PACIFIC SOUTHWEST REGION
ECOLOGY PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT FY 2012
http://fsweb.r5.fs.fed.us/pr ogram/ecology/ 2
CONTENTS
Photos: R5 Ecology Program in action ………………….. 3
Program overview …………………………………...... 6
Program staff ………………………………………………. 9
Program publications and reports, fy 2012……………… 12
Program major accomplishments and links to USDA and USFS Strategic Goals, and R5 Strategic Priorities, fy 2012…………………………………………… 15
Current external partners …………………………………. 48
Dedicated to the memory of Howard Kuljian
3
3-yr resample of tree regeneration plots, Fire management field trip, Long Fire, Showers Fire, LTBMU Eldorado NF
UC -Davis Ecology Graduate Group field Fen monitoring, Lassen NF course, Inyo NF
Postfire tree regeneration inventory, 2012 Ecology Program field crew “boot Zaca Fire, Los Padres NF camp” 4
Postfire vegetation inventory, Rich Fire, Ecology Program statistics training, Davis Plumas NF
Forest management field trip to Sagehen Dinkey Project CFLRP field day, Sierra NF Field Station, Tahoe NF
Monitoring of fire effects on Shasta Interagency old -growth forest snowwreath, Shasta-Trinity NFs management discussion, Emerald Bay State Park, Lake Tahoe Basin 5
Giant sequoia seedling survi val Fuel treatment effectiveness moni - study, Sequoia NF toring, Cougar Fire, Modoc NF
International Work
Climate change monitoring, Serra dos Reviewin g fuel treatment network in the Órgãos National Park, Brazil Jerusalem Hills, Israel
3rd International Climate Change and Mediterranean shrubland restoration field Natural Resource Management Seminar, visit, Valencia, Spain participants from 25 countries 6
R-5 Regional Ecology Program
Ecology Program Mission Statement assist in development of Regional ecological priorities as they pertain to the “To provide leadership and program direction that USDA and USFS Strategic Plan goals and R5 Strategic Priorities incorporates ecological science in the Agency's act as the principal ecological liaison multiple-scale approach to managing natural between USFS Region 5 and other federal resources for sustainability and diverse human and state agencies, research institutions, needs. NGOs, the public and media provide assistance to the Province To facilitate understanding, development and Ecologists in the form of funding, technical appropriate use of ecological principles for Agency expertise, and logistical support activities such as landscape analysis and provide assistance and ecological input to bioregional and forest assessments for assessment, land management planning, inventory Forest Plan processes and monitoring, and project implementation.” develop and steward applicable Regional and National standards R5 Program Overview review Ecology Program work plans and The Region 5 Ecology Program provides products aid in the recruitment of qualified products and expertise fundamental to candidates for ecology positions sustainable, science-based, multiple-use land Regionwide management in the Pacific Southwest. The represent Region 5 and the Regional Program’s principal purpose is to ensure and Ecology Program at local, Regional, and enable the application of current ecological National functions and events science to land and resource management on support Region 5 Forests in their the National Forests in California. The Regional interpretation and implementation of the Regional Ecological Restoration initiative Program is headed by a GS-13 Ecologist in the support Region 5 efforts to manage for Regional Office, a GS-11/12 Assistant Regional climate change mitigation and adaptation Ecologist is also stationed in the Regional to coordinate Fire Return Interval office, a GS-12 Province Ecologist is stationed Departure mapping in Region 5 on each of five Provinces (zones of three to serve on the executive committee for the four National Forests), and a cost-share California Fire Science Consortium manage the Research Natural Area (RNA) ecological analyst at the Regional level is co- Program managed with the University of California- manage the Regional Aspen Delineation Davis. Project serve as a technical advisor to bodies such Primary functions at the Regional level as the Regional Forest Planning core include: team, Regional Climate Change Integration Team, and the Sierra Nevada provide expert ecological input and advice Forest Carnivore Conservation Assessment to the Regional Forester, Regional Office staff, and Region 5 Forests and Districts 7
Primary functions at the Province-and Program had fallen continuously since the early Forest-level include: 1990’s, when funding reached or exceeded $1,000,000 per year in 2011 dollars (Fig. 1). provision of expert vegetation & fire Staffing has also dropped significantly, from a ecology input to ecosystem management high of 16 in the mid 1990’s, to six in late and planning (e.g. pre-NEPA consultation, monitoring, ID-Teams) 2011, and 7½ (due to partial funding of Forest training and technology transfer employees) in late 2012. By contrast, the ecological support to restoration planning National Park Service in California increased and implementation the size of its ecology workforce from six in climate change interpretation 1994 to over 35 in 2009 (Fig. 1). The Regional support to fuels treatment planning Ecology Program is a national leader in monitoring design, implementation and analysis attracting funding from external sources (Fig. fire and fire regime modeling and mapping 2). Between 2006 and 2012, the REP more determination of site potentials and than doubled its effective budget by way of ecosystem suitability partner funding, project funding, and grants. development of desired future conditions vegetation classification and mapping The Regional Ecology Program staff (and development of management affiliated Forest and District staff) meet at least interpretations once annually to discuss programs of work, development of state & transition and funding, standards and guidelines, future other stand-dynamics models planning, and topics of current interest. habitat modeling, mapping, and prediction involvement with the California Fire Trainings are held periodically. Annual program Science Consortium at the subregional reviews and annual program of work meetings scale are also held on each Province. Province interaction and collaboration with Forest Ecologists operate under a shared services and District resource staff agreement between the Region and the RNA program coordination for the host Province Forests. Province Ecologists prepare, Forest with assistance of the Regional Ecologist and The Regional Ecology Program (REP) is forest Resource staff, an annual Program of partially supported by a Regional earmark. In Work describing objectives, activities, and fy 2012 total earmark funding came to assistance needed to complete the planned $700,000. Regional funds came from the work; the annual POW is tied to National, following sources: NFIM (33%), WFHF (30%), Regional, and Forest goals and priorities. An NFVW (26%), and NFWF (11%). Province annual meeting (1) to review the previous Ecologists supplement their Regional allocation fiscal year’s accomplishments, and (2) to with Forest-level funding and funding derived negotiate the upcoming fiscal year’s POW, is elsewhere (examples include the California held with the attendance of the Province Energy Commission, USFS State and Private Ecologist, the Regional Ecologist, Resource Forestry, the Tahoe Science Program, Staff officers, and any other interested parties. California Dept. of Fish and Game, the National The final program of work is agreed to by the Fire Plan, and the Joint Fire Sciences Program). Forest Supervisors and RO Director of Until 2010, Regional funding for the Ecology Ecosystem Management. 8
Region 5 Ecology Program Budget and Staffing, 1984-2012
1200 40
35 1000 30 800 25 Budget (2011 $s) 600 20 Ecol Prog Staff
Staff NPS ecol staff 15 400 10 200 Thousands of $ (2011 dollars) $ (2011 of Thousands 5
0 0 1975 1985 1995 2005 2015 Fiscal year
Figure 1. Ecology Program (REP) earmark funding, and number of REP staff, 1984-2012. Number of National Park Service ecologists in California provided for comparison.
Ecology Program budget and funding support from external sources, 2006-2012 $4,500,000 Ecol. Prog. earmark $4,000,000 External funds $3,500,000
$3,000,000
$2,500,000
$2,000,000
$1,500,000
$1,000,000
$500,000
$0 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Total
Figure 2. REP earmark funding and funding secured from external sources by the REP, 2006-2012. The REP has more than doubled its effective budget over the last 7 fiscal years through external funding. 9
R5 Regional Ecology Program Staff
REGIONAL OFFICE
Hugh Safford, Ph.D. Regional Ecologist Pacific Southwest Region 1323 Club Drive Vallejo, CA 94592 Phone: 707-562-8934 Fax: 707-562-9050 Email: [email protected]
Department of Environmental Science and Policy University of California Davis, CA 95616 Phone: 530-219-0898 Fax: 530-752-3350 Email: [email protected]
Sarah Sawyer, Ph.D. Assistant Regional Ecologist Pacific Southwest Region 1323 Club Drive Vallejo, CA 94592 Phone: 707-562-8924 Fax: 707-562-9050 Email: [email protected]
NORTHERN PROVINCE Serving Klamath, Shasta-Trinity, Mendocino and Six Rivers National Forests
Ramona Butz, Ph.D. Province Ecologist Six Rivers National Forest 1330 Bayshore Avenue Eureka, CA 95501 Phone: 707-441-3584 Email: [email protected]
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SIERRA-CASCADE PROVINCE Serving Lassen, Modoc and Plumas National Forests
Kyle Merriam Province Ecologist Plumas National Forest P.O. Box 11500 Quincy, CA 95971 Phone: 530-283-7777 Fax: 530-283-7716 Email: [email protected]
Michelle Coppoletta Associate Province Ecologist Sierra Cascade Province Plumas National Forest P.O. Box 11500 Quincy, CA 95971 Phone: (530) 283-7822 Fax: 530-283-7716 Email: [email protected]
CENTRAL SIERRA PROVINCE Serving Eldorado, Tahoe, and Stanislaus National Forests
Becky Estes, Ph.D. Province Ecologist Eldorado National Forest 100 Forni Road Placerville, CA 95667 Phone: 530-642-5161 Fax: 530-621-5297 Email: [email protected]
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SOUTHERN SIERRA PROVINCE Serving Sequoia, Sierra and Stanislaus National Forests
Marc Meyer, Ph.D. Province Ecologist Sierra National Forest 1600 Tollhouse Road Clovis, CA 93611 Phone: 559-297-0706 ext. 4929 Fax: 559-294-4809 Email: [email protected]
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PROVINCE Serving Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres and San Bernardino National Forests
Christopher Stith Province Ecologist San Bernardino National Forest 602 S. Tippecanoe Avenue San Bernardino, CA 92408 Phone: 909-382-2766 Fax: 909-383-5770 Email: [email protected]
LAKE TAHOE BASIN MANAGEMENT UNIT Shana Gross Forest Ecologist Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit 35 College Drive South Lake Tahoe, CA 96151 Phone: 530-543-2752 Fax: Email: [email protected]
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REGION 5/UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-DAVIS ECOLOGY COSTSHARE
Zack Steel Landscape Ecologist Dept. of Environmental Science and Policy One Shields Ave. Davis, CA 95616 Phone: 530-519-2501 Email: [email protected]
ASPEN DELINEATION PROJECT
David Burton Director (Forest Service volunteer) 2070 Orange Drive Penryn, CA 95663 Phone: 916-663-2574 Email: [email protected] Website: www.aspensite.org
R5 REGIONAL ECOLOGY PROGRAM PUBLICATIONS AND REPORTS, FY 2012
Butz, R.J. In press. Changing land management: A case study of charcoal production among a group of pastoral women in northern Tanzania. Energy for Sustainable Development.
