Forest Management
Boise,
Payette, and Sawtooth National Forests Plan Revision
Invasive Weed program
for the Boise and Sawtooth National Forests
A Bit Of Forest Management History
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Many
places in the Boise National Forest have ten times as many trees
per acre than 100 years ago. The mix of tree species in the forest
has changed too. There is a greater proportion of non-fire resistant
species. Under these conditions, forests are vulnerable to uncharacteristically
large and damaging fires, severe insect infestations, and severe
disease outbreaks. These conditions are due to past logging practices
and the exclusion of fire.
In the 1980s, the Boise Forest experienced the largest western
pine beetle infestation ever recorded. Then, between 1990 and 1995,
500,000 acres (about 20%) of the Forest burned in wildland fires.
Today, the Boise Forest is working to restore more sustainable
conditions in vulnerable forest areas - ones at risk to uncharacteristic
wildfires or severe insect and disease outbreaks.
Vegetation Management Tools:
Reducing the number of small diameter Douglas-fir
trees while keeping larger diameter ponderosa pine trees. Or, removing
grand fir trees then planting the area with ponderosa pine.
Commercial timber sales are a tool the Forest
Service can use to manage vegetation on a large scale.
Juvenile spacing removes small trees that would
cause the stand to exceed historical densities or alter the historic
species distribution.
Prescribed fires burn up seedlings and small trees
as well as needle and branch accumulation on the forest floor. Prescribed
fires are lit under carefully considered and monitored conditions.
For more info on prescribed fire, go to rxfire.com.
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