1C.2
Second entry prescribed fires in Ponderosa pine and bear clover forests
Monica S. Buhler, Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, CA; and K. J. Paintner
There are 67,000 acres of Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa) with bear clover (Chamaibatia foliolosa) understory forests in Yosemite National Park. Research indicates that historic fire return intervals in this forest type were from 2-6 years. In an effort to return fire to this ecosystem, prescribed burning began as early as 1970. The main goals of prescribed burning are to reduce total woody fuel loading, minimize overstory tree mortality, reduce pole-size trees and to manage bear clover cover. Monitoring in this type began in 1993 with the installation of 13 NPS Fire Monitoring Handbook (FMH) plots. All 13 plots have burned once and eight have burned twice. Fuel loads at the five-year post burn read were good indicators of the need and timing for second entry burns. Analysis indicates that timing of second entry burns is critical to manage and maintain target conditions for stand structure, fuel load and hazard reduction. .
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Session 1C, Ecosystem Restoration: Part 1 (TRACK III)
Monday, 17 November 2003, 11:00 AM-5:30 PM
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