Life Sciences Commons^™

Assessing Post-Fire Revegetation Efforts In Box Elder County, Utah, Using The Rangeland Analysis Platform, Rayce Bryan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

After fires occur in western rangelands, land management agencies commonly perform vegetation treatments and reseeding projects. The West Box Elder Coordinated Resource Management Group expressed concern regarding the difficult process of determining outcomes from the many post-fire revegetation projects undertaken on rangeland of Box Elder County, Utah. This research attempted to compile and clarify the fire and treatment history of the county and produce an assessment of the outcomes from each unique post-fire treatment in West Box Elder County. Also produced was a database of post-fire revegetation outcomes in published literature.

Unique treatment polygons were identified and then subset according …

Hosting Flame Cap Biochar Kiln Workshops To Teach Hazardous Fuel Reduction, Darren Mcavoy, Michael R. Kuhns, Megan Dettenmaier, Lauren Nicole Dupéy

Extension Research

The combination of large volumes of woody fuel needing disposal after forestry activities and evolving regulatory restrictions makes traditional methods of pile burning increasingly difficult. Alternatively, using small kilns to pyrolyze these fuels on-site yields a potentially valuable product: biochar. In this article, we describe an educational program on the use of small kilns for fuel treatment and biochar production. Survey results from our series of demonstrations indicate that 69% of respondents added biochar to their soils and 100% of respondents increased their interest in biochar. Moreover, we reduced hazardous fuel in Utah by more than 20 semitruck loads by …

Data For Tree Mortality Calibration Of Satellite And Lidar-Derived Fire Severity Estimates, N. Macriss, T. J. Furniss, S.M.A. Jeronimo, E. L. Crowley, O. W. Germain, S. Germain, V. R. Kane, A. J. Larson, J. A. Lutz

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The 55 JFSP plots were established to capture forest types, fire histories, and severity levels beyond those found within the YFPD. The plots were square 50 m × 50 m plots established in Pinus ponderosa, Pinus jeffreyi, and Abies concolor – Pinus lambertiana forest types between 1,431 m and 2,250 m elevation. Plots were installed post-fire based on a randomly chosen locations stratified by burn severity levels as calculated from the differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR). For details on site selection see Furniss et al. (in review). In the field, plots were located using a handheld GPS and …

Managing For Multiple Objectives In Southwestern Forests: Evaluating The Trade-Offs Between Enhancing Mexican Spotted Owl Nest Habitat And Mitigating Potential Crown Fire, Daniel C. Deane Mckenna

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA), the United States’ forest census, measured sixty-six Mexican spotted owl nest stands in order gain insight into the structure and composition of the nest habitat of this threatened species. I used these data, along with the greater FIA database and the Forest Vegetation Simulator to explore questions surrounding the management of Mexican spotted owl habitat, specifically how to balance the objective of sustaining and enhancing nest habitat in face of increasing forest fire size and severity in the Southwest. My research consisted of three studies. The first study quantified the structure and composition of …

Resource Selection Of Free-Ranging Horses Influenced By Fire In Northern Canada, Sonja E. R. Leverkus, Samuel D. Fuhlendorf, Marten Geertsema, Brady W. Allred, Mark Gregory, Alexandre R. Bevington, David M. Engle, J. Derek Scasta

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Free-ranging or feral horses (Equus ferus caballus) were important to the livelihood of First Nations and indigenous communities in Canada. The early inhabitants of the boreal region of British Columbia (BC) capitalized on naturally occurring wildfires and anthropogenic burning to provide forage for free-ranging horses and manage habitat for wildlife. This form of pyric herbivory, or grazing driven by fi re via the attraction to the palatable vegetation in recently burned areas, is an evolutionary disturbance process that occurs globally. However, its application to manage forage availability for free-ranging horses has not been studied in northern Canada. Across Canada, there …

The Role Of Fire In Aspen Ecology And Restoration, Douglas J. Shinneman, Kevin D. Krasnow, Susan K. Mcilroy

Aspen Bibliography

Quaking aspen is generally considered to be a fire-adapted species because it regenerates prolifically after fire, and it can be replaced by more shade-tolerant tree species in the absence of fire. As early-successional aspen stands transition to greater conifer-dominance, they become increasingly fire prone, until fire returns, and aspen again temporarily dominate. While this disturbance-succession cycle is critical to the persistence of aspen on many landscapes, some aspen stands persist on the landscape without fire. The complex role of fire is an important consideration for developing conservation and restoration strategies intended to sustain aspen.

