Voyageurs National Park and Great Lakes Eco-Region, Fire Ecology Annual Report: Calendar Year 2004

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). The new fire ecologist for the eco-region (Scott Weyenberg) started in early August and is stationed at Voyageurs N. P. All burning and FMH sampling at VOYA took place prior to my arrival. Fifty-one aces of red/white pine forest were burned through prescribed fire in late May. July through early August personnel were busy with the parks first large scale Fire Use fire. The fire burned approximately 1400 acres of predominately boreal mixedwood forest. It was an ideal fire in many ways and was a great success for the fire program and the park. Though no FMH plots were burned, broad scale post fire sampling was done to obtain burn severity, pre-burn vegetation estimates, and post-burn baseline data. The only burning done this fall were piles left from the 2003 mechanical thinning project. Voyageurs N. P. hosted the Fire Learning Network annual meeting for the Border Lakes Group in early December. The meeting was well attended by the MN DNR, USFS, TNC and Ontario MNR. In anticipation of burning in the spring of ’05 at St. Croix Scenic Riverway, I met with Robin Maerklein and tested sampling methods for prairies and savannas. Sampling methods still need some refinement, so nothing was implemented. I made a trip to Indiana Dunes to get a feel for the park and the program. Additional details are contained in the INDU annual report.