Carlson, C.H., S. Z. Dobrowksi, and H.D. Safford. 2012. Variation in tree mortality and regeneration affect forest carbon recovery following fuel treatments and wildfire in the Lake Tahoe Basin, California, USA. Carbon Balance and Management 7: 7. doi:10.1186/1750- 0680-7-7
Dolanc, C. R., J. H. Thorne, and H. D. Safford. 2012. Widespread shifts in the demographic structure of subalpine conifers in the central Sierra Nevada over the last 80 years. Global Ecology and Biogeography . doi: 10.1111/j.1466-8238.2011.00748.x.
Engelhardt, B. and S. Gross. 2012. LTBMU Sensitive Plant Species and Habitat - 2011 Monitoring Report. USDA Forest Service, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit 13
Engelhardt, B. and S. Gross. 2011. Long-term monitoring plan: Lewisia longipetala . USDA Forest Service, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit.
Estes, B.L., Knapp, E.E., Skinner, C.N., Uzoh, F.C.C., 2012. Seasonal variation in surface fuel moisture between forest structure treatments in a mixed conifer forest, northern California, USA. International Journal of Wildland Fire 21: 428-435.
Estes, B.L., Oswald, B.P., 2012. Forested landscapes in Alabama. In: Gjerstad, D., McKnabb, K., Oates, R., Hudson, S., Estes, B. (Eds.), Managing forests on private lands in Alabama and the Southeast . Sweetwater Press, Decatur, GA, p. 486.
Knapp, E.E., North, M., Benech, M., Estes, B.L., 2012. The variable-density thinning study at Stanislaus-Tuolumne Experimental Forest. In: North, M. (Ed.), Managing Sierra Nevada Forests . U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Albany, CA, p. 196.
Gross, S. and S. Norman. 2011. LTBMU 2010/2011 Monitoring Program Annual Monitoring Report. USDA Forest Service, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5348784.pdf
Lawler, J. J., H. D. Safford, and E. H. Girvetz. 2012. Martens and fishers in a changing climate. Pp. 371-397, in K. B. Aubry (ed). Biology and Conservation of Martens, Sables, and Fishers: a New Synthesis. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY.
Miller, J.D., and H.D. Safford. 2012. Trends in wildfire severity 1984-2010 in the Sierra Nevada, Modoc Plateau and southern Cascades, California, USA. Fire Ecology 8: 41-57.
Miller, J. D., C. N. Skinner, H. D. Safford, E. E. Knapp, and C. M. Ramirez. 2012. Trends and causes of severity, size, and number of fires in northwestern California, USA. Ecological Applications 22:184-203.
Miller, J. D., C. N. Skinner, H. D. Safford, E. E. Knapp, and C. M. Ramirez. 2012. Northwest California National Forests fire severity monitoring 1987-2008 . Publication R5-TP-035. USDA-Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region, Vallejo, CA, USA.
Moorhead, D., Gjerstad, D., Estes, B.L., 2012. Artificial regeneration. In: Gjerstad, D., McKnabb, K., Oates, R., Hudson, S., Estes, B. (Eds.), Managing forests on private lands in Alabama and the Southeast . Sweetwater Press, Decatur, GA, p. 486.
Rentz. E. and K. Merriam. 2011. Restoration and management of Baker Cypress in northern California and southern Oregon. Pp. 282-289 in J. W. Willoughby, B. K. Orr, K. A. Schierenbeck and N. Jensen, editors. Proceedings of the CNPS Conservation Conference: Strategies and Solutions , 17-19 January 2009. CNPS, Sacramento, California.
Romme, W. H., J. A. Wiens, and H. D. Safford. 2012. Setting the stage: theoretical and conceptual background of historical range of variation. Pp. 3-18, in: J. A. Wiens, G. 14
Hayward, H. D. Safford, and C.M. Giffen (eds). Historical environmental variation in conservation and natural resource management. John Wiley and Sons, New York, NY.
Safford, H. D. 2012. Serpentine endemism in the California flora: an update. Fremontia 39(1): 32-40.
Safford, H. D., G. Hayward, N. Heller, and J. A. Wiens. 2012. Climate change and historical ecology: can the past still inform the future? Pp. 46-62, in: J. A. Wiens, G. Hayward, H. D. Safford, and C.M. Giffen (eds). Historical environmental variation in conservation and natural resource management. John Wiley and Sons, New York, NY.
Safford, H. D., M. North, and M. Meyer. 2012. Climate change and the relevance of historical forest conditions. Pages 27-41 in M. North, editor . Managing Sierra Nevada forests . General Technical Report PSW-GTR-237. USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station, Albany, California, USA.
Safford, H.D., J.T. Stevens, K. Merriam, M.D. Meyer, and A.M. Latimer. 2012. Fuel treatment effectiveness in California yellow pine and mixed conifer forests. Forest Ecology and Management 274: 17-28.
Safford, H. D., J. A. Wiens, and G. Hayward. 2012. The growing importance of the past in managing ecosystems of the future. Pp. 319-327, in: J. A. Wiens, G. Hayward, H. D. Safford, and C.M. Giffen (eds). Historical environmental variation in conservation and natural resource management. John Wiley and Sons, New York, NY.
Schwartz, M.W., Hellmann, J.J., McLachlan, J.M. , Sax, D.F., Borevitz, J.O., Brennan, J., Camacho, A.E. , Ceballos, G., Doremus, H., Early, R., Etterson, J.R., Gill, J., Gonzalez, P., Green, N., Hannah, L., Jamieson, D.W. , Javeline. D., Minteer, B.A., Odenbaugh, J., Polasky, S., Richardson, D.M., Root, T.L., Safford, H.D., Sala, O., Schneider, S.H., Thompson, A.R., Williams, J.W., Vellend, M., Vitt, P., and Zellmer, S. 2012. Managed relocation: integrating the scientific, regulatory and ethical challenges. Bioscience 62: 732-743
Wiens, J. A., G. Hayward, H. D. Safford, and C.M. Giffen (eds). 2012. Historical environmental variation in conservation and natural resource management. John Wiley and Sons, New York, NY. 337 p.
Wiens, J. A., H. D. Safford, K. McGarigal, W. H. Romme, and M. Manning. 2012. What is the scope of “history” in historical ecology? Issues of scale in management and conservation. Pp. 63-75, in: J. A. Wiens, G. Hayward, H. D. Safford, and C.M. Giffen (eds). Historical environmental variation in conservation and natural resource management. John Wiley and Sons, New York, NY.
Weixelman, D.A., B. Hill, D.J. Cooper, E.L. Berlow, J.H. Viers, S.E. Purdy, A.G. Merrill, and S.E. Gross. 2011. A field key to Meadow Hydrogeomorphic types for the Sierra Nevada and 15
Southern Cascade Ranges in California . Gen. Tech. Rep. R5-TP-034. Vallejo, CA U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region, 34 pp.
York, R.A., N.L. Stephenson, M.D. Meyer, S. Hanna, T. Moody, T. Caprio, and J.J. Battles. 2012. Giant sequoia. Natural Resource Report for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks and Giant Sequoia National Monument. National Park Service Natural Resource Condition Assessment Report NPS/SEKI/NRR-2012/XXX.
R5 ECOLOGY PROGRAM MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS FY 2012: LINKS TO USDA & USFS STRATEGIC GOALS AND REGION 5 STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
USDA STRATEGIC PLAN 2010-2015 (http://www.usda.gov ) 2. Ensure our National Forests and Private Working Lands are Conserved, Restored, and Made More Resilient to Climate Change, While Enhancing Our Water Resources: Objective 2.1 – Restore and Conserve the Nation’s Forests, Farms, Ranches, and Grasslands Objective 2.2 – Lead Efforts to Mitigate and Adapt to Climate Change Objective 2.3 – Protect and Enhance America’s Water Resources Objective 2.4 – Reduce Risk from Catastrophic Wildfire and Restore Fire to its Appropriate Place on the Landscape
USFS STRATEGIC GOALS 2007-2012 (http://www.fs.fed.us/publications/strategic/fs-sp-fy07-12.pdf ) 1. Restore, Sustain, and Enhance the Nation’s Forests and Grasslands: Forests and grasslands have the capacity to maintain their health, productivity, diversity, and resistance to unnaturally severe disturbance. 2. Provide and Sustain Benefits to the American People: Forests and grasslands have sufficient long-term multiple socioeconomic benefits to meet the needs of society. 3. Conserve Open Space: Maintain the environmental, social, and economic benefits of forests and grasslands by reducing and mitigating their conversion to other uses. 4. Sustain and Enhance Outdoor Recreation Opportunities: A variety of high-quality outdoor recreational opportunities on the Nation’s forests and grasslands are available to the public. 5. Maintain Basic Management Capabilities of the Forest Service: Administrative facilities, information systems, and landownership management have the capacity to support a wide range of natural resource challenges. 6. Engage Urban America with Forest Service Programs: Broader access by Americans to the long-term environmental, social, economic, and other types of benefits provided by the Forest Service. 7. Provide Science-Based Applications and Tools for Sustainable Natural Resources Management: Management decisions are informed by the best available science-based knowledge and tools. 16
USFS PACIFIC SOUTHWEST REGION (R5) STRATEGIC PRIORITIES (http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r5/about-region/?cid=STELPRDB5150117 ) 1. Ecological Restoration: The need for ecological restoration in our national forests is widely recognized due to myriad threats to our landscapes including catastrophic wildfire, climate change, and increasing human population pressures. The Forest Service recognizes the need for a more focused approach that clearly identifies ecological restoration as the primary goal for all land management actions. 2. Ensuring a Healthy Workforce and Workplace
MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Ecology Program accomplishments are organized under a series of major headings, each of which is linked to various USDA, USFS, and Region 5 goals and priorities. These include:
Climate Change : USDA Strategic Goal 2.2. USFS Strategic Goals 1, 2, 7. R5 Priority 1
Ecological Restoration : USDA Strategic Goals 2.1-2.4. USFS Strategic Goals 1, 2, 7. R5 Priority 1
Vegetation, Fire and Fuels : USDA Strategic Goals 2.1, 2.4. USFS Strategic Goals 1, 2, 7. R5 Priority 1
Forest Planning/NEPA : USDA Strategic Goals 2.1-2.4. USFS Strategic Goals 1-4. 7. R5 Priority 1
Inventory and Monitoring : USDA Strategic Goals 2.1, 2.3, 2.4. USFS Strategic Goals 1, 2, 5, 7. R5 Priority 1
Other : USDA Strategic Goals 2.1-2.4. USFS Strategic Goals 1-3, 5, 7. R5 Priority 1
Other major headings for accomplishments are also used below. Their links to the USDA, USDA, and Region 5 goals and priorities are identified in the text.
