Fire Ecology Annual Report: Calendar Year 2009 [Glacier National Park]

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A summary of fire ecology activities and program information for the Park/network including fire effects plot workload, staffing, management objectives and monitoring results, and planning, fire monitoring, communications, and research. Also included are staff accomplishments/areas of focus, future program direction and other optional information (e.g. data analysis graphics or presentations, annual highlights, publications, program challenges, unique solutions to problems, collaboration, photographs of monitoring/fire activities, and suggestions on FFI). The summer proved to be a light fire season, although fire indices were very high from late August until late September. The park had 14 wildland fires, none of which exceeded a tenth of an acre. One wildfire was monitored for resource benefits for a week. 1 Fourteen FMH plots in the Ponderosa pine monitoring type were re-read at 10 years after burning. The last four plots in the monitoring type will be read in 2010. Over 60 photopoints plots in fuel reduction areas were photographed again, and the sites inspected. Burn spots and work areas were monitored for any weed introduction and small incursions were pulled; larger areas were reported to IPM. Five longterm monitoring plots were revisited and read. A new trial post fire composition monitoring protocol was tested in the Robert Fire area. It is a quick read plot to identify the tree and shrub layers that are presently dominating the new forest stands. The plots run along trails and roads within the burn to get an idea of the diversity and density of the initial vegetation complex. We eventually hope to run transects of these plots cross country, from trail to trail, and in time have a good idea of the tree species and shrub layer within much of the burn. If, after preliminary analysis we decide that it is worthwhile project to pursue, we hope to expand this to other burns as time allows.

Fire Ecology Annual Report: Calendar Year 2009 [Glacier National Park]

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