Non-Burning Alternatives:
Wildlands
Prepared by
Jones & Stokes
December 2002
Goals for this Presentation
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Understand the layout of the manual
Become familiar with the various sections
Assist with efficient review
Focus on barriers to help with discussions
Development of the Manual
 Objectives
- Promotion of nonburning alternatives
- Production of a nonpartisan document
 Process
- Parallel to the decision-making process
- Provide background to help land managers make informed
decisions
- Navigate the line of reasoning to reach an informed decision
Organization of Manual
 Chapter 1: Introduction
 Chapter 2: To Burn or Not to Burn
 Chapter 3: Nonburning Alternatives: Variables,
Criteria, and Definitions
 Chapter 4: Getting to Work: How to build a
Nonburning Strategy
 Chapter 5: Conclusions and Recommendations
 Appendices
Chapter 1: Introduction
 Fire in the West
 Restoring the Balance
 How to Use this Manual
Chapter 2: To Burn or Not to Burn
 Rationale for Treatment
 Overview of Prescribed Burning
- Functions of Fire
- Challenges of Burning
 Evaluating Nonburning Alternatives
 Finding Innovative Solutions
Chapter 3: Nonburning
Alternatives
 Technical Considerations
- Physical Conditions
- Treatment Options
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Environmental Considerations
Economic Considerations
Sociopolitical Considerations
Introduction to Barriers
Chapter 4: Getting to Work
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Technical Feasibility
Environmental Feasibility
Economic Feasibility
Sociopolitical Feasibility
Decision Tree/Flowchart
Chapter 5: Conclusions
 Discussion
 Recommendations
Some Important Concepts
 Objectives of nonburning alternatives
 Barriers
- In the decision-making process
- Throughout the manual
 Technical feasibility
 Feasibility summary
Objectives of Nonburning Alternatives
To achieve the results of a prescribed fire without
the air quality concerns, nonburning alternatives
should accomplish:
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Reduction of fine fuels
Reduction of surface fuel loading
Mortality of ladder fuels
Release of nutrients
Habitat improvement through regrowth and seeding
Control of some invasive species, pests, and diseases
Encouraging the Right Things
In order to be successful, a management program
should:
- Reduce air emissions
- Accomplish management objectives of prescribed
burning
- Be designed to ensure long-term attainment of
desired future conditions
Technical Feasibility
 A conceptual model for considering treatment
types
 Traditional vegetation treatments
- Prescribed fire
- Harvest
 New ways of treatment
- Mastication
- Biomass removal
Overcoming Obstacles
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Gross capitalization
Post-treatment fuel residue
Administrative resistance
Production inefficiency
Interest group resistance
Comparison of Administrative
Resistance Among Treatment Types
Burn
Comparison of Post-treatment Fuel
Residue Among
Burn
Treatment Types
Hand
Hand
Mastication
Mastication
Tree
Removal
Biomass
Removal
Tree
Removal
Biomass
Removal
Comparison of Gross Capitalization
Requirements
Burn
Among Treatment Types
Comparison of Production Inefficiency
Among Treatment Types
Burn
Hand
Hand
Mastication
Mastication
Tree
Removal
Biomass
Removal
Tree
Removal
Biomass
Removal
Comparison of Interest Group
Resistance Among Treatment Types
Burn
Hand
Mastication
Tree
Removal
Biomass
Removal
Conclusion and Discussion
 The document is a guide, not a template
 Nonburning alternatives must be considered in
the context of a myriad of variables
 In many cases, nonburning alternatives may be
most effective in concert with prescribed burning
or other alternatives
 The surest approach to the desired future
condition should drive the decision-making
process.