1 / 14

Dry-conifer Ecology and Silviculture in Western Oregon

Explore the diverse ecosystems and silvicultural practices in Oregon's dry conifer forests. Learn about Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, and more, and delve into the impacts of disturbances like fire and human activities. Discover sustainable management strategies for maintaining forest health and resilience.

lgenevieve
Download Presentation

Dry-conifer Ecology and Silviculture in Western Oregon

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Dry-conifer Ecology and Silviculture in Western Oregon John D. Bailey Oregon State University

  2. Two provinces but… • Rainfall • Temperature

  3. Forest Vegetation Formula: • Geology and Soils • Climate/microclimate • Disturbances - fire • Heterotrophs - humans

  4. Ecology 101 Autecology (e.g., silvics) Synecology (e.g., Douglas-fir infill) Ecosystems – exchanges of mass and energy Disturbance (no such thing as ‘balance’) Douglas-fir (dominant) Ponderosa and sugar pine Incense-cedar Oregon white oak Forests and woodlands Savannas Grasslands/meadows

  5. Stand Dynamics • Stand Initiation • Stem Exclusion • Understory Reinitiation • Old Growth • Seral stages (spatial and temporal patterns) • meadows? • fire-maintained woodlands • native peoples • young forest?

  6. Historic vs. current conditions • “Axis of Evil” • settlement and land conversion • overgrazing • fire exclusion and suppression* • dewatering of drainages • scattered (often high-grade) logging* • ungulate proliferation • Fuel accumulation • Density • Age and size structure

  7. SilvicultureMechanical Treatment (e.g., “thinning”) vs. Prescribed Burning Disadvantages Advantages

  8. National Program • 13 sites in the US • Two factors (mechanical and fire) • Basic Design and Monitoring http://www.fs.fed.us/ffs/ Control Burn Only Thin Only Thin & Burn

  9. Standard Fuels Reduction Treatment – 2 million acres/year

  10. FFS 80/80 Treatment

  11. FUELS REDUCTION TREATMENTS • Silvicultural Effectiveness • n. Having the intended or expected effect; serving the management purpose over time and space • Structure • tree and stand • live and dead • Composition • Fuels levels • Stand Dynamics – DFD’s • restoration • ecosystem-based management • carbon • Sustainability

  12. FFS Treatments – Southwest Plateau (northern Arizona) • Mechanical harvest only Prescribed fire only • Harvest followed by fire Control

  13. FFS Treatment – Future Structure and Dynamics…40 years later

  14. Other Restoration Treatments • Silvicultural Effectiveness • n. Having the intended or expected effect; serving the management purpose over time and space • Meadow encroachment • Oak savanna infill • northern spotted owl habitat • defensible fuel breaks • MULTI-AGED MANAGEMENT • STANDS AND LANDSCAPES

More Related