Regional Office
Climate Change
• Member of Region 5 Climate Change Integration Team (CCIT) • Worked with CCIT to update the Region 5 climate change action plan, National Forest actions plans, and the PSW Research Station action plan • Member, national interagency Managed Relocation Working Group (MRWG) • With MRWG, published paper treating the scientific, regulatory and ethical challenges of managed relocation of climate-threatened species 17
• Began 2-year updates of climate change trend assessments for National Forests in California • Participated in planning for Sierra Nevada climate change vulnerability assessment • Met with NASA-Ames laboratory and NASA headquarters staff to discuss collaborative opportunities in climate change research and management applications • Gave presentation on climate change and ecological restoration to Angeles NF Forest Leadership Team • Worked with Brazilian Park Service (ICM-Bio) to install temperature loggers to track changing climates in a national park in SE Brazil • Gave two presentations to Region 5 CCIT webinar series, on California climate change trends • Gave climate change and restoration presentation to Region 8 regional climate change team • Co-edited book treating role and relevance of historical reference conditions in informing management in a rapidly changing world ( Historical Environmental Variation in Conservation and Natural Resource Management ) • Gave presentation on climate change, fire, and forest management to Taylor Creek visitor center summer lecture series, Lake Tahoe Basin MU • Gave invited talk on climate change impacts on mountain ecosystem management, 9th anual science meeting, Parque Nacional da Serra dos Orgãos, Teresópolis, Brazil • Published summary of climate change patterns in the Sierra Nevada in PSW General Technical Report 237 • Worked with USFS International Programs staff and UC-Davis partners to organize and implement International Climate Change and Natural Resources Management Institute; trained 25 international land and resource managers • Published study of potential climate change impacts on martens and fishers in California
Ecological Restoration
• Worked with Eldorado NF staff to develop regional postfire restoration strategy template • Reviewed ecological restoration implementation plans for various Region 5 Forests • Provided postfire restoration strategy template to restoration planning teams on five National Forests • Led California Fire Science Consortium webinar on fire regimes and forest restoration • Provided periodic consultation to southern California chaparral restoration initiative • Developed costshare applied ecologist position with Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park; position will also help coordinate activities Sierra Nevada region of the California Fire Science Consortium • Traveled to Israel to review forest restoration efforts in the area of the Mt. Carmel fire (2010), Haifa • Gave invited talk on fire regimes and ecosystem restoration to international conference on climate change and forest fires in the Mediterranean Basin, Nir Etzion, Israel • Updated and revised Fire Return Interval Departure (FRID) mapping for California • Led webinar on Fire Return Interval Departure (FRID) mapping for the California Fire Science Consortium • Attended two field trips to Long Fire, Eldorado NF, to discuss lessons for future fire management for resource benefit and fire restoration 18
• Visited Center for Environmental Studies in the Mediterranean in Valencia, Spain, to see activities related to shrubland restoration • Acted as Regional contact for national Terrestrial Condition Framework (TCF) mapping • Continued program to monitor long-term ecological effects of forest fuel treatments; carried out monitoring in treated areas in twelve R5 fires • Provided support to development of Freds Fire restoration strategy, Eldorado NF • Provided support to Historical Range of Variation (HRV) modeling project, Yuba River watershed, Tahoe NF • Visited Outback Project area on the Tahoe NF to view results of aspen stand restoration • Provided reviews and comments regarding restoration activities and potentials for various Forest projects • Funded digitization of 1930’s Forest Service vegetation maps in different parts of the State, in order to provide information on historic reference conditions • Consulted with Cleveland NF on restoration plans for the Witch Fire area • Made two visits to Baja California, Mexico, to effect management and research collaboration with Mexican National Parks in the Peninsular Ranges, in order to better understand restoration targets for unlogged and un-fire-suppressed yellow pine forests
Vegetation, Fire and Fuels (see previous two sections as well)
• Acted as director for Sierra Nevada region of California Fire Science Consortium (CFSC) • Oversaw writing of eight fire science publication briefs for managers as part of CFSC workload • Mentored two Tahoe High School juniors in field project to compare species diversities in forest stands affected by forest treatment and burning, their project won 3 rd place in an international forestry competition in Moscow, Russia • Helped to plan and implement of southern Sierra Nevada prescribed fire and smoke symposium • Gave presentation on fuel treatment effectiveness and chaired fire ecology session, Tahoe Science Conference • Attended Region 5 SLMBOD (sustainable landscape management board of directors) meeting • Served as national USFS liaison to Natural Areas Association • Attended periodic meetings and conference calls of S. Sierra Prescribed Fire Council • Attended inaugural meeting of southern Sierra fire science working group • Taught forest ecology section for national Forestry for Lawyers field course • Held phone conference with UC-MEXUS program director to discuss future collaborative possibilities between USFS, UC, and Mexican government management agencies • Conducted postfire assessment of vegetation condition in Freds Fire, Eldorado NF • Provided support to Biggie Project, Tahoe NF • Completed postfire assessment of vegetation conditions on the Pendola Fire, Tahoe NF • Recruited graduate student assistant at UC-Davis to complete Freds Fire inventory and conduct assessment of successional dynamics of vegetation and fuels in S. Fork American River canyon fires • Continued collaborative project with California State Parks to inventory the Emerald Point old growth forest, Emerald Bay State Park, in preparation for planned thinning and Rx burn 19
• Completed postfire assessment of vegetation and fuel conditions on the Rich Fire, Plumas NF • Resampled postfire tree regeneration plots in the Showers and Gondola Fires, Lake Tahoe Basin MU • Completed fifth year of Angora Fire postfire monitoring, LTBMU • Gave lecture to, and led field trip with Inyo NF staff for UC-Davis new graduate student Odyssey field course in the White Mountains • Carried out fuel treatment effectiveness and ecological effects monitoring in twelve fires across California • Continued monitoring of fuels treatment effects on fire severity and ecological response in the Angora Fire • Continued regional inventory program of tree regeneration in severely burned wildfire areas, sampled four fires • Supervised Region 5/UC-Davis costshare fire ecologist • Gave multiple lectures and interviews to public audiences and the media on fire ecology and land management
Forest Planning/NEPA
• Served as Region 5 liaison to PSW team writing Sierra Nevada science synthesis in support of Forest planning • Put together team to assess natural range of variation for Sierra Nevada bioregional assessment • Provided ongoing consultancy to Forest Planning efforts on the LTBMU and Sequoia NM Plans • Developed position description and led review committee for filling of Regional Office planning ecologist position • Completed online NEPA course • Attended “Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project 15-yr revisit” conference sponsored by Pacific Rivers Council • Prepared subject expert declaration for Beaverslide Project, Six Rivers NF • Prepared subject expert declaration for Sierra Nevada Framework litigation • Provided input to Blackbacked Woodpecker working group • Responded to appeals on a number of fuel treatment projects
Inventory and Monitoring
• Provided support and funding to Regional monitoring database development pilot project, jointly with Plumas NF, LTBMU, and Inyo NF • Trained various international visitors (Mexico, African, South American and Asian nations) in USFS forest inventory and monitoring protocols • Regionally supervised inventory and monitoring programs include: o Fuel treatment effectiveness o Long-term ecological effects of forest fuel treatments o Postfire tree regeneration o Meadow condition and trend (supplement to the Regional program managed by the Range Ecologist) o Resampling of 1930’s Forest Service vegetation plots 20
o See the Province sections below for Province- and Forest-level inventory and monitoring
Research Natural Areas – USDA Strategic Goals 2.1, 2.4. USFS Strategic Goals 1, 3, 7. R5 Priority 1.
