RMRS-RN-23WWW: Fuels Planning: Science Synthesis and Integration: Environmental Consequences

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RMRS-RN-23WWW: Fuels Planning: Science Synthesis and Integration: Environmental Consequences

Fact sheet topics from the Environmental Consequences Team include information about the effects of fire behavior and alternative treatment strategies, Wildlife Response Model, weed responses, riparian systems, soil erosion, restoration objectives, treated spaces, the Fire Effects Information System (FEIS), and the First Order Fire Effects Model (FOFEM). More information ...

Other fact sheet series: Overview of the Project | Economic Uses | Social Issues | Forest Structure and Fire Hazards

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Download all RMRS-RN-23WWW Fact Sheets in one .zip file (2.2 MB)

Download individual RMRS-RN-23WWW Fact Sheets:

Fuels planning: science synthesis and integration; environmental consequences fact sheet 1: Fire Effects Information System (FEIS). Sutherland, Steve. 2004. Res. Note RMRS-RN-23-1WWW. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2 p.

The Fire Effects Information System (FEIS) provides accessible, up-to-date fire effects summaries, taken from current English-language literature, for almost 900 plant species, about 100 animal species, and 16 Kuchler plant communities found on the North American continent. This fact sheet discusses the development of FEIS and what is contained in the species summary.

RMRS-RN-23-3WWW: Fire Effects Information System (FEIS)
http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_rn023_01.pdf
PDF File Size: 150 K

Fuels planning: science synthesis and integration; environmental consequences fact sheet 2: First Order Fire Effects Model (FOFEM). Sutherland, Steve. 2004. Res. Note RMRS-RN-23-2WWW. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2 p.

FOFEM 5.2 is a simple, yet versatile computer program that predicts first order fire effects using text and graphic outputs. It can be used in a variety of situations including: determining acceptable upper and lower fuel moistures for conducting prescribed burns, determining the number of acres that may be burned on a given day without exceeding particulate emission limits; comparing predicted fuels reduction for alternative prescribed burn scenarios; and predicting the effects of wildland fire. This fact sheet describes what inputs are needed to run FOFEM, the outputs that are produced, and how to download a copy from the internet.

RMRS-RN-23-2WWW: First Order Fire Effects Model (FOFEM)
http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_rn023_02.pdf
PDF File Size: 150 K

Fuels planning: science synthesis and integration; environmental consequences fact sheet 3: structure fires in the wildland-urban interface. Sutherland, Steve. 2004. Res. Note RMRS-RN-23-3WWW. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2 p.

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) data indicate that wildfires destroyed approximately 9,000 homes between 1985 and 1994 in the United States. The loss of homes to wildfire has had a significant impact on Federal fire policy. This fact sheet discusses the causes of home ignitions in the wildland-urban interface, home ignition zones, how to reduce home ignition potential, responsibility for reducing home ignition potential, and management consequences of the home ignition zone.

RMRS-RN-23-3WWW: Structure Fires in the Wildland-Urban Interface
http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_rn023_03.pdf
PDF File Size: 150 K

Fuels planning: science synthesis and integration; environmental consequences fact sheet 4: wildlife responses to fuels treatments: key considerations. Pilliod, David. 2004. Res. Note RMRS-RN-23-4WWW. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2 p.

Managers face a difficult task in predicting the effects of fuels treatments on wildlife populations, mostly because information on how animals respond to fuels treatments is scarce or does not exist. This paper discusses key considerations-aspects of an animal's ecology and available information-that, despite the scarcity of information, may make predictions of effects possible.

RMRS-RN-23-4WWW: Wildlife Responses to Fuels Treatments: Key Considerations
http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_rn023_04.pdf
PDF File Size: 150 K

Fuels planning: science synthesis and integration; environmental consequences fact sheet 5: prescriptions and fire effects. Miller, Melanie. 2004. Res. Note RMRS-RN-23-5WWW. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2 p.

