Greater Reforestation Efforts Needed

Say Forest Foundation, Forest Service Retirees

Brush taking over Cottonwood burn Brush taking over Cottonwood burn A brushfield takes over areas burned in the Cottonwood fire of 1994, in the Tahoe National Forest east of Sierraville. The Forest Service must be allowed to aggressively manage areas after fire to keep brush from overtaking young conifer trees.
Courtesy of Tahoe National Forest

Call Comes as Nation Prepares to Mark Arbor Day on Friday, April 29

AUBURN, Calif., April 27, 2005 - Forests on federally owned lands in California wiped out by wildfires are not being replanted quickly - or at all, in some cases - putting ecosystems at risk from severe erosion and mudslides and depriving future generations of forests, two groups said today.

Nearly four years after fires burned more than 117,000 acres in California forests in 2001, a survey by The Forest Foundation found that only about 28 percent of severely burned forest land designated by the Forest Service for replanting has actually been replanted.

The National Association of Forest Service Retirees (NAFSR) and The Forest Foundation, an organization dedicated to educating the public about our forests, today urged the Forest Service to speed replanting efforts to ensure forests for future generations.

Seedling suppressed Cottonwood burn Seedling suppressed Cottonwood burn Young trees are suppressed by brush in an area of the Tahoe National Forest burned in the Cottonwood fire of 1994, east of Sierraville. The Forest Service must be allowed to aggressively manage areas after fire to keep brush from overtaking young conifer trees.
Courtesy of Tahoe National Forest

"As we celebrate National Arbor Day April 29, the Forest Service cannot do what is necessary to ensure forests for future generations because their hands are tied by burdensome regulations and a lack of funding," said Dr. Tom Bonnicksen, a visiting scholar with The Forest Foundation and a professor emeritus of forest science at Texas A&M University. "Rather than replanting trees, these once majestic forests stand burnt and dead, and some are turning into brushfields."

"Replanting is key to ensuring our state's forests stand tall for generations to enjoy," said Doug Leisz, chairman of the National Association of Forest Service Retirees (NAFSR) who served as U.S. Forest Service Associate Chief from 1979-1982 and California's Regional Forester from 1970-1978. "During my tenure with the Forest Service, we actively replanted soon after fires, before competing brush took over. The delays experienced by the Forest Service spell disaster for our future forests."

The Forest Foundation's survey found that of the 117,907 acres in California's forests burned in 2001, the Forest Service determined 30,372 acres of their land experienced a high-severity fire and needed replanting. The Forest Foundation surveyed results on 10,647 of these acres where information was available and found that only 3,011 acres - or about 28 percent - had been replanted to date. Only 1,541 more acres are planned for replanting, meaning only about 43 percent of the area identified as needing reforestation will ever be replanted.

Megram fire Megram fire The Megram fire of 1999 burned over 59,200 acres in the Six Rivers National Forest, but due to delays and litigation against restoration plans, only 1,508 acres were ever replanted. Brush is coming in and taking over what was once a magnificent conifer forest.
Crucific Siaz

While the Forest Service's reforestation efforts focus only on high-severity burns only, experts believe some moderately-burned areas also need active attention and replanting, as many trees in these areas will also die.

Historically, natural, low-intensity wildfires helped create forest clearings and ecological conditions conducive to forest regeneration. But after a century of public policy mandating fire suppression, and a lack of forest management practices that reduce fuels, forests have grown overcrowded. The resulting buildup has led to catastrophic wildfires in recent years - fires that often degrade soil quality and destroy forests so completely that regeneration likely will take hundreds of years.

Leisz Volcano fire Leisz Volcano fire Doug Leisz, California's regional forester from 1970-1978, and former Congressman Bizz Johnson replant a tree after the Volcano Fire of 1960, near Foresthill in the Tahoe National Forest. Burdensome regulations and a lack of funding keep the Forest Service from aggressively replanting our forests after fires today.
Courtesy of U.S. Forest Service

"These monster fires of extreme heat kill seed trees over vast areas, making it difficult or impossible for living trees to spread seeds widely enough to generate a new forest," Dr. Bonnicksen said. "Meanwhile, other competitive plants that thrive in post-fire environments, like manzanita, can quickly overtake an area and delay regeneration of conifer trees for centuries."

These areas that cannot regenerate naturally need a helping hand, the Forest Foundation found. But the Forest Service faces delays or obstruction of its efforts to restore burned areas.

For example, the McNally Fire in 2002 burned more than 150,000 acres in the Giant Sequoia National Monument and the Sequoia and Inyo National Forests. While the Forest Service found 8,400 acres of conifer forest needed replanting, only 4-5,000 acres are likely to ever be replanted. Almost three years after the fire, no replanting has been accomplished to date due to delays caused by environmental documentation requirements. The delay has allowed brush to overtake some areas.

Volcano fire Volcano fire The Forest Service aggressively replanted trees after the 1960 Volcano fire in the Tahoe National Forest near Foresthill. Today the area boast trees as high as 70-feet tall and is a popular recreation area.
William Wade Keye

In the Megram Fire of 1999, which burned 59,200 acres in the Six Rivers National Forest, only 1,508 of the 3,000 acres the Forest Service planned to replant have, in fact, been replanted. Portions of what was once a magnificent conifer forest of Douglas-firs and other trees are becoming brush.