• Managed the Regional RNA Program • Reviewed research or management action proposals for six RNAs • Participated in Sugar Creek RNA workshop & field trip to discuss RNA management strategy with members of public, academic community, PSW & R5 • Provided input to fire managers and resource advisors in cases where RNAs were threatened with wildfire • Made field visits to three R5 RNAs • Participated in national RNA conference calls
Ecological Unit Inventory – USDA Strategic Goals 2.1, 2.2. USFS Strategic Goals 1, 2, 5, 7. R5 Priority 1
• There has been no Regional funding for the TEUI program since 2007. In 2012 the Ecology Program provided support to the Inyo NF TEUI mapping project, and to the University of Montana in TEUI mapping on the Mendocino NF • Worked with national Terrestrial Condition Framework team to delineate Ecological Subsection boundaries for national TCF mapping
Aspen Delineation Project – USDA Strategic Goals 2.1, 2.4. USFS Strategic Goals 1-3, 5, 7. R5 Priority 1
• Continued work on field guide to diseases and insects of quaking aspen • Visited aspen restoration projects in the Sierra Nevada • Gave interview on aspen restoration to Sacramento Bee • See Aspen Delineation Project Annual Report and website for more details (http://www.aspensite.org )
Other
• Recruited and hired Chief’s Scholar into assistant Regional Ecologist position • Assistant Regional Ecologist made field visits to each Ecology Program zone position • Assistant Regional Ecologist joined Chief’s Scholar (CS) Orientation Committee: helped plan CS and PMF orientation, updated CS orientation packet • Maintained and expanded Ecology Program website • Reviewed black-backed woodpecker conservation strategy • Completed training on grants and agreements processing and I-Web protocols • Presented at, or participated in: o California Fire Science Consortium webinars o Tahoe NF FLT. ppt on ecology program o 9th science meeting, Parque Nacional da Serra dos Orgãos, Brazil o Region 5 Climate Change Integration Team webinars 21
o Conference on climate change and forest fires in the Mediterranean Basin: management and risk reduction, Nir Etzion, Israel o Presentation to Region 8 regional climate change management team o Southern Sierra Prescribed Fire and Smoke Symposium o International Climate Change and Natural Resources Management seminar o Tahoe Science Conference o Taylor Creek amphitheater summer lecture series (Lake Tahoe Basin) o Forestry for Lawyers course o UC-Davis “Odyssey” field course for new ecology graduate students o Gave lectures to UC-Davis courses in agroforestry, environmental impact analysis, trees and forests, natural resource management, fire ecology, and conservation biology Published 16 scientific papers and book chapters, two others are in press (see Publications) Graduate student advisement (thesis committee member): o Gabi Bohlman, M.S., UC-Davis (Postfire succession) o Sarah Dalrymple, Ph. D., UC-Davis (Effects of forest fuel treatments on invertebrates) o Mila Hickenbottom, M.S., UC-Davis (Fuels mapping in conifer forests of northern Baja California, Mexico) o Hiram Rivera Huerta, Ph.D., Univ. Autónoma de Baja California (Fire risk mapping and forest management planning) o Jens Stevens, Ph. D., UC-Davis (Ecological effects of forest fuel treatments) o Kevin Welch, Ph. D., UC-Davis (Effects of changing climate and fire regimes on Sierra Nevada oaks and conifers) • International work: o USFS-International Programs/USAID assistance trip to Brazil (presentation to science conference) o USFS-International Programs/USAID assistance trip to Israel and Spain (presentation at conference, field review of fuel treatment work, coordination with Center for Environmental Studies in the Mediterranean re. postfire restoration of shrublands) o USFS-International Programs/USAID assistance trip to Mexico (installation of field plots for landscape measurement of fuels and forest structure, training of local personnel) o USFS-International Programs/USAID assistance trip to Brazil (installation of temperature data loggers in Serra dos Órgãos National Park) o Provided support to USFS-International Programs Middle East program, wrote background paper for Jordan forest restoration proposal to US-AID o Helped organize and implement 3-week International Seminar on Climate Change and Management, in conjunction with USFS International Programs and UC-Davis. Provided training to 25 international land and resource managers from 5 continents
Region 5/UC-Davis Cost Share Ecological Restoration
• Attended California Fire Science Consortium-sponsored field trip to Long Fire, Eldorado NF 22
• Attended forest restoration field trip to Sagehen Research Station, Tahoe NF
Vegetation, Fire and Fuels
• Acted as technical coordinator for Sierra Nevada region of the California Fire Science Consortium (CFSC) • Represented the CFSC Sierra Nevada Region at statewide CFSC events • Coordinated periodic meetings of CFSC Sierra Nevada Region steering committee, including regular conference calls • Coordinated accomplishment reporting for CFSC Sierra Nevada Region • Updated Sierra Nevada content for the CFSC website • Assisted in implementation of field tour to Stanislaus/Tuolumne Experimental Forest • Wrote and/or edited fire science publication briefs for managers • Carried out study of patterns of fire activity, severity, and size on USFS lands underlain by serpentine soils • Presented poster on serpentine fire regimes at ESRI Users Conference, San Diego
Training Mexican partners in fuels Mentoring South Tahoe High School mensuration, Sierra San Pedro Mártir students in study of fuel treatment National Park, Mexico and fire effects on plant diversity
PROVINCE ECOLOGY PROGRAMS
Central Sierra Province (including Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit)
Provincewide
Ecological Restoration
• Presented at Forest Vegetation Management Conference in Redding, California on The effectiveness of shrub mastication for seedling release and fuels reduction in plantations within the Storrie Fire, Lassen National Forest. 23
• Assisted on development of a Postfire Ecological Restoration template packet (timeline, organization of team, workplan) for forests
Vegetation, Fire and Fuels
• Co-authored paper on the variable-density thinning study at Stanislaus-Tuolumne Experimental Forest in GTR-237 • Authored paper on seasonal variation in surface fuel moisture between unthinned and thinned mixed conifer forest, northern California, USA in the International Journal of Wildland Fire • Attended the Sugarloaf Science Retreat in Kings Canyon National Park to view effects of a natural fire regime • Presented at Northern Prescribed Fire Council Meeting in Chico, California on the Seasonal variation in surface fuel moisture between unthinned and thinned mixed conifer forest, northern California • Completed publication briefs for the California Fire Science Consortium summarizing pertinent research in ecology for managers • Attended the Southern Sierra Smoke symposium and acted as moderator for a break out session discussing the barriers to accomplishing prescribed burning
Forest Planning/NEPA
• Began planning for bioregional assessments to be implemented in fiscal year 2013 • Acted as reviewer for PSW Science Synthesis and provided material on topics such as post fire restoration • Attended Forest Plan Implementation training (NEPA 1900-1) in Redding, California
Inventory and Monitoring
• Attended ecological monitoring boot camp in Nevada City, California for incoming field crews • Worked on acquiring LiDAR on the Eldorado/SNAMP demography study to facilitate better project planning for sensitive species • Continued work on projects with PSW – Cub Complex and Storrie fire severity analysis, Effects of season of fire on Cypripedium montanum , Klamath fire severity analysis, Storrie fire mastication study • Continued work on regional whitebark pine monitoring with other province ecologists
Other
• Maintained red card certification • Applied for and was certified as an Ecological Society of America Professional Ecologist, 2012-2017 24
• Generated additional program funding through external and internal partnerships • Reviewed applicants for the Regional Ecology Planning position • Hosted incoming Assistant Regional Ecologist within the Central Sierra Province • Participated on committee formed to determine the bylaws for the Southern Sierra Nevada Prescribed fire council • Authored and coauthored two chapters in Managing Forests for Private Landowners in the Southeast book • Attended 2012 annual Ecology group meeting in Davis, California
Eldorado National Forest Climate Change
• Acted as Climate Change Coordinator for the Eldorado National Forest • Hosted seminars on climate change for forest and district employees on various climate change topics • Completed climate change scorecard along with members of Green Team and other forest employees engaged in climate issues • Participated in solar array meeting at the Placerville Nursery
Ecological Restoration
• Participated in ongoing discussions on prioritizing areas for managed wildfires and ecological reasons for these designations
Vegetation, Fire and Fuels
• Provided expert opinion on the Power Fire Damage Assessment
Forest Planning/NEPA
• Participated on the ID team on development of a strategy for the Freds Fire Ecological Restoration • Support to project level work on Blacksmith, Tony’s and X Factor projects • Worked with Amador district on designing purpose and need within the Power fire
Inventory and Monitoring
• Developed sampling protocol on wildfire managed for natural resource benefit (Long Fire) • Worked with Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity to produce vegetative severity maps for Long Fire initially and one year post • Assisted field crew completing ecological monitoring in the Freds fire
Other 25
• Participated on the Amador Calaveras Consensus Group Cornerstone Cooperative Forests Landscapes Restoration Grant assisting on the development of the monitoring protocol • Team led field trip to the Long Fire, a managed wildfire on the Eldorado National Forest along with the CFSC • Hosted a visiting graduate student completing field requirement for a degree on ecological restoration • Presented a talk on ecological restoration to the Forest Leadership Team and the Pacific District Coordinated field trip with graduate student focused on effects of fire in the South Fork American river canyon
Stanislaus National Forest
Ecological Restoration
• Work with the Groveland district to prepare historical datasets for field trip with the science/ecology group of the YSS
Vegetation, Fire and Fuels
• Developed material for YSS meeting presentations on topics such as Yosemite National Park planning and the use of the LMU tool
Forest Planning
• Continued work with Groveland district on Reynolds project
Other
• Continued work with Yosemite Stanislaus Solutions collaborative group to develop landscape strategy • Worked with Calaveras district to coordinate the Amador Calaveras Consensus Group Cornerstone project • Attended the STEF variable density tour on the Summit Ranger District
Tahoe National Forest
Ecological Restoration
• Developed protocol with the American River District silviculturist to identify planning units for ecological restoration projects
Forest Planning/NEPA 26
• Provided support to project level work on the Cuckoo and Biggie projects; produced ecological assessment and attended field trips
Inventory and Monitoring
• Continued Historic Range of Variability work with the Yuba River District within the North Yuba River watershed
Other
• Support to community outreach on aspen projects on the Sierraville District • Attended field day on the Yuba River District to discuss the HRV work • Presented a talk on the American River District orientation day on ecological restoration and climate change
Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Climate Change
• Developed a Green Team action plan and charter for LTBMU • Incorporated climate change consideration into two projects on the LTBMU: Incline Fuels and Tallac Historic Site BMP • Developed a climate action plan for the forest working with the FLT for approval • Drafted guidance documents for element 1 and element 3 of the climate change scorecard for the forest (approved by FLT October 2, 2012) • Completed FY12 climate change scorecard
Ecological Restoration
• Participated in development of CRAM for wet meadows • Project development for restoration of meadows in the LTB through removal of encroaching conifers • Pope Baldwin Children’s Forest: o Establishment of the Pope-Baldwin Children’s Forest with central location at the Washoe Tending and Gathering Garden o Completed operating plan o Developed a walking brochure; outlined path with tree rounds. o Two wet areas were developed in the garden. o Planted: Allium validum, Amelanchier alnifolia, Fragaria virginiana, Mentha arvensis, Perideridia, Prunus virginiana , Quercus kelloggii, Ribes nevadense, Ribes cereum, Rosa woodsii. Made garden signs for each plant o Organized youth activities: Tribal youth event for planting at garden; 3rd & 4th grade program on the “Ways of the Washoe”; 3rd grade students who visit the Taylor Creek Visitor Center annually for Kokanee Salmon spawning field trips were offered additional programs to include cultural history education at the Tallac Site; 27
4th & 5th grade students participated in new fieldtrips to the Taylor Creek and Tallac Historic Sites for educational programs on topics like watershed & ecosystem health, forest health, cultural history, and land management. 5th grade classes participated in restoration monitoring as a follow up to a site visit in 2011 to remove bottom barriers in Taylor Creek to prevent growth of aquatic invasive plants.
Vegetation, Fire and Fuels
• Maintained Red Card and READ certification LTBMU • Completed CA fire consortium Taylor briefing paper • Completed ESA certification • Completed SNPLMA science review of science proposals
Forest Planning/NEPA
• Developed a Forest plan monitoring plan template • Provided input for TRPA threshold evaluation reports • Wrote Chapter 3 of Forest Plan DEIS on Climate Change • Wrote Clime Change section for aquatics and plants in the Forest Plan DEIS, reviewed wildlife section • Provided IDT input on 9 projects.
