Fues Reduction
3 posters
Page 1 of 1
Fues Reduction
There was a thread the other week that touched on the practice of fuels reduction in Forestry. While I was out in the field yesterday I snapped a couple pictures of an are that had been recently treated. Disclaimer, I am not a forester or silviculturist.
This is an area that was treated sometime in the last 12 months. Some small to medium sized trees were left for rejuvenation, however their number is low enough that it should prevent a fire from escalating into the canopy of the mature trees. When a fire does come through here (I imagine that they're probably planning a controlled burn), it should burn up the cut, dead trees but not harm the larger, older trees. Trees in this picture appear to be mostly Ponderosa Pine, Grand Fir, and Tamarack (Larch) with a Douglas Fir branch in the left foreground.
This is a non-treated area directly across the road from the first picture. Note high tree density and the mixture of tree heights. Not only will the competition for water and light stunt tree growth in this kind of forest (reducing health and future economic values), but also greatly increases the chance of a fire climbing into the canopy of the mature trees and causing a stand replacing fire. Tree composition appears to consist primarily of tamarack (larch), lodgepole pine (which was completely removed from the treatment area), grand fir, Douglas fir, and ponderosa pine.
Careful management of this part of the forest is essential due to the fact that this is one of the few areas of extensive old growth ponderosa pine left on the Forest.
This is an area that was treated sometime in the last 12 months. Some small to medium sized trees were left for rejuvenation, however their number is low enough that it should prevent a fire from escalating into the canopy of the mature trees. When a fire does come through here (I imagine that they're probably planning a controlled burn), it should burn up the cut, dead trees but not harm the larger, older trees. Trees in this picture appear to be mostly Ponderosa Pine, Grand Fir, and Tamarack (Larch) with a Douglas Fir branch in the left foreground.
This is a non-treated area directly across the road from the first picture. Note high tree density and the mixture of tree heights. Not only will the competition for water and light stunt tree growth in this kind of forest (reducing health and future economic values), but also greatly increases the chance of a fire climbing into the canopy of the mature trees and causing a stand replacing fire. Tree composition appears to consist primarily of tamarack (larch), lodgepole pine (which was completely removed from the treatment area), grand fir, Douglas fir, and ponderosa pine.
Careful management of this part of the forest is essential due to the fact that this is one of the few areas of extensive old growth ponderosa pine left on the Forest.
Bryant- Admin
- Posts : 1452
Join date : 2012-01-28
Age : 35
Location : John Day, Oregon
Re: Fues Reduction
Control burns must be a touchy thing in the dry areas out west. Back home it is no big deal, but we are much, much wetter.
One reason the money is lacking is due to pressure put on sportsmen. Excise taxes on hunting and fishing equipment pay for 100% of the cost for maintaining our nation's forests and wildlife. With recent political and social climates, there has been a dramatic decrease in sportsmen over the past 20-30 years. It has gotten so bad that we have introduced "conservation season" on things like geese. During this season, we can shoot the geese "over head"(meaning while they are on the ground) and there is no bag limit on certain species(geese play havoc on crops). We have also increased bag limits for many different species.
Call it unintended consequences.
One reason the money is lacking is due to pressure put on sportsmen. Excise taxes on hunting and fishing equipment pay for 100% of the cost for maintaining our nation's forests and wildlife. With recent political and social climates, there has been a dramatic decrease in sportsmen over the past 20-30 years. It has gotten so bad that we have introduced "conservation season" on things like geese. During this season, we can shoot the geese "over head"(meaning while they are on the ground) and there is no bag limit on certain species(geese play havoc on crops). We have also increased bag limits for many different species.
Call it unintended consequences.
Marconius- Posts : 1800
Join date : 2012-01-31
Age : 54
Location : Opelousas Louisiana
Re: Fues Reduction
We can run controlled burns during the spring and late fall when things are wet.
Bryant- Admin
- Posts : 1452
Join date : 2012-01-28
Age : 35
Location : John Day, Oregon
Re: Fues Reduction
Used to always do it here in florida, then cut back probably due to liability. That was until about 4-5 years ago when we had a major wildfire outbreak. Now it seems like theyre back at it
Sir Pun- Posts : 1621
Join date : 2013-01-30
Re: Fues Reduction
Just about have to here, cuz u got fuel all the way from the ground up to the canopy
Sir Pun- Posts : 1621
Join date : 2013-01-30
Page 1 of 1
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum