Northeast Region Fire Ecology Annual Report: Calendar Year 2008
Author unknown. Northeast Region Fire Ecology Annual Report: Calendar Year 2008
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 Northeast Region Fire Effects Monitoring Crew measured 46 FMH plots with 23 new plot installs at four National Parks units. Fire Management also conducted five prescribed burns, including a 300 acre Table Mountain Pine regeneration burn. This prescribed fire was the largest in recent history and helped lay the ground work for a stronger relationship between Fire Management and Natural Resources at Shenandoah. Additionally Fire Management and Natural Resources collaboratively developed a draft Resource Advisor plan. This proved to be timely as Shenandoah has been recently selected as a test unit for the revised direction for the Interagency Strategy for the Implementation of the Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy. In early 2009, the park has begun laying the groundwork for the development of desired future conditions. We hope to see significant progress made by next calendar year. Shenandoah underwent a Fire Management Program review in February with positive feedback for the Fire Ecology and Monitoring Program. Other major accomplishments include the Fire Ecologist, KellyAnn Gorman, teaching portions of Rx-310 and S-130/190 and leading the development of the Fire Ecology and Monitoring Scorecard. Lead Monitor, Missy Forder, taught portions of S-130/190, S-133 and completed the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania Monitoring Plan. She also participated in a LANDFIRE fuel calibration workshop for Zone 61, a Fire Learning Network workshop and presented results to managers at the Northeast Region Fire Management meeting in Ocean City, MD. At the end of the fiscal year Fire Ecologist, KellyAnn Gorman, moved on to an exciting new career opportunity as the Fire Management Officer for the Fish and Wildlife Service at the Blackwater Wildlife Refuge in Maryland. Her expertise and wide berth of experience will certainly be missed.