Forest Management Commons^™

Object-Based Segmentation And Classification Of One Meter Imagery For Use In Forest Management Plans, W. Kevin Wells

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research developed an ArcGIS Python model that extracts polygons from aerial imagery and assigns each polygon a vegetation type based on a modified set of landcover classes from the Southwest Regional Gap Analysis Project. The model showed an ability to generate polygons that accurately represent vegetation community boundaries across a large landscape. The model is for use by the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands to assist in the preparation of forest management plans. The model was judged useful because it was easy to use, it met a designated 50% threshold of useable polygons, and it met …

Identifying And Understanding The Spatial Distribution Of Bobcat And Coyote Behavior, Ryan Radford Wilson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A common observation in animal space use studies is that animals do not use space uniformly, but rather use some areas of their home ranges and territories with much higher intensity than others. Numerous methods have been developed to estimate these "core areas"; however, all of the current methods available are based on arbitrary rules. Additionally, most studies do not attempt to understand what behavioral processes lead to the observed patterns of non-uniform space use. This study has four main objectives: 1) to develop an objective and more precise method for estimating core areas, 2) to understand the processes leading …

Effects Of Olfactory And Visual Predators On Nest Success And Nest-Site Selection Of Waterfowl In North Dakota., Jennifer S. Borgo

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Selecting a nest site is an important decision for waterfowl. Because most nest failure is due to depredation, the primary selective pressure in choosing a nest site should be to reduce depredation risk. This task is difficult because predators use differing tactics to locate nests, such as olfactory or visual cues. I investigated several components of waterfowl nest-site selection and success on sites with shelterbelts (planted tree-rows) in North Dakota, during the 2006 and 2007 nesting seasons.

I found that meteorological conditions impacted nest depredation; artificial nests were more likely to be depredated when either temperature or dew point was …

Gauging The Acceptability Of Fuels Management: A Matter Of Trust, Mark W. Brunson

Articles

There is a significant gap between the acceptability of management practices in theory and the confidence that citizens have in land managers' abilities to use those practices safely and effectively. But since most citizens are willing to accept the use of multiple practices on a small scale, opportunities exist for land managers to build citizens’ confidence in their activities while gradually reducing the risk of wildfire to the Great Basin’s most susceptible communities.

Utah Prairie Dog Habitat Evaluation Guide, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Environmental Defense

All U.S. Government Documents (Utah Regional Depository)

The Utah prairie dog (Cynomys parvidens) (UPD) is listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and exists only in southwestern Utah. UPD numbers and range have declined dramatically since settlement of Utah because of conversion of rangeland to cropland, urban development, fire suppression, improper grazing, drought, and introduced sylvatic plague (Yersina pestis). As of this writing, approximately 75% of all Utah prairie dogs inhabit private lands. This fact highlights the need to encourage farmers and ranchers to manage UPD habitat on their property in order to move the species closer to recovery. This guide provides technical …

Catastrophic Wildfire Hazard Assessment In Pinyon-Juniper Woodlands Utilizing A Managerial Paradigm, Benjamin D. Baldwin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The impetus for this research was the increasing threat of catastrophic wildfires resulting from the accumulation of fuels across the West. Guided by the priorities, goals, and guiding principles outlined by the national fire plan (NFP), the objective was to identify those areas within a pinyon-juniper woodland-dominated landscape with the highest hazard of catastrophic wildfire. The intent was to help managers prioritize proactive fuels management efforts outside of the wildland urban interface (WUI). Based on a management paradigm, constraints were placed on the data collection, analysis, and model development. A geographic information system (GIS) was used to create a hazard …

Species Pairwise Associations Over Nine Years Of Secondary Succession: Assessing Alternative Explanations And Successional Mechanisms, Lara R. Rozzell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The importance and mechanisms of species interactions are undetermined in most successional systems. I used correlations and null modeling to detect pairwise species associations between 33 plant species in the first nine years of secondary succession after logging and burning in a western Oregon Cascade forest. I tested for correlations between each species and soil nutrients, nonvegetative ground cover, and surrounding vegetation. More positive than negative associations were found at all sampling times. The proportion of positive associations decreased and negative associations increased through time. Up to 42% of associations at a sampling time were explicable by shared positive correlations …

Utah Forest Health Report : A Baseline Assessment 1999 - 2001, Colleen Keyes, Paul Rogers, Leon Lamadeleine, Vick Applegate, Dave Atkins

The Bark Beetles, Fuels, and Fire Bibliography

This report addresses forest health in two ways: by discussion of forest-related issues and by data summaries in several appendices. FHM is a long-term monitoring program and therefore, the data presented in this report must be viewed in that light. This report presents a first-time, or baseline summary. Subsequent reports will address changes over time as plots and other detection surveys are conducted and re-measured.

