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Forest ecologists look at aftermath of fire
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October 20, 2003
Disasters in BC have turned from forest fires to floods. But as public attention shifts, the thoughts of two SFU forest ecologists are still in the woods.
Ken Lertzman and Alton Harestad say the impact of the past summer’s fires will be huge, changing landscapes, altering wildlife habitat — and fueling debate over how forests can best be managed.
Lertzman tracks the effects of natural disturbances on forests and how they’ve historically shaped the forest landscape, then applies the findings to forest conservation and resource management.
The aftermath of fire gives Lertzman a good starting point on better understanding forest processes. He can read a forest’s past and predict its future by studying what fire leaves behind.
"There is a huge need for research to really nail down the historical occurrence of low and high severity fires in different ecosystems in the region," says Lertzman, noting that forest fires have been on the rise for two decades. "And for research that tests the effectiveness of different tools, like thinning and prescribed burning, for managing the risk of fire at the urban-wildland interface."
Colleague Alton Harestad says this was clear as some Interior fires raged out of control. "One key issue in this summer’s experience is that we’ve become really good at putting out fires," adds Harestad, pointing to how a long history of successful fire suppression has created an accumulation of fuels on forest floors.
Harestad says that from an ecosystem management approach, fire is one of the processes, like rain or snow, which shape forest landscapes and create habitat for wildlife. Low severity fires create open, parkland type forests with wildflowers and grass.
"The whole community of animals will rise and ebb with these changes in habitat," he says. "If we looked at the broad landscape we’d see different ages of forests. Those that burned this year will eventually become a new forest stand."
—30—
Contact:
Ken Lertzman, 604.291.3069; kenneth_lertzman@sfu.ca
Alton Harestad, 604.291.4809; alton_harestad@sfu.ca
Marianne Meadahl, Media & PR, 604.291.4323
Ken Lertzman and Alton Harestad say the impact of the past summer’s fires will be huge, changing landscapes, altering wildlife habitat — and fueling debate over how forests can best be managed.
Lertzman tracks the effects of natural disturbances on forests and how they’ve historically shaped the forest landscape, then applies the findings to forest conservation and resource management.
The aftermath of fire gives Lertzman a good starting point on better understanding forest processes. He can read a forest’s past and predict its future by studying what fire leaves behind.
"There is a huge need for research to really nail down the historical occurrence of low and high severity fires in different ecosystems in the region," says Lertzman, noting that forest fires have been on the rise for two decades. "And for research that tests the effectiveness of different tools, like thinning and prescribed burning, for managing the risk of fire at the urban-wildland interface."
Colleague Alton Harestad says this was clear as some Interior fires raged out of control. "One key issue in this summer’s experience is that we’ve become really good at putting out fires," adds Harestad, pointing to how a long history of successful fire suppression has created an accumulation of fuels on forest floors.
Harestad says that from an ecosystem management approach, fire is one of the processes, like rain or snow, which shape forest landscapes and create habitat for wildlife. Low severity fires create open, parkland type forests with wildflowers and grass.
"The whole community of animals will rise and ebb with these changes in habitat," he says. "If we looked at the broad landscape we’d see different ages of forests. Those that burned this year will eventually become a new forest stand."
—30—
Contact:
Ken Lertzman, 604.291.3069; kenneth_lertzman@sfu.ca
Alton Harestad, 604.291.4809; alton_harestad@sfu.ca
Marianne Meadahl, Media & PR, 604.291.4323