Bark Beetle-Induced Changes To Crown Fuel Flammability And Crown Fire Potential, Wesley G. Page

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Recent outbreaks of aggressive tree-killing bark beetles, including mountain pine beetle in lodgepole pine forests and spruce beetle in Engelmann spruce forests, have recently affected vast areas across western North America. The high levels of tree mortality associated with these outbreaks have raised concerns amongst fire managers and wildland firefighters about the possible effects on fire behavior potential, particularly crown fire potential, as crown fires (fires that consume part or all of tree crowns) hinder the ability of firefighters to conduct safe and effective fire suppression operations. The purpose of this research was to measure and characterize the changes in …

Silviculture Certification Revalidation Case Studey : An Assessment Of Aspen Regeneration By Fire Intensity Following Prescribed Burning On Low Productivity Sites In Southwest Idaho And/Or A Simplistic Model Showing Aspen Sprouting Response By Varying Degrees Of Fire Intensity As Defined By Degree Of Aspen Crown-Kill Within The Lime Creek Aspen Restoration Project Area, Steven L. Williams

Aspen Bibliography

This Case Study is prepared for revalidation as a certified silviculturist in the Intermountain Region. When I first began working on this study, I anticipated that prescribed fire would produce variable degrees of aspen crown-kill and that differences in aspen sprouting would exist across the project area. What I observed was that although variable degrees of aspen crown-kill do exist, their distribution and relative amounts is more a function of prescribed fire ignition than of vegetation conditions. Very nearly full aspen crown-kill occurs with any fire that sustains itself enough to carry through the vegetation. Where prescribed fire is employed, …

First Order Fire Effects Model: Fofem 4.0, User's Guide, United States Department Of Agriculture, Forest Service

Forestry

A First Order Fire Effects Model (FOFEM) was developed to predict the direct consequences of prescribed fire and wildfire. FOFEM computes duff and woody fuel consumption, smoke production, and fire-caused tree mortality for most forest and rangeland types in the United States. The model is available as a computer program for PC or Data General computer.

Regeneration Of Aspen By Suckering On Burned Sites In Western Wyoming, D.L. Bartos, W.F. Mueggler, R.B. Campbell, Jr.

Aspen Bibliography

Approximately 2.8 million ha of woodlands dominated by quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) are scattered throughout the Western United States (Green and Van Hooser 1983).

Forage Quality In Burned And Unburned Aspen Communities, N.V. Debyle, P.J. Urness, D.L. Blank

Aspen Bibliography

We assessed the effects of fire on the quality of herbaceous and browse forage for elk (Gervus e/aphus) and domestic sheep in the aspen (Populus tremu/oides) forest type. Selected forage species were sampled on burned and adjacent unburned areas during the summers of the first and second years after autumn prescribed burning of three sites in southeastern Idaho. These samples were analyzed for in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), crude protein, calcium, and phosphorus. This aspen type has a highly nutritious understory irrespective of burning. We found additional improvement in forage quality as a result of prescribed burning. In the …

Fire Frequency And The Vegetal Mosaic Of The Utah State University Experimental Forest, Linda L. Wadleigh-Anhold

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A fire history study conducted for the Utah State University (USU) Experimental Forest using three distinct periods of fire frequency, historic (1700-1855), settlement (1856-1909), and suppression (1910-present), showed a decreased mean fire interval (MFI) during the settlement period and a greatly increased MFI during the suppression era. The difference was attributed to the influx of ignition sources during the settlement of the nearby Cache Valley, located 40 kilometers to the west. The interaction of settlers with the resource during logging and livestock grazing activities encouraged the high MFI and created the vegetal mosaic now observed on the study area.

The …

Influence Of Fire On Vegetation Production In The Aspen Ecosystem In Western Wyoming, Dale L. Bartos, Walter F. Mueggler

Aspen Bibliography

One hundred and sixty hectares of the upper Gros Ventre elk winter range were burned to improve forage production and to rejuvenate the decadent aspen.

Elk-Aspen Relationships On A Prescribed Burn, Joseph V. Basile

Aspen Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Estimating Aspen Crown Fuels In Northeastern Minnesota, R.M. Loomis, P.J. Roussopoulos

Aspen Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Manually Calculating Fire-Danger Ratings - 1978 National Fire-Danger Rating System, United States Department Of Agriculture, Forest Service

Forestry

This publication contains instructions for manually calculating the indexes and components of the 1978 National Fire-Danger Rating System (NFDRS). The procedures are explained with worked examples. Working sets of nomograms for the 20 NFDRS fuel models are not included. However, an order form for obtaining the needed nomograms is provided. USDA Forest Service General Technical Report INT-39, The National Fire-Danger Rating System--1978 by John E. Deeming, Robert E. Burgan, and Jack D. Cohen, a companion publication, covers the NFDRS background, applications, and general principles of the system.

Aspen Stands As Wildfire Fuel Breaks, Gilbert H. Fechner, Jack S. Barrows

Aspen Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Deterioration Of Aspen Clones In The Middle Rocky Mountains, George A. Schier

Aspen Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Repeated Prescribed Burning In Aspen, Donald A. Perala

Aspen Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Prescribed Burning In An Aspen-Mixed Hardwood Forest, Donald A. Perala

Aspen Bibliography

No abstract provided.

The Ecological Role Of Fire In The Jackson Hole Area, Northwestern Wyoming, L.L. Loope, G.E. Gruell

Aspen Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Forage And Woody Sprout Establishment On Cleared, Unbroken Land In Central Alberta, A.R. Bailey

Aspen Bibliography

No abstract provided.