Climate Change And Forest Disturbances, V. H. Dale, L. A. Joyce, S. Mcnulty, R. P. Neilson, M. P. Ayres, M. D. Flannigan, P. J. Hanson, L. C. Irland, A. E. Lugo, C. J. Peterson, D. Simberloff, F. J. Swanson, B. J. Stocks, B. M. Wotton

The Bark Beetles, Fuels, and Fire Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Final Environmental Impact Statement - Iron Point Exploraton License - Iron Point Coal Lease Tract - Elk Creek Coal Lease Tract, Volume 2, United States Department Of Agriculture -- Forest Service, United States Department Of The Interior -- Bureau Of Land Management

Environmental Assessments (CO)

This appendix documents BLM and Forest Service activities to involve and consult with other government agencies and the public in the preparation of the Final EIS for the potential leasing of the Iron Point and Elk Creek Coal lease tracts, as well as the issuance of a coal exploration license for an area within and surrounding the Iron Point Coal lease Tract.

Dutch John Excavations: Seasonal Occupations On The North Slope Of The Uintah Mountains., U.S. Forest Service

All U.S. Government Documents (Utah Regional Depository)

From 1993-1995 Forest Service crews conducted an intensive archaeological inventory of the Dutch John Area, Daggett County, Utah. Seventy seven archaeological sites were identified within the exchange boundary. Thirty three sites were determined to be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. Between April 1995 and September 1998 testing and excavation of the significant sites proceeded as outlined in the Dutch John Mitigation Plan. This volume reports the results of those excavations.

A Survey Of The General Public Assessing Public Attitudes Toward Animal Damage Control Management Policy, Douglas K. Reiter

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A mail survey of randomly selected stratified U.S. households assessed general attitudes toward wildlife and specific concerns about wildlife damage management and the federal Animal Damage Control program. Respondents strongly supported federal government's role in ensuring public safety, engaging in public education, and continuing research into nonlethal control methods. Weaker support was found for lethal control of predators and crop depredators, and financial compensation for losses due to wildlife activities was generally opposed. Lethal methods of control were generally considered to be inhumane and nonlethal methods humane. When asked to rank the importance of factors to be considered when selecting …

Preliminary Analysis Of The Management Situation Summary, Wasatch-Cache National Forest, April 1999, United States Department Of Agriculture, Forest Service

Forestry

The National Forest Management Act (NFMA) of 1976 (NFMA P.L. 94-588) required each National Forest to develop National Forest Land and Resource Management Plans (Forest Plans), and to update or "revise" them when conditions have significantly changed or at least every 15 years. The Wasatch-Cache National Forest completed its current Forest Plan in 1985 (USDA Forest Service 1985). To comply with NFMA a revision needs to be completed by the end of 2000. In 1997, Congress prohibited expenditure of funds on formal Forest Plan revision. In 1998 prohibitions were lifted for 14 national forests nationwide. The Wasatch-Cache National Forest was …

Green Canyon Recreation Management Plant, Jesse Evans, Erin Haddock, Todd Tibbetts, Lindsey Topham

Green Canyon Environmental Research Area, Logan Utah

The purpose of this plan is to look at the way Green Canyon is currently being managed and make recommendations for management based on our findings. Prior to this document, a Landscape Assessment was conducted on Green Canyon. This plan incorporates that assessment but focuses on the recreation management of the canyon. We will discuss history, current management, social conditions, purpose and need, as well as methods we used to go about gathering information. The focus is to identify key issues and concerns within the canyon. Management recommendations will be made based on the issues and concerns identified.

Final Environmental Impact Statement: Wasatch Powderbird Guides Permit Renewal, U.S. Forest Service

Final environmental Impact Statements (UT)

Analysis of the proposed action and six alternatives considered for the proposed special use permit renewal for Wasatch Powderbird Guides (WPG). WPG operates a guided helicopter skiing concession on the Wasatch-Cache and Uinta National Forests near Salt Lake City, Utah.

Final Environmental Impact Statement: Salmon River Corridor, U.S. Forest Service

Final Environmental Impact Statements (ID)

Documents the analysis conducted for the Salmon River Corridor. This corridor involves National Forest System lands within the Sawtooth National Forest. The analysis of the current condition of the Salmon River Corridor has found that existing conditions within the Corridor do not comply with the direction, standards and guidelines of the Sawtooth National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan or the intent of PL92-400 which established the Sawtooth National Recreation Area; The proposed action of this FEIS is to bring management of this corridor into compliance with the FLRMP.

