Forest health in the Blue Mountains: a management strategy for fire-adapted ecosystems.

Abstract

This file was created by scanning the printed publication. Text errors identified by the software have been corrected; however, some errors may remain. A management strategy to restore forest health at lower elevations will require that the seral ponderosa pine and western larch stands be managed for much lower tree densities and a more open coniferous understory than have been the case. A combination of silvicultural partial cutting and prescribed fire on a large scale will be needed to produce the desired future condition of healthy, open, and parklike forests. We have attempted to exclude fire from fire-dependent ecosystems with disastrous results. Now we must take bold steps in restoring forest health to the Blue Mountains through an integrated strategy of silvicultural and fire prescriptions. Authors Cover PhotosKeywords: Forest health, ecosystem functions, fire, Blue Mountains.The Blue Mountains of northeast Oregon and southeast Washington are composed of a complex mix of ecosystems, habitats, landforms, and economies. Several consecutive years of drought, epidemic insect infestations, and catastrophic fire are threatening the natural resources and the social and economic systems within the Blue Mountains. The general health of the forests is not good and may be worsening. A primary factor leading to the current deteriorated condition has been the exclusion of fire. Past timber management practices also have contributed.This publication is part of a series on forest health in the Blue Mountains. The goal of this series is to provide a discussion of forest health issues from various science perspectives. The series will include discussions on several aspects: insects and disease; economic and social issues; fire; fish, riparian areas, and water quality; ecology and range, wildlife; and a summary of forest health public forums held throughout the Blue MountainsThe Blue Mountains Natural Resources Institute has been the focal point for much of the discussion regarding the science issues associated with forest health. This organization, which includes over 60 partners, has broad representation and a strong interest in restoring health to the forests and communities of the Blue Mountains area. The Institute has fostered publication of these papers as one more step in the long process of restoring health to east-side forested landscapes Thomas M. Quigley Abstract Preface

The effects of thinning and similar stand treatments on fire behavior in Western forests.

“…In contrast, extensive amounts of untreated logging slash contributed to the devastating fires during the late 1800s and early 1900s in the inland and Pacific Northwest forests. These catastrophic fires led to both laws and policies governing the treating of slash after timber harvesting (Brown andDavis 1973, Deeming 1990). These initiatives led to several methods, in addition to fire, for treating fuels including cutting, scattering, piling, clearing, crushing, and disking (Brown and Davis 1973).…”

Vegetation Description, Rare Plant Inventory, and Vegetation Monitoring for Craig Mountain, Idaho.

“…It is often one of the most important contributors to these upland seral forest communities. Assuming the forests at Craig Mountain were similar to those in the nearby Blue Mountains (Hall 1977;Mutch et al 1993;Oliver et al 1994)), open, park-like forests dominated by large ponderosa pine or a mix of pine and Douglas-fir were formerly widespread. A century of fire suppression has allowed more fire sensitive and shade tolerant conifers such as grand fir and Douglas-fir to establish and replace the ponderosa pine.…”

“…Excessive and repeated highgrading has resulted in some forest stands bearing little resemblance to naturally occurring seral conditions. The ponderosa pine-dominated, open, park-like forest that probably characterized much of Craig Mountain prior to the arrival of white settlers (Mutch et al 1993) is now gone.…”

“…Fire intervals were longer, probably 40-150 years, but still favored fire-adapted tree species. By the early 1900's, fire suppression efforts were beginning to change the forest ecology of the Blue Mountains (Mutch et al 1993). …”

Mapping vegetation and fuels for fire management on the Gila National Forest Complex, New Mexico

“…The three topography layers (elevation, aspect, slope) are easily derived from DEM's (USGS 1987), but the surface fuel layer (FBFM) and the four crown fuel layers (closure, bulk density, stand height, and crown height) must be consistently quantified in an ecological context across large land areas (Finney 1998). Next, fuels are notoriously variable in time and space, and it is difficult to match their scale of measurement to the scale of mapping (Brown andBevins 1986, Whittaker 1962). Last, fuel maps must be developed at fine resolutions (e.g., 30 meter pixels) for the accurate simulation of fire behavior, and many existing stand and vegetation classifications and maps are too coarse for use in FARSITE.…”