While severely burned public lands haven't been replanted, private forestland owners quickly removed dead trees and fuels, using the value of the wood to fund the replanting of a new forest. These private landowners replant in ways that enhance environmental values and accelerate forest regeneration.

McNalley McNalley None of the areas burned in the 2002 McNalley fire in the Sequoia National Forest have been replanted to date. Burdensome regulations and a lack of funding keep the Forest Service from quickly replanting areas burned in fires.
Steve Jolly

After the 2000 Storrie fire in Plumas and Lassen Counties, local private land manager W.M. Beaty and Associates removed dead trees and fuels on the 3,200 acres it managed that burned in the fire. Its reforestation efforts, including the planting of nearly one million trees, were completed by 2004. Some trees in this young, mixed conifer forest are now 4-5 feet tall.

In contrast, on public land at the Lassen National Forest, of the estimated 27,000 acres burned in the Storrie fire, only about 1,206 acres will be treated with fuels removal efforts and only 230 acres will be replanted. More than four years after the Storrie fire, only 171 acres have been replanted

"Although some natural regeneration is occurring, Lassen and other national forests are in need of active replanting," said Doug Leisz. "Without this replanting, generations of Californians stand to miss out on the forest grandeur we now take for granted."

***

Note: Photos of forests turning to brush are available by contacting Michelle Dennehy at The Forest Foundation, tel. 530 823 2363, email: md@calforests.org.

About The Forest Foundation

The Forest Foundation is a non-profit organization that strives to conserve our forests and keep them healthy by sharing the knowledge of forestry experts with the public. Based in Auburn, Calif., its programs include scientific research, community outreach, education programs, and forestry exhibits. For more information, visit www.calforestfoundation.org.

About the National Association of Forest Service Retirees (NAFSR)

The National Association of Forest Service Retirees is a national, nonprofit organization of former Forest Service employees and associates who possess a unique body of knowledge, expertise and experience in the management of the National Forests and other forestland. NAFSR members strive to contribute to the understanding and resolving of natural resource issues through periodic review and critiques of agency policies and programs. For more information, visit http://www.fsx.org/nafsrpg.html..



Replanting On Our National Forests

After 2001 Fires In California

Craater Fire

  • Inyo National Forest
  • 5,600 acres burned; 800 identified as needing reforestation
  • Approx. 400 acres were replanted
  • Obstacles: Remaining 400 acres located in Mono Basin Scenic Area and manager decided not to replant by hand.

Darby Fire

  • Stanislaus National Forest
  • 14,288 acres burned; 2,096 acres identified as needing reforestation
  • No replanting to date and none planned. Some natural regeneration occurred.
  • Obstacles: No funding available.

Gap Fire

  • Tahoe National Forest
  • 2,462 acres burned; 1,100 acres identified as needing reforestation
  • 1,020 acres planted to date; 80 more acres planned

Hyampom Fire

  • Shasta-Trinity National Forest
  • 1,065 acres burned; 172 acres identified as needing reforestation
  • No acres planted to date; 121 acres planned
  • Obstacles: Environmental planning process caused delay; sale of dead material offered one year after fire was unsuccessful.

Highway Fire

  • Sequoia National Forest
  • 4,150 acres burned; 150 acres identified as needing reforestation
  • 150 acres replanted

McLaughin Fire

  • Inyo National Forest
  • 2,407 acres burned; 150 identified as needing reforestation
  • None replanted
  • Obstacles: No seed stock available to plant. The area was also located on a steep slope that would make replanting difficult.

Modoc Complex

  • Several fires in Modoc National Forest
  • 2,900 acres burned in Bell Fire, 332 acres identified as needing reforestation
  • 186 acres replanted
  • Obstacles: Survival of trees planted is questionable because site was not prepped by removing dead trees and other fuels. Dead trees are likely to fall on top of new seedlings over next decades, creating a hazardous fire situation. Several removal sales attempted but wood had deteriorated and no longer held value.

North Fork

  • Sierra National Forest
  • 4,132 acres burned; 430 acres identified as high-severity burned areas that could be reasonably replanted. Many other acres received high-severity fire effects.
  • Approx. 250 acres replanted where managers were able to remove dead trees and fuel; another 70 acres planned over the next year. Of remaining acres, 130 likely to remain unplanted, as dead tree removal was delayed until material worthless. Planting without fuels removal would create fire hazard.

Oregon Fire

  • Shasta-Trinity National Forest
  • 1,720 acres burned; 197 acres identified as needing reforestation
  • 20 acres have been replanted; no other treatment planned.
  • Obstacles: Planning process took 13 months to complete, during which value of wood to fund removal and replanting was lost.

Sand Prescribed Burn

  • Inyo National Forest
  • 100 acres burned; 100 identified as needing reforestation
  • 100 acres planted

Star Fire

  • Tahoe and Eldorado National Forests
  • On the Tahoe, where 9,500 acres burned, 5,000 acres identified as needing reforestation.
  • 835 acres replanted to date; another 1,200 acres planned. Some natural regeneration occurring, though with white fir only in what was formerly a mixed conifer forest. Replanting efforts introduce other species.
  • Obstacles: Removal of some trees was stalled by litigation, so the trees lost any value to fund replanting efforts. Acres not replanted have too much fuel already on the ground; competing brush, vegetation in area also problematic.

White Fire

  • Stanislaus National Forest
  • 120 acres need replanting
  • 50 acres replanted to date; remaining 70 acres to be planted in 2006.