Posted by: thepinetree on 03/16/2015 06:35 PM
Updated by: thepinetree on 03/16/2015 06:38 PM
Expires: 01/01/2020 12:00 AM
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In the Wake of the Rim Fire, What Comes Next? A Story of Recovery, Restoration and Reforestation
Groveland, CA...The Stanislaus National Forest is rising phoenix-like from the blackened forest left by the Rim Fire that blazed through the Sierras in August of 2013. Left with a burn scar that is one-third larger than New York City, a reforestation team is diligently working to bring forth a new forest. Since the fire, much has been done in the way of making the forest safe for public travel and recreation along main travel routes. Snags and fire-damaged trees are a safety hazard to humans and wildlife; they also create a tremendous fuel load on the ground (biomass) as they fall. This fuel can feed future fires, which can be severely damaging to the soil. Jack-strawed trees can also make it difficult for tree seedlings to gain a foothold...
These park benches were crafted from cedar trees burned in the Rim Fire. Photo by: USDA Forest Service.
Thus far, many thousands of burned trees have been removed via salvage logging. Logging not only allows the wood to be repurposed, but it also clears the path for the future forest and the animals that will inhabit it.
The next step in this restoration process is reforestation. Maria Benech, Interdisciplinary Team Leader for the Rim Fire Reforestation project, has been working with a host of scientists, resource specialists, and the public to develop a project plan for the future forest.
Without intervention it could take several decades to centuries for the forest to heal on its own, if at all. The intensity and sheer size of the fire left large gaps in the forest canopy. These gaps are far greater than those historically seen.
“Seed producing trees are so far away from some of these openings,” said Maria, “that it is very unlikely trees could naturally regenerate for a very long time.”
Biodiversity, wildlife habitat and fire resiliency are priorities driving the reforestation plan. “We are looking about 60 to 100 years into the future to picture our end goal,” said Maria. “That includes incorporating information on forest resiliency to fire, historic forest structure and climate change models.”
The project lists the following needs: 1) return a mixed conifer forest to the landscape; 2) restore Old Forest for wildlife habitat and connectivity; 3) reduce fuels for future fire resiliency; 4) enhance deer habitat; and 5) eradicate noxious weeds.
Creating a forest that can adapt and survive natural disturbances is also important. That is why the reforestation plan calls for 11,285 acres of existing plantations to be thinned.
“Forests in California need to be able to bounce back following disturbance and fire is a natural and regular agent of change,” said Jeanne Higgins, Forest Supervisor. “Removing fire from the equation is not a part of the plan, but reducing the intensity of future forest fires certainly is a part of our overall mission. Thinning will help us to reach that desired resilient state.”
Reintroducing fire into the forested areas early is one way the Stanislaus NF has of lessening the damaging effects of intense fires. “Frequent fires tend to burn with less severity,” said Chris Schow, Fire Management Officer, “and the post-fire effects are less damaging because there is less fuel to drive up the intensity.”
The Rim Fire killed overstory conifers that were shading out many of the large oaks that once thrived on this landscape when fire was more frequent. Without competition these oaks, which readily resprout from their bases, are rebounding in the burned area.
The reforestation plan takes into account the importance of oak trees and is recommending seedlings are not planted within a 25 foot buffer of these resprouting trees. “Acorns are such an important food crop for so many species of wildlife,” said Marcie Baumbach, Forest Wildlife Biologist. “That’s partly why we are doing things differently this time.”
Deer are one species that rely on acorns during cold winter months. They are also an indicator species for overall forest health, and have been studied by some of California’s earliest visitors. Current studies conducted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife indicate that migratory deer herds are on the decline statewide.
Migratory deer, such as the Tuolumne deer herd, travel mountainous corridors between higher and lower elevations in the Sierra Nevada. Downed timber from the Rim Fire interrupted some of these travel corridors. It also disrupted habitat critical to their survival.
Enhancing wildlife habitat is just one aspect of this multi-faceted project. The reforestation plan is a road map for the future that highlights a variety of resource issues.
“The Stanislaus National Forest is public land and you have a stake in the outcome of any actions the Forest Service takes to manage these lands,” said Jeanne Higgins. “That’s why we want to hear your thoughts on the future of your forest.” The public is also welcome to attend upcoming reforestation events. Information on restoring the area burned by the Rim Fire, including project details and maps, can be found on the Stanislaus NF website at: http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=45612 as well as on twitter and FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Forest-Service-Stanislaus-National-Forest/1519091634969249
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