Southern Cascades Network, Fire Ecology Annual Report: Calendar Year 2009

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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). 2009 was a transitional year for the Southern Cascades fire effects monitoring program as we declared our own identity after the painful divorce from the Klamath network. Todd Erdody, the new lead for the program was hired in May to establish this new identity, which previously consisted of Calvin Farris, the fire ecologist, his post office and random fire effects crewmembers from the region collecting data (the Lead Monitor position and crew positions were vacant in 2008 and early 2009). For the crew, Calvin hired 2 seasonals, Abram Arnold and Stephanie Arellano, who both worked short seasons for various reasons. At the end of August, Abram left for school and Stephanie’s time was up as she was hired in an emergency capacity for the season. The summer proved to be an exercise in flexibility. The first month was spent reading plots in LABE and training the crew in the ways of FMH. Todd, expecting to be a father in the month of July, took 6 weeks of paternity leave after July 4th, leaving Calvin to guide the crew. During that time, Wende Rehlander and her crew from PORE assisted in FMH data collection in Crater Lake (CRLA) for 2 PP and Calvin had the crew assist with two research projects in Lava Beds (LABE) and Lassen (LAVO). They also worked on post-treatment monitoring of mechanical fuels treatments at LAVO. The crew went on a fire assignment to assist the LAVO fuels crew during the Fairfield WFU. The fire ecology staff was involved directly with eight fire ecology research projects being conducted the three parks. Ongoing and new field work occurred on five of the projects this summer. Field work on two of the projects will begin next year and one project was completed in 2009. After the crew was done for the season in late August, Todd utilized various folks from LABE to assist in reading more FMH plots. He then spent the fall entering data and fixing errors in the neglected databases.

Southern Cascades Network, Fire Ecology Annual Report: Calendar Year 2009

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