An Ecological Framework for Fire Restoration in the Klamath-Siskiyou Region of Northwest California and Southwest Oregon (Frost, 2001)

Full Citation: Frost, Evan. "An Ecological Framework for Fire Restoration in the Klamath-Siskiyou Region of Northwest California and Southwest Oregon." 2001.

Abstract: Decades of fire suppression, commercial logging, livestock grazing and other human activities have resulted in numerous undesirable changes to many forest ecosystems in the western U.S., including shifts in species composition, increased fuel loads, altered fire regimes and the loss of biodiversity. In response to growing scientific evidence on the importance of these ecological changes and public concern surrounding recent severe wildfire years, federal land management agencies are poised to devote substantial resources to activities aimed at restoring fire-dependent ecosystems and reducing the risk of large, severe wildfires (USDA Forest Service 2000a, USDA/USDI 2000, USDI 2000).

While broad consensus has emerged about the general nature of the problems that now exist in many western forest landscapes, vigorous debate continues amongst scientists, managers and the public over what the objectives of forest restoration should be and the best means to achieve those objectives. This debate is fueled by the paucity of empirical studies on the ecological effects of various treatments that may be employed in restoration, the lack of operational experience implementing these treatments, the multitude of risks and tradeoffs associated with alternative restoration strategies, and the importance of regional differences in ecology, management history and current conditions.

Given these complexities and the uncertainty associated with many issues involved in ecosystem restoration, how do we proceed? Most scientists and managers agree that we cannot afford to wait for decades for a more reliable knowledge base before moving ahead with alternative approaches to management of fire-dependent ecosystems. In the short term, restoration principles and strategies will need to be developed that are in part based on the collective judgment of experts knowledgeable about the ecological dynamics of specific regions, communities and species. Where a majority or consensus of opinion exists, such qualified judgments may serve as the basis for planning and developing restoration strategies. Attempts at developing the scientific basis for restoration have already been made in the Southwestern U.S. (Allen et al. in press) and Interior Northwest (Haynes et al. 1996, Brown 2000), but not in the Klamath Mountains of northwest California and southwest Oregon 1, a region that is gaining increasing conservation attention (Ricketts et al. 1997, Defenders of Wildlife 1998, Noss et al. 1999, DellaSala et al. 1999). On 8-9 January 2001, a group of forest scientists and ecologically-trained foresters convened in Ashland, Oregon to discuss these issues. The primary objectives of this workshop were to facilitate the exchange of ideas related to current fire and forest conditions in the Klamath-Siskiyou region of northwest California and southwest Oregon, and to clarify the scientific basis for forest restoration planning. The specific questions that were addressed are threefold:

1. How have fire regimes and forest conditions in northwest California and southwest Oregon changed since Euro-American settlement?

2. How do these changes translate into priorities for applying active management to restore biodiversity and ecological integrity on federal forest lands in the region?

3. Is there a broad framework and set of principles that can be developed to guide forest restoration activities in this region?

A structured workshop process was used to conduct discussion, compile information, and elicit knowledge and judgments from participants. Attendees were assigned to discrete workgroups consisting of four to six members, which provided the foci for workshop discussions. A “straw man” document was used as a discussion template, allowing us to pre-assign topics to small workgroups and providing initial departure points for group discussions. All elements of the straw man document were open for revision by the workgroups except the three primary topic areas, as listed above. Initially, emphasis was placed on developing principles for managing national forest roadless areas, but the focus was later expanded by the group to include entire landscapes irrespective of their management status. While we recognize that comprehensive ecosystem restoration requires rigorous consideration of aquatic, riparian and watershed issues, the focus of this workshop was the terrestrial dimensions of restoration.

This document represents the results of the workshop compiled and synthesized into narrative form. The information and discussion included here is not intended as an exhaustive review of the literature nor an attempt to address all issues related to ecosystem restoration in the Klamath Mountains, but rather to suggest a broad framework for further developing scientifically informed restoration plans and treatments in this region. In short, it represents a focused effort to understand where we are and what we know, which will allow us to better envision where it is we need to go.