Restoration of Montane Ponderosa Pine Forests in the Colorado Front Range

Probability of ponderosa pine infestation by mountain pine beetle in the Colorado Front Range

“…Our findings are of particular importance as communities in the Colorado Front Range embark in restoration activities, which are meant to ''restore historical variability in forest structure and fire processes'' (Brown et al, 2001). Our results estimate the basal area level at which ponderosa pine forests along the Colorado Front Range become more susceptible to mountain pine beetle.…”

Stand structure in eastside old-growth ponderosa pine forests of Oregon and northern California

“…High density of small diameter stems and seedlings is a pervasive characteristic across much of the ponderosa pine ecosystems (Arno, 1988;Covington et al, 1997;Fulé et al, 1997;Kaufmann et al, 2000;Brown et al, 2001). The presence of several to many cohorts of small diameter stems represents the single most dramatic difference between historic and present-day conditions.…”

Early settlement forest structure in Black Hills ponderosa pine forests

“…Altered fuel and canopy structures have resulted in severe crown fires occurring more frequently and over larger areas than apparently what occurred historically (Allen et al, 2002). Contemporary management in many areas is directed to restoration of open, low-density stands, often with an ultimate goal of reintroduction of surface fires as a ''keystone'' ecosystem process (Arno et al, 1995;Brown et al, 2001;Friederici, 2003). In other areas management is directed to reducing fuels and changing canopy configuration to reduce the incident and extent of crown fire or effects of other disturbances, such as bark beetle outbreaks.…”

“…An ecological and management paradigm in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests of western North America is that historically recurrent surface fires maintained open forest stands dominated by large, old trees (Cooper, 1960;White, 1985;Covington and Moore, 1994;Arno et al, 1995;Fulé et al, 1997Fulé et al, , 2002Brown et al, 2001;Allen et al, 2002;Friederici, 2003). Surface burns strongly affected overstory recruitment by killing most seedlings and saplings before they had a chance to reach the canopy (Brown and Wu, 2005).…”