Inventory and Monitoring
• Managed biological monitoring program • Provided feedback & review of the following reports completed by LTBMU biological group: o Engelhardt, B. and S. Gross. 2012. LTBMU Sensitive Plant Species and Habitat - 2011 Monitoring Report. USDA Forest Service, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5389922.pdf o Reviewed stream habitat assessment 2011 report o Muskopf, S., M. Santora, M. Bindl, C. Lemmers. 2011. Sierra Nevada Yellow ‐Legged Frog Habitat Restoration Project In The Desolation Wilderness 2011 Annual Report. USFS Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5363180.pdf • Completed/developed monitoring plans for: o Engelhardt, B. and S. Gross. 2011. Long-term monitoring plan: Lewisia longipetala . USDA Forest Service, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5337950.pdf o Developed pile burn monitoring plan to test burn pile effectiveness targeted in Aspen and Meadows in 2012 o Developed monitoring plan to test the effectiveness of mowing the meadow for mulch at High Meadows Restoration • Initiated development of a stream temperature monitoring 28
• Gross, S. and S. Norman. 2011. LTBMU 2010/2011 Monitoring Program Annual Monitoring Report. USDA Forest Service, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5348784.pdf • Participated in the development of CRAM for wet meadows: http://www.cramwetlands.org/ • Monitoring: o Effectiveness of Sierra Nevada Ski Slope revegetation plots. o Showers and Gondola Fires o Monitoring of bryophyte cover and distribution of Sphagnum spp. and Meesia triquetra as indicators of ecosystem health at Grass Lake RNA and Hell Hole. o Final year of monitoring at Heavenly Creek project effectiveness of mechanical fuels treatment in the stream environment zone o Upper Truckee River Restoration o Burn Piles Effectiveness in Aspen stands and wet meadows o 38 habitat model validation points were assessed for sensitive plant habitat • Presentations: o Monitoring Grass Lake Research Natural Area With Bryophyte Cover Correlated With Climatic Change. Tahoe Science Conference 2012, Incline, NV (Gross, S and W. Christensen). o Status of Meadows in the Lake Tahoe Basin From 2000 Through 2010. Tahoe Science Conference 2012, Incline, NV (Gross, S and H. Safford). o Where in the Basin Are They? Validating Habitat Suitability Models for 20 Rare Plant Species. Tahoe Science Conference 2012, Incline, NV (Engelhardt, B. and S. Gross). o Assessing Status and trends of Grass Lake Reasearch Natural Area, Lake Tahoe, California: Using two genera of bryophytes (Sphagnum and Meesia) as indicators of ecosystem health. California Native Plant Society Conference 2012, San Diego, CA (Gross, S. and W. Christensen).
Educational event with the Washoe Inventory of beetle -killed stands of Tribe, native species day at the whitebark pine, Inyo NF Washoe Garden, LTBMU 29
Northern Province Provincewide
Climate Change
• Participated in the Region 5 Climate Change Webinar series • Participated in the North Pacific Landscape Conservation Cooperative (NPLCC) In-person Workshop to Inform Climate Change Science Priorities in the NPLCC: Spotlight on Terrestrial Ecosystems in Arcata
Vegetation, Fire and Fuels
• Maintained fireline red card qualifications as Ecologist, Resource Advisor (READ), and Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) • Advisory committee member for the Northern California section of the California Fire Science Delivery Network • Participated in meetings of the Northern California Prescribed Fire Council in November 2011 and March 2012 • Coordinated a meeting with Regional Fire Ecologist Neil Sugihara and the four Northern Province Fire Ecologists in Eureka • Completed a WFDSS refresher training • Submitted an abstract to present in a special session of the Association for Fire Ecology Congress in Portland, OR in December 2012 • Organized a training session on using the Geospatial Interface (GI) tool and fire-specific applications for the Northern Province Fire Ecologists • Completed a two day ArcFuels training workshop • Participated in advanced LiDAR training through the Remote Sensing Applications Center (RSAC) • Ongoing collaboration and province point-of-contact for Port Orford Cedar issues and root disease with PNW in R6 • Presented draft dry forest PAG modeling to the Province Resource Board (PRB). • Began modeling of dry forest Plant Association Groups (PAGs) for R5 Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP) Survey and Manage • Collaborated with UC Extension on investigating the source of new occurrences of sudden oak death (SOD) in Humboldt County
Forest Planning/NEPA
• Collaborated with R5 Remote Sensing Lab to begin implementation of local updates and corrections to existing vegetation mapping 1 • Collaborated with the R5 Remote Sensing Lab to create and ground truth a seral stage geospatial interface (GI) tool for the Northwest Forest Plan forests 30
• Continued working with Northwest Forest Plan forest wildlife biologists, VMS Enterprise Team, and the R5 Remote Sensing Lab to create revised NSO and other threatened and endangered (T&E) species habitat crosswalks within the R5 existing vegetation GIS layer • Member of the Northern Province Strategic Fire Planning Group • Ongoing compilation and organization of data from previous Province Ecologists • Participated in R5-wide conference calls on whitebark pine ecology and management issues • Gave a presentation on LiDAR technology and its potential uses in Forest planning and management to the Northern Province Resource Board.
Inventory and Monitoring
• Supervised summer field crew of Humboldt State University students • Coordinated collection of Golden chinquapin ( Chrysolepis chrysophylla ) for genetic diversity testing by PNW in R6 • Coordinated with USFWS on potential rare plant field work on Red Mountain (BLM).
Other
• Continued participation with graduate students, tribal members, professors, agency employees, and community members interested in research in the Klamath Mountains – Karuk Collaborative • Continued Regional Ecologist collaboration with Humboldt State University and USGS in study of fire effects on old-growth forest in the Northwest Forest Plan area • Coordinator for Research Natural Areas (RNAs) in the Klamath, Mendocino, Shasta- Trinity, and Six Rivers National Forests • Met with researchers from Humboldt State University, PSW-Redwood Sciences Laboratory, and PSW-Redding Silviculture Laboratory to facilitate ongoing collaborations • Two scientific publications in review • Reviewed scientific manuscripts for: o Ecological Applications o Forest Ecology and Management o International Journal of Wildland Fire o Ethnobotany Research and Applications o Energy for Sustainable Development • Attended and presented program goals and accomplishments at the Regional Ecology Program Annual Meeting in March 2012 in Davis, CA. • Expanded engagement with Humboldt State University professors and students in the areas of ecological restoration, climate change, and fire management; informal advisement for four graduate students • Received Adjunct Professor status in the Department of Forestry and Wildland Resources at Humboldt State University 31
• Maintained professional memberships with the Ecological Society of America, Association for Fire Ecology, and the International Association of Wildland Fire • Received training on how to run mFASST (Scheduler) from the Remote Sensing Lab • Coordinated the scanning of Northern Province Research Natural Areas Establishment Reports and other supporting documentation with PSW Albany. • Participated in the annual Port Orford Cedar management meeting coordinated by Region 6 • Complete online training course for ArcGIS 10 • Ongoing online training in R statistical software • Hosted a visit of the new Assistant Regional Ecologist and introduced her to some of the current major efforts in the Northern Province • Executed a Cost-Share Agreement with Humboldt State University to provide collaborative ecological field data collection and monitoring support to the Klamath, Mendocino, Shasta-Trinity, and Six Rivers National Forests
Six Rivers National Forest
Climate Change
• Provided support for the Six Rivers Climate Change Scorecard • Provided support for the SRF Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP) planning effort • Assisted with acquisition of LiDAR data for the Sims Fire restoration planning effort
Ecological Restoration
• Field visit with Natural Resources and Fire staffs and Humboldt State University researchers to Mad River Ranger District to explore oak woodland restoration opportunities • Conducted a field visit of the 2004 Sims Fire with the Six Rivers Fire Ecologist and Assistant Regional Ecologist in preparation for assuming the role of technical lead for the Sims Fire restoration planning effort in FY13 • Field meeting with Six Rivers staff and Humboldt State University researchers to discuss oak woodland restoration opportunities on Mad River Ranger District
Vegetation, Fire and Fuels
• Assisted SRF GIS and Natural Resources staffs with transition from older, Forest-level vegetation layers to the current R5 vegetation layers provided by RSL • Field visit to the Ruth Fire, Mad River Ranger District, with Natural Resources and Fire staffs to assess post-fire conditions • Provided ongoing support for the Six Rivers Range Program 32
• Created, in collaboration with the R5 Remote Sensing Lab, and presented a draft seral stage layer to the Forest for review • Initiated field assessment of collaborative effort with R5 Remote Sensing Lab to create a seral stage geospatial interface tool for the Six Rivers • Project support for the Trinity Summit High Country Grazing Project within the North Trinity Mountain Research Natural Area
Forest Planning/NEPA
• Provided ongoing support to and participated in the Bluff Creek Watershed Analysis ID- team • Provided support for the Smith River National Recreation Area Travel Management for questions regarding the L.E. Horton Research Natural Area • Researched and provided clarification for the Yurok Research Natural Area boundary • Provided support to the Range Program for questions on grazing in the Ruth and Soldier Research Natural Areas • Provided support for the Six Rivers Watershed Condition Assessment
Inventory and Monitoring
• Provided input for year-end WFRP monitoring report for Northern Province Ecology Program budget in WFHF. • Established fuels and vegetation plots for the Lamb Gap project, Mad River Ranger District • Modeled red tree vole habitat using ArcGIS for the Six Rivers Wildlife Biologists.
Other
• Met with Six Rivers NF Natural Resources and Fire and Fuels staffs and Line Officers to facilitate future coordination and build FY 2012 program of work. • Participated in Six Rivers Program of Work meetings • Provided support to SRF Fire Ecologist and Natural Resources staff • Participated in three days of Natural Resources storage locker clean-out and organization.
