Implementation constraints limit benefits of restoration treatments in mixed-conifer forests
Jamie M. Lydersen A D E , Brandon M. Collins B and Carolyn T. Hunsaker C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Ecosystem Sciences Division, Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
B Center for Fire Research and Outreach, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3114, USA.
C USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Fresno, CA 93710, USA.
D Present address: California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Fire and Resource Assessment Program, Sacramento, CA 95818, USA.
E Corresponding author. Email: jmlydersen@berkeley.edu
International Journal of Wildland Fire 28(7) 495-511 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF18141
Submitted: 23 August 2018 Accepted: 26 March 2019 Published: 16 May 2019
Abstract
Forest restoration treatments seek to increase resilience to wildfire and a changing climate while avoiding negative impacts to the ecosystem. The extent and intensity of treatments are often constrained by operational considerations and concerns over uncertainty in the trade-offs of addressing different management goals. The recent (2012–15) extreme drought in California, USA, resulted in widespread tree mortality, particularly in the southern Sierra Nevada, and provided an opportunity to assess the effects of restoration treatments on forest resilience to drought. We assessed changes in mixed-conifer forest structure following thinning and understorey burning at the Kings River Experimental Watersheds in the southern Sierra Nevada, and how treatments, topography and forest structure related to tree mortality in the recent drought. Treatments had negligible effect on basal area, tree density and canopy cover. Following the recent drought, average basal area mortality within the watersheds ranged from 5 to 26% across riparian areas and 12 to 44% across upland areas, with a range of 0 to 95% across all plots. Tree mortality was not significantly influenced by restoration treatments or topography. Our results suggest that the constraints common to many restoration treatments may limit their ability to mitigate the impacts of severe drought.
Additional keywords: bark beetles, drought, forest restoration, fuel treatments, mortality, prescribed burning, preventive management, resilience and resistance of ecosystems, Sierra Nevada, treatment effects, vegetation composition and structure.
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