While our understanding of the causes for variation in postfire effects is increasing, burn prescriptions may not always include parameters that control the long-term heat pulse from fire. This paper discusses (1) fuel consumption and fire effects, (2) prescription design considerations, and (3) planning a prescribed fire.

RMRS-RN-23-5WWW: Prescriptions and Fire Effects
http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_rn023_05.pdf
PDF File Size: 150 K

Fuels planning: science synthesis and integration; environmental consequences fact sheet 6: wildland fire use: the "other" treatment option. Black, Anne. 2004. Res. Note RMRS-RN-23-6WWW. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2 p.

Fire suppression has reduced acres burned to an average of 2 million acres a year. An unfortunate result of this has been the accumulation of even more above-normal fuel loads in many areas. This paper discusses (1) the important ecological role of fire, (2) using fire as a fuels treatment, and (2) the benefits and risks of fire.

RMRS-RN-23-6WWW: Wildland Fire Use: The "Other" Treatment Option
http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_rn023_06.pdf
PDF File Size: 150 K

Fuels planning: science synthesis and integration; environmental consequences fact sheet 7: fire and weeds. Sutherland, Steve. 2004. Res. Note RMRS-RN-23-7WWW. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2 p.

Weed infestations cause an economic loss of $13 billion per year even though $9.5 billion per year is spent on weed control measures. In addition to these economic costs, weeds are replacing native species, altering native plant and animal communities, affecting ecosystem health and function, threatening biodiversity and Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive (TES) species, altering fire behavior and fire regimes, and reducing wildland productivity. This paper discusses (1) where weeds are found, (2) what promotes weed invasions, and (3) how to incorporate weed management into fuel treatment activities.

RMRS-RN-23-7WWW: Fire and Weeds
http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_rn023_07.pdf
PDF File Size: 150 K

Fuels planning: science synthesis and integration; environmental consequences fact sheet 8: Evaluating sedimentation risks associated with fuel management. Elliot, William; Robichaud, Pete. 2005. Res. Note RMRS-RN-23-8WWW. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2 p.

This fact sheet describes the sources of sediment in upland forest watersheds in the context of fuel management activities. It presents the dominant forest soil erosion processes, and the principles behind the new sediment delivery interface developed to aid in erosion analysis of fuel management projects.

RMRS-RN-23-8WWW: Evaluating sedimentation risks associated with fuel management
http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_rn023_08.pdf
PDF File Size: 150 K

Fuels planning: science synthesis and integration; environmental consequences fact sheet 9: Fire and Fuels Extension to the Forest Vegetation Simulator (FFE-FVS). Reinhardt, Elizabeth. 2005. Res. Note RMRS-RN-23-9WWW. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2 p.

FFE-FVS is a model linking stand development, fuel dynamics, fire behavior and fire effects. It allows comparison of mid- to long-term effects of management alternatives including harvest, mechanical fuel treatment, prescribed fire, salvage, and no action. This fact sheet identifies the intended users and uses, required inputs, what the model does, and tells the user how to obtain the model.

RMRS-RN-23-9WWW: Fire and Fuels Extension to the Forest Vegetation Simulator (FFE-FVS)
http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_rn023_09.pdf
PDF File Size: 150 K

Fuels planning: science synthesis and integration; environmental consequences fact sheet 10: The Understory Response Model. Sutherland, Steve; Miller, Melanie. 2005. Res. Note RMRS-RN-23-10WWW. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2 p.

The Understory Response Model is a species-specific computer model that qualitatively predicts change in total species biomass for grasses, forbs, and shrubs after thinning, prescribed fire, or wildfire. The model examines the effect of fuels management on plant survivorship and reproduction. This fact sheet identifies the intended users and uses, required inputs, what the model does and does not do, and tells the user how to obtain the model.