Klamath National Forest
Ecological Restoration
• Provided support for the Klamath Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP) proposal 33
• Participated in meetings and field visits to Sugar Creek Research Natural Area with other core team members and interested parties to begin writing a management strategy for the RNA
Vegetation, Fire and Fuels
• Reviewed a Joint Fire Science Program proposal written by the Klamath • Provided ongoing support for the Klamath National Forest Range Program. • Created, in collaboration with the R5 Remote Sensing Lab, and presented a draft seral stage layer to the Forest for review. • Performed as a Resource Advisor (READ) for the Fort Complex (Goff) Fire on Happy Camp Ranger District. • Drafted a response to comments from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on climate change for the Johnny O’Neil Late-Successional Reserve Habitat Restoration and Fuels Reduction Project • Conducted field work to assess post-fire tree regeneration on the China-Back and Elk Fire Complexes (2007)
Inventory and Monitoring
• Provided ecological monitoring section for the FY 2011 Monitoring and Evaluation Report
Other
• Met with Klamath NF staff to build FY 2012 program of work. • Provided support to KNF Fire Ecologist and Natural Resources staff. • Coordinated with KNF staff regarding transfer of Province Ecologist equipment, data, and materials from Happy Camp Ranger District to the SRF
Mendocino National Forest
Vegetation, Fire and Fuels
• Organized and led meeting on GIS vegetation layers; began to assist MRF staff with transition from older, Forest-level vegetation layers to the current R5 vegetation layers provided by RSL. • Created, in collaboration with the R5 Remote Sensing Lab, and presented a draft seral stage layer to the Forest for review. • Provided literature search assistance on the effects of prescribed fires on small mammals. • Provided initial report of results of the regeneration surveys conducted by the Regional Ecology Program for the 2004 Spanish Fire for review and comments. 34
• Facilitated a web meeting with the MNF and the Remote Sensing Lab on the mFASST (Scheduler) and Network Analyst programs. • Provided design support on the installation of HOBO remote data loggers for the Smokey Timber Sale project. • Facilitated a conference call with the Regional Ecologist, Remote Sensing Lab, GIS Specialist from the Inyo NF, and MNF staffs to discuss ecologic unit mapping for the MNF. • Participated in a conference call with MNF staffs and the Portland Working Group on amending the LSR Assessment language. • Provided support for the Mill Fire with regard to allowing fire to burn in the Frenzel Creek Research Natural Area.
Other
• Met with Mendocino NF natural resources and fire and fuels staffs to facilitate future coordination and build FY 2012 program of work. • Provided support to MNF Fire Ecologist and Natural Resources staff. • Provided literature search assistance (grazing/fire risk) for NEPA scoping response to comments on grazing allotments. • Assisted with discussions regarding LiDAR acquisition and aerial photography use. • Hired Assistant Regional Ecologist to provide additional ecological support to the Mendocino NF
Shasta-Trinity National Forest
Vegetation, Fire and Fuels
• Conducted a prescribed burn of the Silverthorne Neviusia population in December 2011 to assess population response to prescribed fire. • Created, in collaboration with the R5 Remote Sensing Lab, and presented a draft seral stage layer to the Forest for review. • Participated in a field visit to Devils Hosselkuss Research Natural Area. • Conducted a field visit of the 2004 Sims Fire with the Six Rivers Fire Ecologist and Assistant Regional Ecologist in preparation for the Sims Fire restoration planning effort in FY13.
Other
• Met with Shasta-Trinity NF acting natural resources staff officer to build FY 2012 program of work. • Provided support to SHF Fire Ecologist and Natural Resources staff. 35
• Field meeting with Fire and Fuels staff from both the Shasta-Trinity and Six Rivers National Forests to discuss fuel treatment planning in the South Fork Mountain area. • Conducted a second year of field work to assess current conditions of seven Neviusia populations around Shasta Lake and added an eighth monitoring site. • Assisted with acquisition of LiDAR data for the Sims Fire restoration planning effort.
International
• Malawi – Instructed for a “Train the Trainers” fire management, fire ecology, and restoration planning congress for fire managers at Mulanje Mountain Forest Reserve – April 2012. • Malawi – Continued email and telephone support for fire management in Nyika National Park. • Malawi – Coordinated with the Remote Sensing Applications Center (RSAC) for MODIS fire support to Malawi fire managers.
Monitoring Baker Cypress Sampling common stand exams in regeneration after fire, Mud Lake the Freds Fire, Eldorado NF RNA, Plumas NF
Sierra Cascade Province Provincewide
Climate Change
• Presented climate trend assessment to Plumas, Lassen and Modoc National Forests, including data about long-term (i.e. 100-year) trends in climate at locations across the province.
36
Ecological Restoration
• Worked with the Regional Ecology program to develop a template for post-fire ecological restoration strategies across Region 5.
Vegetation, Fire and Fuels
• Co-authored paper on fuel treatment effectiveness: Safford, H.D., J.T.Stevens, K. Merriam, M.D. Meyer, and A.M. Latimer. 2012. Fuel treatment effectiveness in California yellow pine and mixed conifer forests. Forest Ecology and Management 274 : 17-28. • Participated in the California Fire Science Consortium, a network of scientists and managers funded by the Joint Fire Science Program to synthesize local fire science and encourage collaboration between fire researchers, land managers, and stakeholders. • Lead a field trip describing Forest Ecology and Wildlife Ecology for National Forestry for Lawyers course, including attorneys for the Department of Justice from across the United States. • Worked with the Regional Silviculturist and Ecologist to develop a method for post-fire certification of natural regeneration
Forest Planning/NEPA
• Reviewed and provided input on the LTBMU Biological Evaluation for the Forest Planning EIS. • Reviewed draft chapters of Forest Service Handbook 1909.12 describing new land management planning directives for forest plan revision. • Attended workshops describing upcoming forest plan revision process and deliverables as part of bioregional assessment team. Participated in and completed internal review of the PSW Science Synthesis.
Inventory and Monitoring
• Supported field crews conducting post-fire and fuel treatment effectiveness monitoring in the Rich, Chips, Antelope, Peterson, and Cougar Fires. • Developed a regional template for Wilderness Non-native Invasive Plant Species Management Plans. • Initiated a regional whitebark pine monitoring working group. • Compiled and summarized information from the 2010 regional whitebark pine data call. • Completed the Regional Sensitive Species evaluation form for whitebark pine and developed a regional distribution map. • Published findings from Joint Fire Science funded study of Baker cypress: Rentz. E. and K. Merriam. 2011. Restoration and management of Baker Cypress in northern California and southern Oregon. Pages 282-289 in J. W. Willoughby, B. K. Orr, K. A. Schierenbeck 37
and N. Jensen, editors. Proceedings of the CNPS Conservation Conference: Strategies and Solutions, 17-19 January 2009. CNPS, Sacramento, California.
Partnerships & Outreach- USDA Strategic Goal 2. USFS Strategic Goals 1-3, 5, 7. R5 Priority 1
• Served as member of the regional RNA committee – reviewed and approved research permits and management plans for RNAs across the region. • Received grant funding as part of the 10-year Wilderness Stewardship Challenge. • Selected as an alternate for funding by the California Landscape Conservation Cooperative to develop a Collaborative Fen Monitoring workshop including partners from the National Park Service, Natural Resource Conservation Service, California Native Plant Society, California Department of Fish and Game, and UC Davis. • Collaborated with the Remote Sensing Laboratory to develop a method for using LiDAR and remote-sensing data to model long-term patterns of forest succession. • Developed and presented A short introduction to LiDAR: What is it and how can we use it? to Forest Leadership Teams and Districts in the Province. • Developed Introduction to plant sampling and monitoring field exercises and presentations for at-risk girls through the Women’s Mountain Passages Girls Rite Program .
Other
• Filled Associate Ecologist position to expand the Province Ecology Program. • Generated an additional 70% of program funding through external and internal partnerships.
HFQLG (Lassen and Plumas NFs)
Inventory and Monitoring
• Wrote the Annual HFQLG Botany Monitoring Report and summary section for the 2011 Report to Congress. • Planned and coordinated the 2012 botany monitoring program for the HFQLG pilot project area. • Completed the final year of monitoring for Astragalus webberii , Lupinus dalesiae, Penstemon personatus , and the invasive medusahead (Elymus caput-medusae). • Compiled and analyzed HFQLG monitoring data for botanical resources; wrote species- specific monitoring summaries for Astragalus webberi , Penstemon personatus , Lupinus dalesiae , the federally listed Packera layneae, and medusahead. Reports will be available online at: http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/hfqlg/monitoring/resource_reports/vegetation_and_botany/ 38
• Presented findings of the effects of mastication on medusahead at the 2012 California Invasive Plant Council Symposium: Coppoletta, M. and C. J. Rowe. 2012. Is mastication + prescribed fire an effective control technique for multi-acre medusahead (Elymus caput-medusae) infestations? Poster presentation for the 2012 California Invasive Plant Council Symposium. October 2012 .
Lassen National Forest
Climate Change
• Coordinated with hydrologists and landscape ecologists at the University of Nevada, Reno, to conduct climate change modeling for vernal pool ecosystems on the Modoc Plateau.
Ecological Restoration
• Helped develop prescribed burning treatment prescriptions for low sage flats and associated rare plant species for the Ebey Project.
Vegetation, Fire and Fuels
• Analyzed three years of data on the effects of grazing and hydroperiod on Orcuttia tenuis and Modoc Plateau vernal pool region plant communities. • Presented poster describing the effects of hydroperiod on vernal pool plant comunities: CA: Gosejohan, M.C., P.J. Weisberg, and K.E. Merriam. 2012. When being under water is a good thing: Does inundation regime explain endemic plant community distribution in vernal pools? Poster presentation given at at the California Native Plant Society Conservation Conference, January 12-14, San Diego, California.
Inventory and Monitoring
• Assisted Forest Botanists to develop monitoring program for Baker cypress as part of the Burney-Hat Creek Basins Collaborative Landscape Forest Restoration Project. • Completed processing of 52 vernal pool seed cores to identify the distribution and density of Orcuttia tenuis seeds throughout one vernal pool. • Advised and assisted a BS student at UNR on Orcuttia tenuis seed bank collection and analysis. • Acted as the project manager for a Humboldt State University project investigating the use of LiDAR to map serpentine soils within the Storrie Fire area. Reviewed reports, provided logistical support for field work, and approved invoices. • Assisted with rare plant monitoring on the Lassen National Forest.
Modoc National Forest 39
Climate Change
• Collaborated with the Pit River Watershed Alliance to describe projected climate change effects to vegetation as part of the Upper Pit River Watershed Integrated Water Resources Management Plan.
