Research Brief

In this study, researchers investigated the extent of forest restoration needed to move present day forests towards a NRV across fire-adapted landscapes in eastern Washington, eastern Oregon, and southwestern Oregon. They assessed forest vegetation restoration needs for over 28 million acres of forest based on the distribution of different forest types (e.g., Dry Mixed Conifer vs. Moist Mixed Conifer) and the current relative abundance of structural classes (see below) compared to NRV reference conditions. Using this approach, researchers determined which structural classes were overrepresented and underrepresented in each landscape unit. They then evaluated which of several different treatment or restoration categories (‘Disturbance Only’, ‘Disturbance then Succession’, and ‘Succession Only’) could transition acres to structural classesthat would restore a distribution of classes to within the NRV reference conditions.

In this study, researchers analyzed how previous management effortsand other factors including weather and landform influenced burn severityduring the 2006 Tripod Complex Fires, which at the time represented thelargest wildfire event in over 50 years in the state of Washington. The TripodComplex burned over 170,000 acres of mixed-conifer forests, including 387past harvest and fuel-treatment units. By evaluating differences in burn severityin areas with and without harvest and fuel treatments, as well as between areaswith different landform, vegetation, insect outbreak, and weather duringburning, researchers evaluated the relative influence of these drivers on burnseverity during the fire.

To determine the influences of mountain pine beetle epidemics in lodgepole pine forests in south-central Oregon, researchers looked at how ground, surface, ladder, and crown fuels change over time in response to beetle epidemics, and how these epidemics influence current and future fire behavior. By looking at similar stands of varying ages researchers documented changes in stand development and fuels over time and developed a chronosequence covering a range of post-beetle epidemic conditions. Fire behavior was determined at multiple scales using several standard fuel models.

In this study, researchers gathered vegetation and songbird abundance data in the Little Applegate Valley of Jackson County, Oregon. After one year of data collection, a portion of the study area experienced a 6,177-acre mixed-severity wildfire (23% low, 36% moderate, 42% high severity). To better understand how the wildfire affected songbird abundance, they continued to collect data in the burned area as well as an unburned control area for four years after the wildfire.

To better understand NIPF owners, and subsequently the types of policies that are most likely to engage them in fuel mitigation strategies, researchers at the USFS Pacific Northwest Research Station and Oregon State University surveyed and interviewed private forest landowners living in fire-prone forests in eastern and central Oregon. Over 500 survey responses and 60 one-on-one interviews with NIPF owners helped the research team better understand different types of landowners, their distinct motivations, and policy suitabilities for hazardous fuels reduction.

How does this smoke affect people? Do people know where the smoke comes from and does such knowledge affect their attitude towards it? Do concerns about smoke preclude the use of prescribed fire? Gaining insight into public attitudes toward smoke is important in making decisions regarding its management. To investigate these questions, we conducted a mail survey of households in four sites across the US in 2012. Nearly 1000 people responded to the survey.