Winter Activity Patterns Of American Martens (Martes Americana): Rejection Of The Hypothesis Of Thermal-Cost Minimization, Gary S. Drew, John A. Bissonette

Green Canyon Environmental Research Area, Logan Utah

Despite their temperate to subarctic geographic range, American martens (Martes americana) possess a thermally inefficient morphology. The lack of morphological adaptations for reducing thermal costs suggests that marten may use behavioral strategies to optimize thermal budgets. During the winters of 1989-1990 and 1990-1991, we radio-collared and monitored the diel activity of 7 martens. A log-linear model suggested that the presence or absence of light was the only factor associated with marten activity patterns (p < 0.001). A regression of the percentage of active fixes on ambient temperature failed to detect an association (b = -4.45, p = 0.084, n = 12). Contents of marten seats suggested that their activity was consistent with the prey-vulnerability hypothesis. While martens must balance multiple life requisites, their activity patterns suggest that they accept increased thermal costs in order to increase foraging efficiency. However, the nocturnal activity of martens during winter was also consistent with the hypothesis that they may be able to limit their own exposure to predation risk. The nocturnal habits of Newfoundland martens in the winter were consistent with the hypothesis of avoidance of predation risk.

Wildlife Damage Management (Wdm) In The Northern Utah Adc District, United States Department Of Agriculture, Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service, Animal Damage Control

All U.S. Government Documents (Utah Regional Depository)

Across the United States, wildlife habitat has been substantially changed as human populations expand and land is used for human needs. These human uses and needs often compete with wildlife which increases the potential for conflicting human/wildlife interactions. In addition, segments of the public strive for protection for all wildlife; this protection can create localized conflicts between human and wildlife activities.

Douglas-Fir Beetle, Richard F. Schmitz, Kenneth E. Gibson

The Bark Beetles, Fuels, and Fire Bibliography

The Douglas-fir beetle (Dendroctonus pseudotsuqae Hopk.) infests and kills Douglas-fir throughout most of its range in western United States British Columbia and Mexico. Occasionally western larch trees are infested when growing among Douglas-fir under attack. Attacks in standing larch are always unsuccessful, while those in freshly felled larch are usually successful and brood emergence is equivalent to that in Douglas-fir. Douglas-fir beetles normally kill small groups of trees, but during outbreaks 100 tree groups are not uncommon (fig. 1). Losses can be devastating during periodic outbreaks, such as four that occurred in western Oregon and Washington from 1950 through 1969, …

Uinta National Forest Rangeland Ecosystem Forest Plan Amendment: Final Environmental Impact Statement, U.S. Forest Service

All U.S. Government Documents (Utah Regional Depository)

This final environmental impact statement describes alternatives, including a "no action" alternative for management of national forest rangeland resources on the Uinta National Forest.

Hydraulic Lift And Soil Nutrient Heterogeneity, Martyn M. Caldwell, John H. Manwaring

Green Canyon Environmental Research Area, Logan Utah

Water released at night from roots into upper portions of the soil profile in the process of hydraulic lift may contribute to reducing spatial soil nutrient heterogeneity. A manipulative field experiment was conducted in a semiarid shrub stand to determine if circumvention of hydraulic lift, by nighttime illumination of the shrub canopy, would result in greater soil nutrient heterogeneity than if the hydraulic lift process was allowed to operate. Nutrient-enriched patches were superimposed on the existing soil heterogeneity and after 40 days, the patches and interspaces were sampled for ions of different mobility and for root mass. There was no …

Stratospheric Ozone Reduction, Solar Uv-B Radiation And Terrestrial Ecosystems, Martyn M. Caldwell, Stephan D. Flint

Green Canyon Environmental Research Area, Logan Utah

Stratospheric ozone reduction is occurring and will continue to increase in magnitude into the next century. Yet, the consequences for terrestrial ecosystems of the increased solar W-B (280-320 nm) radiation resulting from total column ozone reduction are not understood. Based on studies of higher plant response to UV-B, several possible consequences for ecosystems include decreased primary production, altered plant species composition, and altered secondary chemistry with implications for herbivory, litter decomposition and biogeochemical cycles. However, like the assessment of increased atmospheric CO2, extrapolation from studies with isolated plants to ecosystem function is very tenuous at best. Very few UV-B studies …

A Prairie Dog Abatement Program In San Juan County, Utah, Terry A. Messmer, Jim Keyes, Roy Mcdonald

All U.S. Government Documents (Utah Regional Depository)

Four species of prairie dogs are native to the plains and plateaus of the western United States. The most abundant and widely distributed of these is the blacktailed prairie dog, (Cynomys ludovicianus). This species has been a frequent topic of discussion at previous Great Plains Wildlife Damage Control workshops. Black-tailed prairie dog ecology and management was the topic of a panel discussion held at the Fifth Great Plains Wildlife Damage Control Workshop, in Lincoln, Nebraska (Timm and Johnson 1982) and the theme topic at the Eighth Great Plains Wildlife Damage Control Workshop in Rapid City, South Dakota (Uresk et al. …

Final Oil And Gas Leasing Environmental Impact Statement [Microform] : Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre And Gunnison National Forests V1, United States Forest Service

Environmental Assessments (NV)

No abstract provided.