Forest Planning/NEPA
• Completed draft South Warner Wilderness Non-native Invasive Plant Species Management Plan as part of the Ten-year Wilderness Stewardship Challenge grant. • Developed an experimental design for whitebark pine treatments in the South Warner Wilderness as part of the Homestead Project; as an IDT member, provided input to proposed action and project design.
Inventory and Monitoring
• Wrote book chapter describing the distribution and status of vegetation types found across the Modoc Plateau for a California Native Plant Society and California Department of Fish and Game book about the vegetation of California. • Administered final year of cost share agreement with the University of Nevada, Reno, to evaluate the effect of grazing and hydrology on federally listed vernal pool plant species with funding from the Wildlife, Fish and Rare Plant Fund, the Bureau of Land Management, and the University of Nevada, Reno. Served as committee member for graduate student completing project as part of a Master’s thesis.
Water Resources – USDA Strategic Goal 2.3. USFS Strategic Goals 1, 2, 4, 7. R5 Priority 1
• Submitted a proposal to evaluate the effect of forest health improvement treatments implemented through the Homestead Project on water availability and quality to the Upper Pit River Watershed Integrated Water Resources Management Plan.
Plumas National Forest
Climate Change
• Served on the Forest Climate Change team to complete the Forest Climate Change Performance Scorecard and develop a strategy for improving Forest Performance measures.
Ecological Restoration
• Conducted an analysis of Storrie Fire stand exam data to identify areas of natural regeneration. 40
• Worked with District, Forest, and Regional staff to develop a rationale for using a compensatory, or habitat equivalency approach, for restoration projects for the Storrie Fire, and participated in the initial stages of development of the Storrie Fire restoration strategy. • Developed short summaries of Storrie fire research in the form of web-based research briefs. These highlight the main research findings and provide the link, wherever possible, for how these findings can be used in future planning efforts, management activities, and restoration projects. • Identified and developed two research-generated restoration projects that focused on (a) improving remnant conifer stands for late-seral bird species in the Storrie fire and (b) enhancing habitat for and experimentally reintroducing a rare Sensitive plant species (Astragalus webberi) to sites within and adjacent to the Rich fire, including: o Developing a GIS model using climatic and biophysical variables to predict areas of suitable habitat for Astragalus webberi. o Identifying thinning and experimental reintroduction treatment units and completed the internal scoping and analysis for the CE, and o Designing an experimental protocol for growing and out-planting individuals.
Vegetation, Fire and Fuels
••• Completed the following deliverables for the Plumas National Forest as part of the Ten- year Wilderness Stewardship Challenge Grant: o Worked with fire and fuels staff to develop a Fire Management Plan for the Bucks Lake Wilderness area. o Developed the Bucks Lake Wilderness Inventory and Monitoring Plan, which included protocols to inventory and monitor visitor use and ecological resources within the Bucks Lake Wilderness. o Compiled and scanned inventory and monitoring data forms, conducted data analyses, and entered data into an Access database. o Tested the utility of the (draft) regional monitoring database for tracking research and monitoring in the Bucks Lake Wilderness. ••• Updated Mt Hough Ranger District Botany GIS data layers, including finalizing FY11 weed and TES layers and data inputs into NRIS, and finalizing the MT Hough FY11 Survey and Sensitive Plant Communities layers. ••• Worked with Mountain Maidu tribal members to develop culturally appropriate management practices for bear grass gathering area on the Mt. Hough Ranger District. ••• Taught Fire Ecology class to Plumas Unified School District teachers as part of the Learning Landscapes Program. ••• Collaborated with the Sierra Institute and Plumas County representatives to develop proposal for quantifying effects of vegetation and fuels treatments on water yield. • Certified 50 acres of natural regeneration within the Rich Fire area in collaboration with District Culturist and Vegetation Program manager. 41
Forest Planning/NEPA
••• Provided technical support to ID team writing Range EA on the Beckwourth Ranger District. ••• Completed the draft Valley Creek Special Interest Area Management Strategy describing management strategies for old-growth forests on the Feather River Ranger District. ••• Completed the Biological Evaluation, Special Interest Species analysis, and Noxious Weed Risk Assessment for the Bucks Lake Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project EA. Acted as project IDT leader, which included: o Coordination, preparation, facilitation, and management of IDT meetings; o Development and maintenance of all project-related documents; o Coordination with line officers and resource specialists to define project activities, identify internal issues, and develop design criteria and mitigation measures; and o Communication with members of the public, including attending meetings, giving presentations, responding to public comments, and fielding inquiries.
Inventory and Monitoring
• Coordinated second year monitoring effort to evaluate post-fire recovery and succession across the 2008 Rich Fire area. Data will be combined with those collected for the Storrie fire to compare patterns of post-fire recovery on serpentine and non-serpentine soils and to develop restoration projects for the Rich Fire Restoration effort. • Assisted in the development of an experimental monitoring design for the rare species, Clarkia mildrediae var. mildrediae. • Conducted 5 th year of monitoring of fen wetlands on the Beckwourth Ranger District, including an evaluation of grazing exclusion at four fens, and an evaluation of within season grazing effects at eight fens. • Conducted 1 st year of monitoring on fen wetlands on the Mt. Hough Ranger District. • Conducted post-fire monitoring of Baker cypress in the Moonlight Fire area as part of long-term post-fire succession study. • Conducted post-fire monitoring of bear grass on the Mt. Hough Ranger District as part of a collaborative project with the Greenville Rancheria with funding from the Plumas County RAC and the California Indian Basket Weavers Association.
International
• Traveled to Baja California, Mexico as part of collaboration with Mexican National Park staff and graduate students to develop a network of permanent monitoring plots in the Sierra San Pedro Mártir National Park and the Constitución de 1857 National Park.
42
Southern California Province Provincewide
Climate Change
• Developed knowledge base to complete climate trend assessments for Province Forests • Attend Habitat Conservation Plan Workshop – Conservation Management and Climate Change in Southern California, UCR Palm Desert Center, Palm Desert, CA, May 22, 2012 • Began work on climate change trend summaries for southern California National Forests
Ecological Restoration
• Compiled literature on the state of the science of chaparral restoration • Provide support to wildfire restoration projects
Vegetation, Fire and Fuels
• Coordinated with southern California region of the California Fire Science Consortium • Obtained Red Card
Other
• Placed GS-12 Province Ecologist to support the Southern California Province
Angeles National Forest
Ecological Restoration
• Evaluated restoration/reforestation projects as member of Station Fire Restoration Review Group • Visited burned chaparral areas on Station Fire to observe shrub recovery progress to inform restoration management
Cleveland National Forest
Forest Planning/NEPA
• Visited the Palomar District and met with District staff to review and discuss a number of issues including: fuels management, forest restoration, fire recovery funding, ecological strategy and exotics
Los Padres National Forest
Vegetation, Fire and Fuels 43
• RO-funded team conducted postfire tree regeneration inventory on the Zaca Fire
San Bernardino National Forest
Vegetation, Fire and Fuels
• Evaluated fuel reduction project near the Bear Mtn. Ski Area • Attended Santa Ana River Watershed 2012 Conference presented by the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority, San Bernardino , CA, April 25, 2012
Inventory and Monitoring
• Facilitated natural regeneration data collection on the Butler II/Slide Fire areas • Assisted the NFGEL with a sample collection related to an ongoing rangewide genomics study of ponderosa pine of ponderosa pine • Assisted with baseline data collection on Climate Adaptation Study plots, Slide Fire area
And now the real work begins : k eying Vegetation and fuels monitoring, plants after a long week in the field Angora Fire, LTBMU
Southern Sierra Province Provincewide
Climate Change
• Provided ongoing technical information in regards to current trends and probable future trends in climate and climate-driven for Sequoia, Sierra, and Inyo National Forests o Provided technical support and served as primary USFS representative in ongoing Southern Sierra Ecoregional Fire and Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment in 44
cooperation with Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks and the University of California Davis o Participated in climate adaptation scenario planning for southern Sierra Nevada ecoregion o Provided technical review of Vulnerability of giant sequoia to moisture stress in a changing climate prepared by UC Merced researchers evaluating current and future moisture stress to giant sequoia groves in the Giant Sequoia National Monument and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks • Provided technical input to the planning of a USFS Region 5 Vulnerability Assessment, including the identification of key resources and stressors • Drafted and submitted proposal to the California Landscape Conservation Cooperative entitled “Developing coordinated regional monitoring and adaptation strategies for focal tree species in response to climate-driven processes” (full proposal solicitation declined for funding) • Served as coauthor on “Climate change and relevance of historical forest conditions” in Managing Sierra Nevada forests PSW-GTR-237 by M. North (editor).