RMRS-RN-23-10WWW: The Understory Response Model
http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_rn023_10.pdf
PDF File Size: 170 K

Fuels planning: science synthesis and integration; environmental consequences fact sheet 11: Smoke Impact Spreadsheet (SIS) model. Wickman, Trent; Acheson, Ann. 2005. Res. Note RMRS-RN-23-11WWW. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2 p.

The Smoke Impact Spreadsheet (SIS) is a simple-to-use planning model for calculating particulate matter (PM) emissions and concentrations downwind of wildland fires. This fact sheet identifies the intended users and uses, required inputs, what the model does and does not do, and tells the user how to obtain the model.

RMRS-RN-23-11WWW: Smoke Impact Spreadsheet (SIS) model.
http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_rn023_11.pdf
PDF File Size: 160 K

Fuels planning: science synthesis and integration; environmental consequences fact sheet 12: Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) Fuel Management (FuMe) tool. Elliot, William; Hall, David. 2005. Res. Note RMRS-RN-23-12WWW. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2 p.

The Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) Fuel Management (FuMe) tool was developed to estimate sediment generated by fuel management activities. WEPP FuMe estimates sediment generated for 12 fuel-related conditions from a single input. This fact sheet identifies the intended users and uses, required inputs, what the model does, and tells the user how to obtain the model.

RMRS-RN-23-12WWW: Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) Fuel Management (FuMe) tool
http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_rn023_12.pdf
PDF File Size: 200 K

Fuels planning: science synthesis and integration; environmental consequences fact sheet 13: Root Disease Analyzer-Armillaria Response Tool (ART). Geral I. McDonald; Tanimoto, Philip D.; Rice, Thomas M.; Hall, David E.; Stewart, Jane E.; Zambino, Paul J.; Tonn, Jonalea R.; Klopfenstein, Ned B.; Kim, Mee-Sook. 2005. Res. Note RMRS-RN-23-13WWW. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2 p.

The Root Disease Analyzer-Armillaria Response Tool (ART)-is a Web-based tool that estimates Armillaria root disease risk in dry forests of the Western United States. This fact sheet identifies the intended users and uses, required inputs, what the model does and does not do, and tells the user how to obtain the model.

RMRS-RN-23-13WWW: Root Disease Analyzer-Armillaria Response Tool (ART)
http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_rn023_13.pdf
PDF File Size: 210 K

Fuels planning: science synthesis and integration; environmental consequences fact sheet 14: Fuels reduction and compaction. Page-Dumroese, Deborah. 2005. Res. Note RMRS-RN-23-14WWW. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2 p.

Moving equipment and logs over the surface of forest soils causes gouges and ruts in the mineral soil, displaces organic matter, and can cause compaction. Compaction is the component of soil productivity most influenced by forest management, but the degree to which soils may be compacted depends on initial soil bulk density. For example, low bulk density soils (such as volcanic ash-cap soils) are much easier to compact than those soils with a high baseline bulk density. This publication discusses the complications from compaction, recovery, and National mandates.

RMRS-RN-23-14WWW: Fuels reduction and compaction
http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_rn023_14.pdf
PDF File Size: 200 K

Fuels planning: science synthesis and integration; environmental consequences fact sheet 15: The Wildlife Habitat Response Model. Pilliod, David. 2005. Res. Note RMRS-RN-23-15WWW. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2 p.

The Wildlife Habitat Response Model (WHRM) is a Web-based computer tool for evaluating the potential effects of fuel- reduction projects on terrestrial wildlife habitats. It uses species-habitat associations in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), dry-type Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), and mixed conifer forests to qualitatively predict how changes in critical habitat elements may affect wildlife habitat suitability of treated stands. This publication describes the intended users and uses, inputs that are required, and what the model does and does not do.

RMRS-RN-23-15WWW: The Wildlife Habitat Response Model
http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_rn023_15.pdf
PDF File Size: 250 K

Title: RMRS-RN-23WWW: Fuels Planning: Science Synthesis and Integration: Environmental Consequences
Electronic Publish Date: November 29, 2004
Last Update: December 1, 2006

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