On the Environmental
Consequences of Proposed Fuel
Treatment Activities
Steve Sutherland
RMRS/Fire Sciences Lab
http://forest.moscowfsl.wsu.edu/fuels/
Fuels Planning Project - Science
Synthesis and Integration:
A research/management partnership to
provide decision support for the
management of the dry forests of the
Interior West.
http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/tech_transfer/
synthesis/synthesis_index.htm
Goals
The Environmental Consequences team provides
fuel treatment planners with the means to estimate
the environmental consequences of proposed fuel
treatment activities in the dry, interior forests of the
western U.S. on:
• Air
• Soil and Water
• Flora
• Fauna
• Armillaria root disease
Products
• Tools
• Publications
• Literature Search
• Glossary
• Links
New Tools
Water Erosion Prediction Project
Fuel Management Tool
(WEPP FuME)
Evaluate the impact of
fuel management activities
on stream sedimentation
Bill Elliot, RMRS
Factors Affecting Erosion Rates
• Soil characteristics
– Soil texture
– Soil disturbance and/or exposure
• Topography
– Slope length
– Slope gradient
– Buffer length
• Significant rainfall event
Treatments
• Undisturbed forest
• Thinning (low and moderate)
• Prescribed fire (low, moderate, high)
• Wildfire (low, moderate, high)
• Road traffic (none, low, high)
Background sediment yield (tons/sq mi/yr)
Inputs
Output - comparisons
Based on the WEPP Model
• A physically based soil erosion model
• Adapted from agricultural model, over 15
years of development work by ARS, FS,
BLM and others
• Built on a large database of climate, soils,
and vegetation
Understory Response Model
Qualitatively predicts
the impact of fuel
management activities
on understory plant
survivorship and
reproduction
Steve Sutherland USDA FS/RMRS
Melanie Miller USDI BLM
Fire Sciences Lab
Factors Affecting Understory Veg
• Survivorship
– Location of buds
– Depth of lethal temperature
– Post-treatment recovery
• Reproduction
– Seed source
– Seed bed
– Light levels
Treatments to Compare
Inputs – Initial Stand Conditions
Inputs – Treatment Conditions
Inputs – Plant Characteristics
Outputs - Survivorship
Outputs - Reproduction
Additional Information
Wildlife Habitat Response Model
Evaluate the relative effect of
fuel treatment activities on
terrestrial wildlife habitat
David Pilliod*, Katharine Shick, Elena Velasquez
*Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute
Rocky Mountain Research Station
Factors Affecting Wildlife Habitat Elements
• Reproduction
• Food acquisition
• Shelter from predators
• Shelter from environment
Sources
Input - Animal
Input – Changes in Habitat Element
Output – Changes in Habitat Suitability
Background Information
Root Disease Analyzer
Armillaria Response Tool (ART)
Estimate Armillaria root
disease risk
G.I. McDonald, P.D. Tanimoto, T.M. Rice, D.E. Hall, J.E. Stewart,
J.R. Tonn, P.J. Zambino, N.B. Klopfenstein, M.-S. Kim
USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station
Moscow, Idaho
Factors Affecting Armillaria
• Soil temperature
• Soil moisture
Inputs
Outputs
Treatment Effects
Existing Tools
• FOFEM first order fire effects model
• FVS-FFE fire and fuels extension to forest
vegetation simulator
• SIS smoke impact spreadsheet
• FEPF fire effects planning framework
• FCP national fire plan project design and
consultation process
New Publications
• GTR
• Fact Sheets
Existing Resources
• FEIS
• Rainbow Series
– Fauna
– Flora
– Air
– Soil
– Weeds
http://forest.moscowfsl.wsu.edu/fuels/