WILDFIRES & INVASIVE SPECIES

WILDFIRES & INVASIVE SPECIES The 8 th International Symposium “ Prospects for The Third Millennium Agriculture” Cluj-Napoca, Romania October 7-10, 2009 ECOLOGY & ENVIRONMENT OF THE GREAT BASIN REGION OF THE U.S. Rang Narayanan, Elwood Miller, Stan Johnson, Bob Conrad University of Nevada, Reno

INTRODUCTION: Altered Fire Regimes Frequent, low intensity burns that ensure diverse resilient fire-adapted plan communities Large, catastrophic high-intensity burns with greater frequency WILDFIRES & INVASIVE SPECIES

Wildfires in the United States: 1980-2003 (>250 acres) Source: USGS

Source: National Interagency Fire Center

The Great Basin WILDFIRES & INVASIVE SPECIES

Great Basin Landscape
Coniferous Forests at High Elevations
Piñon-Juniper Woodland/Mountain Big Sage Brush (high-mid elevations)
Wyoming Big Sage Brush/Perennial Grass (mid-lower elevations)
Salt Desert Shrub (lower elevations)
History WILDFIRES & INVASIVE SPECIES

History
Ranching operations and grazing in 1860s: introduction of cattle, sheep and horses
Exotic plant species at the end of the 1800s: expansion of cheatgrass
Intense fire suppression efforts early 1900s: protection of lives, property and communities.
Global climatic change: increased CO2, water supply regime, temperature
Major External Events Altering Fire Regimes WILDFIRES & INVASIVE SPECIES

Nevada Wildland Acres Burned by Decade “ Nevada burned more acres in the decade of the 1990s than in the previous 40 years combined and the trend continues.” 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 1,000,000 6,000,000 5,000,000 4,000,000 3,000,000 2,000,000 Acres Burned ?

Symptoms & Causes of Altered Fire Regimes
Spread of Exotic Invasive Plants/Noxious Weeds
Monoculture, highly flammable annual grasses
Expanded Piñon-Juniper Woodlands
Sparse understory of perennial grasses and forbs
Decline in Sagebrush/Perennial Grasses
Degradation of Riparian Ecosystem
Soil Erosion
Changes in Water Supply

Scientist Contributions June 1973 WILDFIRES & INVASIVE SPECIES

Scientist Contributions June 2007 WILDFIRES & INVASIVE SPECIES

Scientist Contributions WILDFIRES & INVASIVE SPECIES

Methods & Materials Wildfire Forum WILDFIRES & INVASIVE SPECIES

Methods & Materials Publication WILDFIRES & INVASIVE SPECIES

Methods & Materials Scientists WILDFIRES & INVASIVE SPECIES

Recommendations
Rangeland Revegetation & Rehabilitation
Fire Prevention & Fuels Management
Economic Analysis
Public Involvement & Partnerships
Adaptive & Flexible Management
Monitoring
Education, Research & Development

Recommendations
Rangeland Revegetation & Rehabilitation
Post-fire rehabilitation
Utilize non-native species
3. Targeted grazing
4. Control weeds and cycling nutrients

Recommendations
Fire Prevention & Fuels Management
Manage invasive annual grasses as forage
Greater flexibility in grazing
Fuel breaks and prescribed fires
Housing development ordinances for fire-safe practices
Increase community participation

Recommendations
Economic Analysis
Vegetation and fuel loads
Wildlife habitat and population
Effects of rehabilitation and range improvement projects

Recommendations
Research, Education & Public Policy
Methods of evaluating wildfire impacts including non-market techniques
Allocation of resources between fire prevention and fire suppression efforts
Methods to supress cheatgrass by perennial grasses
Methods to inhibit establishment and dominace of cheatgrass

Future Directions
Implement scientists’ recommendations
Develop a comprehensive institutional framework
Foster university, government and public partnership
Obtain funding for the Great Basin Environmental Program
Allocate funding between fire prevention and suppression activities
Continue additional research and on-the-ground work

Results WILDFIRES & INVASIVE SPECIES

WILDFIRES & INVASIVE SPECIES

by Conrad Communications on Jan 26, 2010

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WILDFIRES & INVASIVE SPECIES — Presentation Transcript