Northeast Region, Fire Ecology Annual Report: 2012
Author unknown. Northeast Region, Fire Ecology Annual Report: 2012
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). 2012 Season The fire effects monitoring crew had an interesting and eventful year. The new crew leader, Steve Paull, joined the team in mid-June, just before the Neighbor Mountain Fire took off and kept the entire fire office busy well into July. The crew was integral in the planning, suppression and rehabilitation efforts of the fire with crew members serving in roles including READ, WFDSS, FEMO, FFT2, FFT1(t), Plans/Logistics and preparing the BAER/BAR report. Despite the fire and Steve's late arrival, the crew was able to achieve all of its high priority monitoring goals for the season. New forest FMH plots were installed in Shenandoah Pine-Oak and Xeric-Oak monitoring types at Blackrock, Rip Rap, and Jarman Gap burn units. New forest FMH plots were installed at two additional Park units, New River Gorge National Recreation Area and Catoctin Mountain Park in the National Capitol Region. Both of these parks are new additions to the fire effects monitoring program. No grassland FMH plots were read this year as the program focuses efforts on strongly advocating and completing monitoring in forested units. The crew traveled to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in August for a week of CBI training. It was a great opportunity for new crew leader Steve to learn about CBI methods and protocols, and to share observations and ideas regarding the monitoring programs. The crew returned to Shenandoah and installed CBI plots in the area burned by the Smith Run Fire in early 2011. Additionally, a trip was made to Rockytop in Shenandoah to observe Table Mountain pine regeneration in CBI plots that experienced a high severity wildfire in 2002. Other accomplishments include further progress on ArcGIS maps and data management, participation in a summer prescribed burn at Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park, participation in a searchand- rescue mission, and aviation safety (B-3) training. Steve traveled to Cape Hatteras National Seashore as part of a small Regional in October to join the Southeast fire ecology team for plot installations on Bodie Island in preparation for planned 2013 prescribed burns.