Dinosaur’s Fire Management
Plan, has several components: collecting pre-burn data,
monitoring ongoing fires, monitoring first order fire
effects and monitoring second order (long-term) fire
effects. The purposes of such monitoring are to (a)
determine if resource management objectives are met
on individual fires and (b) to provide information for
developing prescriptions for future burning. Based on
monitoring that has been conducted, a fairly standard
prescription has been developed for prescribed burning
in Wyoming big sagebrush communities. Burning in these
communities is intended to restore perennial grasslands
as grazing is terminated in various portions of the
monument.
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Saguaro National Park
Fire Effects Monitoring in Mexican Spotted Owl Habitat in the Rincon Mountains of Saguaro National Park, Arizona
Rick Anderson, USDI National Park Service |
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In
the Sky Islands of Southern Arizona, managers are often
faced with conflicting issues concerning managing fire
in Mexican Spotted Owl habitat. On one hand, managers
need to apply fire to reduce the risk of lethal wildfire
to the entire ecosystem. On the other hand, the Mexican
spotted owl recovery plan poses numerous restrictions
on treatments along with prohibiting treatment within
a 100 acre “core” area. To ensure compliance
with the Endangered Species Act, and to evaluate treatment
prescriptions, managers need to monitor the effects
of fire in these habitats.
To evaluate the effects of our prescriptions we installed 50x20 meter fire effects vegetation monitoring plots in three prescribed fire units. These plots include the monitoring variables included within the recovery plan. The plots were located within Mexican spotted owl foraging areas, protected activity center and core nesting areas. Except for two plots in the core area, all plots were burned in three different months over a two year period. The plots represent two vegetation types associated with Mexican spotted owls, Silver leaf oak and Ponderosa pine.
Presented here are data from the post
burn analysis. These preliminary results indicate that
there are prescriptions that increase or maintain key
habitat components for the Mexican Spotted Owl. Additionally,
the two plots placed in the untreated core area point
toward higher risk and vulnerability from wildfire in
the most important habitat for the survival of the Mexican
spotted owl. Results of monitoring can allow managers
to implement prescribed fire programs and refine prescriptions
while adhering to the recommendations of the USFWS Mexican
Spotted Owl recovery plan. |
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Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
Prescribed Fire as the Minimum Tool for Wilderness Forest and Fire Regime Restoration: A Case Study from the Sierra Nevada, California
MaryBeth Keifer, Nathan L. Stephenson and Jeff Manley
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| Changes in forest structure were monitored in areas treated with prescribed fire in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Five years after the initial prescribed fires, tree density was reduced by 61% in the giant sequoia-mixed conifer forest, with the greatest reduction in the smaller trees. This post-burn forest structure falls within the range that may have been present prior to Euroamerican settlement, based on forest structural targets developed with input from research, historic photos and written accounts. The results from this monitoring program provide an example of prescribed fire being used successfully both to reduce fuel hazard and to restore forest structure. This example may be particularly interesting to managers of other parks or wilderness areas where fire is considered the most appropriate means for restoring and managing ecosystems.For more information contact MaryBeth Keifer
marybeth_keifer@nps.gov
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Yosemite National Park
Fire effects monitoring results in Yosemite's white fir-mixed conifer forest: fuel load and tree density changes
Caroline Lansing, Prescribed Fire Specialist
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Five years of Yosemite National Park fire effects monitoring data are analyzed to evaluate changes in fuel load and tree density following management ignited prescribed fire. Total fuel load in the white fir- mixed conifer forest was reduced by 57% immediately following prescribed fire. Total woody fuel load was reduced by 40%, with the smaller woody size classes showing the greatest reduction ($76%). Duff load was reduced by 92%. Total fuel load increased to 72% of prefire levels within 5-years postfire. Woody fuels increased to 91% of prefire loading, while duff accumulated to only 15% of prefire levels. Mean fuel accumulation rates were 2.1 tons/acre/yr (0.8 tonnes/ha/yr) for woody fuels, and 0.4 tons/acre/yr (0.1 tonnes/ha/yr) for duff. Overstory and pole tree densities were reduced by 38% and 80% respectively within 5 years following prescribed fire. The pole tree mortality resulted in a shift in stand structure with pole tree proportion of total tree density declining from 50% prefire to 24% five years postfire. Little change occurred in species composition. These results are used to assess achievement of Yosemite fire management objectives and to provide recommendations for objective refinement. For more information contact Mary Kwart
mary_kwart@nps.gov
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