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March 12, 2008 : Post-Fire Management of Forests
Keywords: Onagraceae | Chamerion angustifolium (L.) Holub | north of Chase, British Columbia | Salvage Logging Process - McClure, British Columbia (north of Kamloops)
Connor Fitzpatrick continues with the series for UBC Research Week:
Scott Black is a Botany grad student at UBC. He is researching the ecological effects of post-wildfire management practices on the interior douglas fir forests, Pseudotsuga menziesii, of Southern British Columbia.
Disturbances such as forest-fires were once thought to be purely destructive forces, however, now they are seen in a more positive light. Disturbance (PDF) is now considered an important factor in maintaining the biodiversity of many natural ecosystems. Study of the effects of disturbance on plant community structure and, resource levels has initiated many ecological theories including the competitive exclusion and intermediate disturbance hypotheses. Disturbances are essential to ecosystem composition, function and sustainability but how much disturbance is too much?
Post-wildfire management in BC includes salvage logging, grass seeding and stump flipping. These practices increase the disturbance frequency and can potentially alter a plant community’s response after wildfire (here is a study, PDF, evaluating the effects of grass seeding). With 187 plant species and 98 animal species living in the interior douglas fir forests that are either red or blue listed (via the BC Ministry of Environment), an understanding of the effect of post-wildfire management practices on ecosystem health is crucial.
Salvage logging (PDF) can reduce the species diversity of plant communities, and reduce the number of tree seedlings after a fire. Soil loss / compaction and an increase in invasive species are results of salvage logging. Furthermore, the removal of burnt logs reduces the number of habitats for certain wildlife, especially birds, and can create unfavourable conditions for native understory vegetation.
In 2003, BC had a total of 2473 fires consuming 265,053 ha of forest (from the BC Ministry of Forests and Range), and fire frequency is expected to increase with climate change. Scott is comparing the plant communities found in post-wildfire sites that have been salvage logged, grass seeded, and left untouched. By uncovering the relationship between plant community structure, environmental characteristics and post-fire forest management practices Scott hopes to increase the sustainability of BC’s interior forests.
The first picture shows the ubiquitous post-fire species, Chamerion angustifolium, amidst a stand of burnt interior douglas firs. Fireweed has very deep rhizomes that sprout after fire and wind dispersed seeds that quickly cover burnt areas. It is also used as an ingredient in the cosmetic industry. This picture was taken in the McGillivray Fire north of Chase, BC last summer. The second picture shows the salvage logging process. The picture is courtesy of the Ministry of Forests and Range and was taken near MClure BC, North of Kamloops
(Adapted from Scott's 2007 proposal)
Here (PDF) is a report on wildfire management practices in western America.
Posted by Daniel Mosquin at March 12, 2008 1:56 PM
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Comments
Posted by: Annie McCleary at March 12, 2008 6:08 PM
the images are so dramatic
the write up is timely
i live in florida
we have had so many fires
the weather is still dry
how did scott come to study at ubc
Posted by: elizabeth a airhart at March 13, 2008 3:40 AM
I lived at Vancouver Bay in Jarvis Inlet, B.C. and we had such lovely blue berries which someone told us only happens after forest fires. The bears certainly liked them and we liked Mom's blue berry pies and tarts. Has lots of fireweed blooming too.
Posted by: Carole Miller at March 13, 2008 12:56 PM
A very interesting article. I wish it explained what "stump flipping" is.
I love the fireweed photo. I first saw fireweed during a trip to Yellowstone in 1968 and thought it was so beautiful, even though the ranger said the plants usually came after a fire.
Does the second photo show salvage clear-cutting? At least one of the cut trees lying on the hillside (left of center) looks like it has green branches--or is that a bush growing there? It's good to see at least some trees farther back survived the flames.
Posted by: Janet A. at March 13, 2008 1:26 PM
Regarding stump flipping:
Connor Fitzpatrick wrote:
Hi Scott,
Someone on the garden forum asked what stump flipping was. I thought it was the turning over of burnt stumps, is this correct?
From: "Scott Black"
Subject: Re: Stump Flipping
To: "Connor Fitzpatrick"
Yes, they often stump areas this way after fire and/or root rot. It is thought that flipping the stumps kills the root rot fungus and exposes mineral soil to prepare sites for planting tree seedlings. But it also causes erosion, brings in weeds and has not been proven to kill root rot as far as I can tell. Not much research on this yet.
Cheers
Scott
Posted by: Daniel Mosquin 
at March 13, 2008 3:59 PM
Annie,
I recently saw that it has been changed from another source.
The USDA PLANTS database also shows it as changed to Chamerion
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=CHANA2
Since there are still listings for Epilobium (Epilobium brachycarpum), I assume the "splitters" go a hold of the genus and did there thing. I have seen nothing regarding the basis of the genus split.
Interestingly enough, the range map included in the PLANTS entry for fireweed does not include Oregon, although I've seen it frequently.
Posted by: Denis at March 15, 2008 9:25 PM
Hi Scott,
As a Timber Sale Administrator it is obvious that all fire salvage sales don't look the same. On my fire salvage we leave snags, down woody debris, and approve skid trails a minimum of 100 feet apart. Skidtrails are all ripped and covered with slash after logging to reduce compaction and erosion. There are lots of affordable mitigation that can be done to reduce the impacts of salvage logging and still utilize most of the material.
As for the green trees, there are several cut. It's the first thing I saw. Often a burned tree will have green needles when the cambium has been burned. In that case the trees are cut even if they are green because once the cambium is dead the tree is not long for this world. I'm not sure if this is the case here or not.
I love "Botany Photo of the Day".
It reminds me why I picked my career.
Thanks,
Lynn
Posted by: Lynn at March 18, 2008 12:06 PM
Please share your comments about the photograph(s) and accompanying write-up. Telling a story about the subject of the photograph(s) is also much appreciated! If you have a gardening question, the best place to ask is on the UBC Botanical Garden Forums. Thank you!
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Great photo of fireweed against the fire-blackened tree. I know fireweed as Epilobium angustifolium. Has there been a switch in the generic name?