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November 13—NCSE's National Commission on Science for Sustainable Forestry (NCSSF) recently released a report entitled Fire, Forest Health and Biodiversity. The omission of biodiversity from recent fire science legislation, the lack of communication among fire scientists, and the failure to use existing knowledge to develop credible forest and fire management policies are a few of the major concerns addressed in the report. The report summarizes the proceedings and key outcomes of NCSSF's second Annual Symposium, held in Denver on June 5-6, 2003.
In his keynote address, Jerry Franklin of the University of Washington discussed broad issues of fire and biodiversity as well as the impacts of specific fire management practices on biodiversity. The relationships between fire and biological diversity within forest stands, across forested landscapes, and with respect to ecosystem processes were addressed by Michael Huston of Interdisciplinary Solutions for Environmental Sustainability, Andrew Hansen of Montana State University, and Daniel Binkley of Colorado State University, respectively.
Fire, Forest Health and Biodiversity discusses the immediate and long-term biodiversity implications of a range of fire and fuel management strategies, including suppression, post-fire remediation, restoration, and prescribed burning. The report recommends that the following issues be considered in fire management decisions:
- Diverse forest types relate to diverse fire regimes. Ecosystems have changed over time, and existing plant association and habitat classification schemes should provide the framework for management.
- Excessive fuel accumulation results from factors beyond historic fire suppression. It also includes the impacts of grazing, logging and the establishment of fire-prone plantations.
- Fuel treatments must be prioritized, both among stands (ground fuels, ladder fuels, and forest canopy) and within stands (wildland-urban interface vs. remote). Certain areas require immediate attention, while others are less urgent.
- Multiple treatments and continuing stewardship will be necessary.
- Restoration goals must encompass multiple models, as a single desired future condition will not always be appropriate.
- Post-fire actions, such as inappropriate salvage or the establishment of dense, fire prone plantations must be planned to avoid creating new problems.
The report highlights the need to fill gaps in the fire, forest health and biodiversity knowledge base. It emphasizes the importance of developing a program of management that can adapt to variations between forest types, changes in the environment, changes in our knowledge and understanding, and changing societal needs and values. Audience input provided throughout the symposium will help shape the next round of NCSSF research projects, which will be announced in December 2003.
The Annual Symposium is central to NCSSF's mission—improving the scientific basis for the development, implementation, and evaluation of sustainable forestry practices in the United States. NCSSF's Annual Symposium helps advance this mission in three main ways. First, it serves as a forum for considering topics related to the relationship between biodiversity and sustainable forest management, which is one of the Commission's main concerns. Second, it allows the Commission to describe its activities and research agenda to forest managers and policymakers who can implement sustainable forest management practices and policies. Third, it offers an opportunity for dialogue between individuals and groups with an interest in NCSSF's mission.
NCSSF Member Norm Christensen of the Duke Nicholas School of the Environment organized the symposium and generated the meeting report. The symposium featured presentations and discussions by leading fire science experts and attracted 120 participants from government, academia, and the private sector. The Symposium Report, speaker presentations, and additional information about NCSSF are available online at www.NCSSF.org.
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