Fire Ecology Annual Report: Calendar Year 2006; Indiana Dunes, Sleeping Bear, Lincoln Boyhood

Ortner, Amy; Weyenberg, Scott

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 ninth year of the fire effects program at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (INDU). This year’s staff included one permanent and three seasonal positions. As well as monitoring the plots at INDU the crew is also responsible for the monitoring at Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial (LIBO) and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (SLBE). No monitoring took place at SLBE this year however fire personnel from INDU met with SLBE resource staff to select burn units for 2007. The first burn is tentatively scheduled for the fall of 2007 in an old field. The fire ecologist plans to meet with resource managers this summer to discuss objectives and future treatments.