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Author(s):
Merrill R. Kaufmann, Jimmie D. Chew, J. Greg Jones
Year Published:

Cataloging Information

Topic(s):
Fire Behavior
Extreme Fire Behavior
Case Studies
Ecosystem(s):
Montane dry mixed-conifer forest, Ponderosa pine woodland/savanna

NRFSN number: 11169
FRAMES RCS number: 726
Record updated:

A mixed severity fire regime historically created complex landscape structures in ponderosa pine forests of the Colorado Front Range. Mitigating present wildfire risks and restoring these forests to ecologically sustainable conditions requires new guidelines for landscape treatment. However, vast acreages need treatment while only limited resources are available. A landscape strategy is needed to provide the greatest ecological benefit and protection from severe wildfire over the largest area at the least cost. Modeling focuses on simulating vegetation changes spatially in the presence and interaction of insects, disease, and wildland fire, and on optimal scheduling of treatments that effectively meet resource and management objectives. This research uses historical characteristics of a landscape shaped by a historical mixed severity fire regime, obtained from research on an unlogged ponderosa pine/Douglas-fir landscape in the South Platte watershed southwest of Denver, CO.

Citation

Kaufmann, Merrill R.; Chew, Jimmie; Jones, Greg. 2005. Optimizing landscape treatments for reducing wildfire risk and improving ecological sustainability of ponderosa pine forests with mixed severity fire regimes. Joint Fire Science Project 01-1-3-22. Fort Collins, CO: University of Colorado, Warner College of Natural Resources, Department of Forest, Rangeland & Watershed Stewardship. 5 p.

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