Final Oil And Gas Leasing Environmental Impact Statement [Microform] : Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre And Gunnison National Forests V2, United States Forest Service

Environmental Assessments (NV)

No abstract provided.

Hazard Perception And Preparation By Cross-Country Skiers In Utah, Kevin J. Kobe

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis examined how cross-country skiers perceive and prepare for winter hazards. A self-completion questionnaire was administered to cross-country skiers in northern Utah. The questions on the questionnaire were designed to explore the relationships that affect how skiers perceive and prepare for winter hazards. Additionally, the situation where skiers put themselves at risk due to lack of information as opposed to skiers placing themselves at risk through the desire to confront nature's dangers was explored. Variables that were contained in these relationships were correlated and the degree of correlation was measured.

Those that sought information on the day surveyed were …

Proceedings--Future Forests Of The Mountain West: A Stand Culture Symposium, U.S. Forest Service

All U.S. Government Documents (Utah Regional Depository)

Presents best information available about young dynamic western forests and charts the future of forestry in western North America.

Douglas-Fir Beetle (Dendroctonus Pseudotsugae Hopkins, Coleoptera : Scolytidae) Brood Production On Douglas-Fir Defoliated By Western Spruce Budworm (Choristoneura Occidentalis Freeman, Lepidoptera : Tortricidae) In Logan Canyon, Utah, S E. Fredricks, M J. Jenkins

The Bark Beetles, Fuels, and Fire Bibliography

Douglas-fir beetle brood production was studied on Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco) trees defoliated by the western spruce budworm between 1983 and 1985. Tallies were made of the number of attacks, total length and number of egg galleries, number of eggs deposited, number of larval tunnels, number of pupal chambers, and number of emerging beetles (per female and per unit area). Data analysis showed no significant differences among the three years studied. The number of emerging beetles per female parent was 0.59, and emergence per 90 cm2 was 2.32 beetles. Egg, larval, and pupal survivals were 47.5%, 30.0%, and 15.5%, …

Lodgepole Pine Vigor, Regeneration, And Infestation By Mountain Pine Beetle Following Partial Cutting On The Shoshone National Forest, Wyoming, Gene D. Amman, Gene D. Lessard, Lynn A. Rasmussen, Curtis G. O'Neil

The Bark Beetles, Fuels, and Fire Bibliography

Lodgepole pine stands were thinned in the Shoshone National Forest of northwestern Wyoming in 1979 and 1980 using different forms of partial cutting. Average losses of trees 5 inches diameter at breast height and larger to mountain pine beetles during the 5 years following thinning ranged from less than 1 percent in spaced thinnings to 7.4 percent in the 12-inch diameter limit cut, compared to 26.5 percent in check stands. Residual trees increased radial growth significantly, but change in growth efficiency is slow. Regeneration 5 years after thinning ranged between 1,160 and 3,560 seedlings per acre, with pine being favored …

Mountain Pine Beetle Outbreaks In The Rocky Mountains: Regulators Of Primary Productivity?, W. H. Romme, D. H. Knight, J. B. Yavitt

The Bark Beetles, Fuels, and Fire Bibliography

We consider the hypothesis that mountain pine beetles function as cybernetic regulators of primary productivity in ecosystems of lodgepole pine forest through their selective killing of dominant trees and the subsequent redistribution of resources. Following a recent major beetle outbreak in Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks, surviving trees did grow significantly faster (P < .1); wood production was redistributed among canopy, subcanopy, and understory trees; and annual wood production per hectare usually returned to pre-attack levels or exceeded them within 10-15 yr. However, reconstructions of annual wood production over the last 70-80 yr indicate that the beetle outbreak did not reduce the variation in productivity; rather, the beetles introduced more variation than would have existed in their absence. Hence, our results do not support the hypothesis that the beetles function as cybernetic regulators (in the strict sense). Nevertheless, the beetle-pine system that we studied shows great resilience, and the effects of beetles on primary productivity do not appear to be as severe as conventional wisdom maintains. Annual wood production per hectare returned quickly to previous levels in the stands we studied, and associated ecological changes can be considered generally benign or even beneficial.