Northern Great Plains, Fire Ecology Annual Report: Calendar Year 2010

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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). 2010 marked another diverse and productive year for the Northern Great Plains (NGP) fire ecology program. We worked in all ten of our National Park Service units, which had not occurred since 2007. This year, a total of 189 plots of various types were measured, an all time high for the program. Five prescribed fires occurred in the NGP parks, resulting in 24 plots being burned, 21 of which were measured immediately post-burn. The Colorado State University-based graduate research project studying the effects of thinning and chipping continued at Mount Rushmore and Wind Cave, though the fire effects crew was less involved with direct plot measurement. Dan Swanson partnered with Amy Symstad of the USGS on a research project assessing burned areas for rapid invasion of non-native species. Two additional seasonal employees joined the group and stayed busy installing the research plots at Wind Cave, Jewel Cave, and Devils Tower. Both the Wind Cave and Jewel Cave plots burned this fall, providing Dan with 115 plots to base his analyses on. This year the crew began a more significant collaboration with the NPS Northern Great Plains Inventory and Monitoring Network (I&M). Over the winter of 2009/2010 Dan began coordinating with I&M on the development of new protocols and delineating how the two programs would mutually benefit from a combined effort. The fire effects crew slightly modified data sheets and protocols and, as a result, our data will be compatible with I&M’s, greatly increasing our sample size and statistical power. During the 2010 plot season, the fire effects crew also began co-locating new plot installs with I&M plot locations so that each time a plot is read, both programs benefit. The two crews also installed 60 forest and fuels-style plots at Mount Rushmore NM, a unit that previously lacked significant plot coverage. Now, in the event of a wildfire or prescribed fire, the pre-burn data will exist that will enable us to answer questions about the role of fire in the Rushmore area. 2010 was also the first year that long time crew lead, Andy Thorstenson was absent from the organization. Andy moved on for family reasons but made sure to leave the crew in good hands and in such a way as to provide for a smooth transition. Thanks for everything Andy! The 2011 crew will also be run by a new lead monitor, as Jon Freeman, the former assistant and currently detailed lead, will be moving on to run the Grand Teton fire effects crew.

Northern Great Plains, Fire Ecology Annual Report: Calendar Year 2010

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