Fire Ecology Annual Report: Calendar Year 2005; Indiana Dunes

Author unknown

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). This was the eighth year of the fire effects program at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. The fire effects crew at Indiana Dunes has fire effects plots established at Indiana Dunes (INDU), Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (SLBE) and Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial (LIBO). This year’s staff included one permanent and three seasonal positions. Fire ecology support is provided by the fire ecologist at Voyageurs National Park. This is the second year the INDU fire effects program has monitored non-FMH plots. These plots were added to determine prescribed fire effects with higher confidence. The monitoring crew also conducted post-burn and post-mechanical thinning monitoring at Lincoln Boyhood. The first mechanical thinning project at Sleeping Bear Dunes was completed with the help of the INDU fire crew. The treatment was done around an historic life saving station and a private residence. Photo points were installed and monitored pre and post by SLBE staff. They look forward to beginning a prescribed fire program in the near future.