Vegetation, Fire and Fuels
• Served as co-chair of Interagency Southern Sierra Nevada Fire Science Integration Working Group (SQF, SNF, INF, STF, NPS, USGS, BLM) to facilitate fire science and management integration for ecoregional-scale planning in the Southern Sierra Bioregion (SQF, SNF, INF, STF, NPS, USGS, BLM); involved in working group coordination, development, and prioritization • Assisted in drafting preliminary review of the Southern Sierra Nevada Fire Management Plans General Technical Report by the working group • Participated in California Fire Science Consortium meeting with UC Berkeley, USGS, and USFS • Provided two research briefs summarizing fire ecology publications pertaining to managing forests with future fire and fire effects to California spotted owl • Attended and provided support to Southern Sierra Prescribed Fire and Smoke Management Conference in Clovis, CA (March 2012) • Participated in Fire Ecology Field Trip and technical discussion of the Sugarloaf Basin in Kings Canyon National Park with fire scientists and managers with NPS, USFS R5, PSW, USGS, University of California, and University of Washington (July 2012) • Coauthor of “Fuel treatment effectiveness in California yellow pine and mixed conifer forests” published in Forest Ecology and Management (with Regional Ecologist and Sierra-Cascade Province Ecologist) • Participated in LiDAR project to develop silvicultural prescriptions for achieving forest heterogeneity objectives in mixed-conifer forests of the Sierra Nevada, in collaboration with R5 Remote Sensing Lab, University of Washington, and University of Montana • Ongoing participation in the Southern Sierra Nevada Fisher Working Group 45
• Participated in public outreach interview for Save the Redwoods League based on giant sequoia research published in science journal Fire Ecology • Assisted in organization and planning of Southern Sierra Science and Management Symposium scheduled for winter of 2013 (with SSCC)
Forest Planning/NEPA
• Participated in and provided technical review and support for PSW Science Syntheses in support of Forest Plan Revision for Region 5 o Reviewed six technical sections of the PSW Science Synthesis • Provided summary of climate change and ecological restoration considerations for Forest Plan Revision for southern Sierra Nevada national forests • Provided initial technical input for Forest Planning Rule to Region 5, SNF, INF, and SQF • Participated in the Forest Plan Revision Bioregional Assessment Workshops (Sept. 2012)
Inventory and Monitoring
• Coordinated ecological monitoring of fuel treatment effectiveness in the Cascadel Fire (SNF) and Piute Fire (SQF) • Served as the ongoing Point of Contact for the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) for the Southern Sierra Nevada National Forests
Other
• Served as Associate Editor for Fire Ecology (peer-reviewed science journal) for 2011 to 2012 • Provided review of manuscript related to vegetation response to forest treatments in national forests of the Sierra Nevada • Served as editor for manuscript on the effects of fire on invasive species • Provided logistic and technical support to USGS Yosemite Field Station research study focused on the effects of wildland fire on California spotted owl in Yosemite National Park • Participated in Giant Sequoia Working Group focused on sequoia restoration, monitoring, and public engagement opportunities in the Sierra Nevada • Attended Region 5 Ecology Program annual meeting in Davis, CA
Sequoia National Forest
Climate Change
• Served as representative in the Southern Sierra Conservation Cooperative (SSCC) MOU for SNF, INF, and SQF during biannual meetings; SSCC partners include NPS (Sequoia and Kings Canyon NP), BLM, TNC, CBI, SNC, and other organizations 46
o Served on Program Committee for SSCC Southern Sierra Change Adaptation Workshop focused on climate change scheduled for February 2013 o Coauthored Interagency Giant Sequoia Natural Resource Condition Assessment for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks and Giant Sequoia National Monument in support of climate adaptation planning
Vegetation, Fire and Fuels
• Participation ongoing ecoregional fire management and climate change scenario planning workshops with SQF, SNF, INF, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park, Yosemite National Park, USGS Yosemite Field Station, and University of California Davis • Presented technical summary of ‘Giant sequoia regeneration in response to wildfire and retention harvest’ to the Sequoia National Forest Leadership Team
Forest Planning/NEPA
• Provided review, general response to public comments, and technical information on climate change for the Giant Sequoia National Monument FEIS, including climate change adaptation strategies, monitoring plan, and vegetation management sections • Assisted with the incorporation of new information based on external Science Panel Review recommendations
Sierra National Forest
Climate Change
• Presented ‘Managing for climate change in the Southern Sierra Nevada national forests” to the SNF Ecosystem, Fire Management, and Planning staff • Assisted forest climate change coordinator with climate change scorecard
Ecological Restoration
• Provided technical support to the Dinkey Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Project (CFLRP) o Served as Monitoring Coordinator for the Dinkey CFLRP and co-leader in development of Dinkey Collaborative Monitoring Plan and Strategy o Facilitated use of technical information sharing website for Dinkey CFLRP (using databasin.org) o Provided support for implementation of CFLRP national monitoring indicators • Participation in and provided technical support to the Willow Creek Watershed Ecological Restoration Collaborative o Presented restoration of structural heterogeneity in Sierra Nevada mixed-conifer forests using PSW-GTR-220 principles 47
o Provided science-based review of Collaborative landscape assessment o Presented ecological restoration principles and concepts in PSW-GTR-237 in support of the developing Whisky Ridge Ecological Restoration Project • Provided technical assistance for achieving ecological restoration goals for the Grey’s Mountain Restoration Project, including review of DEIS, Fire and Fuels Report, and response to public comments
Inventory and Monitoring
• Coordinated ongoing LiDAR-based vegetation, fuels, and Pacific fisher monitoring of the Dinkey Landscape Restoration Project with Regional Remote Sensing Lab Vegetation Monitoring and Inventory Group Leader, Pacific Southwest Research Station Scientists (Dinkey Fisher Project), academic researchers (University of Washington), and Sierra National Forest ecosystem management, fire and fuels, GIS, and timber management staffs o Coordinated ecological monitoring prioritization workshop for the Dinkey Collaborative o Participated in Dinkey open house public engagement meeting
Research Natural Areas – USDA Strategic Goals 2.1, 2.4. USFS Strategic Goals 1, 3, 7. R5 Priority 1.
• Assisted in coordination (with PSW) of collaborative ecological research at Teakettle Creek RNA
Inyo National Forest
Vegetation, Fire and Fuels
• Ongoing participation and facilitation of INF “Ecology Team” focused on identifying priority ecological restoration; vegetation, fire, and fuels; and inventory, monitoring, and assessment needs for the INF
Inventory and Monitoring
• Analyzed post-fire regeneration and vegetation monitoring in the Birch Fire (INF) • Coordinated whitebark pine mortality monitoring on the INF • Coordinated whitebark pine monitoring between Regional Ecology Program and Forest Health Protection (FHP) for Region 5 • Drafted preliminary report of ecological monitoring of whitebark pine stands in areas of experiencing elevated mountain pine beetle mortality (INF) • Coordinated USFS California Whitebark Pine Monitoring Workgroup for Region 5 including four Ecology Program provinces and two FHP shared service areas 48
• Participated in research-management partnership with NASA Ames DEVELOP Program in project entitled “Modeling the Effects of Climate Change on Whitebark Pine along the Pacific Crest Trail”; Co-authored draft technical report focused on whitebark pine populations on the Inyo and Sierra national forests • Submitted proposal on behalf of FHP in support of coordinated monitoring of whitebark pine populations in the southern and central Sierra Nevada (with FHP Entomologist and Forest Pathologist, Central Sierra Province Ecologist, and LTBMU Ecologist)
R5 ECOLOGY PROGRAM EXTERNAL PARTNERS
• Bureau of Land Management (Aspen Delineation Project; Baker Cypress Study; OHV Monitoring, Inyo NF-BLM fuels planning) • California Department of Fish and Game (Rare plants monitoring, statewide vegetation mapping and classification standards, State vegetation plots database, Aspen Delineation Project, Black Backed Woodpecker working group) • California Energy Commission (Fuel treatment effectiveness and ecological effects monitoring; Interagency Forestry Working Group) • California Native Plant Society (Statewide vegetation mapping standards, State vegetation plots database, chapter presentations) • California State Parks (LTBMU: meadow condition and trend monitoring and Emerald Point old growth inventory) • Chico State University Herbarium (serpentine geoecology and fire ecology field seminars) • CONAFOR-Mexican Forest Service (Baja California fire management working group) • CONANP-Mexican Park Service (Baja California fire management working group) • Conservation Biology Institute (Sierra Nevada Forest Carnivores Conservation Assessment; vegetation and fire modeling under future climate change scenarios) • Herger-Feinstein/Quincy Library Group (LNF, PNF, and TNF Monitoring program) • Humboldt State University (Rich Fire postfire inventory, Plumas NF) • Institute for Bird Populations (Black Backed Woodpecker working group) • Joint Fire Sciences Program (California Fire Science Delivery Consortium; fire-dependent cypress species study, Plumas and Klamath NFs) • Mule Deer Foundation (Aspen Delineation Project) • National Forest Foundation (Treasured Landscapes Initiative; RNA forest restoration) • National Park Service/Sequoia NP (Southern Sierra Parks resource planning; Golden Trout Wilderness SCI and meadow inventory and monitoring) • National Park Service/Western Pacific Region (California Fire Science Consortium; Southern Sierra Nevada Fire Science Integration Working Group) • Natural Resource Conservation Service/Soil survey (Ecosite development) • Northern California Prescribed Fire Council • Pennsylvania State University (Lassen NF workshop: spatial patterns and controls on severity of recent wildfires in northern California) • Point Reyes Bird Observatory (Science advisory committee; Black Backed Woodpecker working group; various monitoring projects) • PNW-Research Station (PNW) (NWFP: fuel treatment needs in eastside pine) 49
• PSW-Research Station (PSW) (Forest Planning science synthesis; GTR-220 implementation; Regional Research Natural Area Program; California Fire Science Delivery Consortium; Black Backed Woodpecker working group; Sierra Nevada Forests: Fire History Study and Fire Effects; Klamath Mountains: fire severity study; GLORIA climate change monitoring; technical transfer for results of QLG Admin Study; Storrie Fire monitoring projects) • Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (Regional Aspen Delineation Project, Regional aspen initiative, Project level: Klamath NF, Lassen NF, Shasta-Trinity NF) • Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS) (study of fire severity and relationship to postfire avian fauna; Black Backed Woodpecker working group) • San Dimas Technology and Development Center ( flying squirrel habitat preference and population inventory) • San Francisco State University (Ecological Unit Inventory for Monterey District, Los Padres NF) • Sierra Forest Legacy (Sierra Nevada forest management; southern Sierra Nevada prescribed fire council; negotiations with EPA, Cal EPA, etc., re. smoke emissions from Rx fire; fuel treatment effectiveness and ecological effects monitoring; RNA fuels management) • Society for Range Management, Nevada (Aspen Delineation Project) • Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (Healthy Vegetation and Hazardous Fuels desired conditions and monitoring protocols; LTBMU meadow management plan; GLORIA climate change monitoring; Threshold monitoring) • TerraPeninsular (Baja California fire management working group) • The Nature Conservancy (Northern and Southern Sierra Partnership climate change adaptation planning; Baja California fire management working group) • The Wilderness Society (Wildland Fire Use policies; Sierra Nevada management under climate change) • University of California- Berkeley/Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management (Comparative study of current fire regimes in Sierra Nevada and Sierra San Pedro Martir, Mexico; California Fire Science Consortium) • University of California- Berkeley, Center for Fire Research and Outreach (Advisory committee) • University of California-Davis/Department of Entomology (Sierra Nevada: fire regime and fuel treatment impacts on forest floor invertebrates) • University of California-Davis/Department of Environmental Science and Policy (Fire ecology cost-share position; study of patterns of fire severity vs. FRID; study of grazing and productivity effects on annual grassland composition) • University of California-Davis/Department of Plant Pathology (Sudden Oak Death impacts on fire severity and forest fuels) • University of California-Davis/Department of Plant Sciences (study of fire and climate change effects on Sierra Nevada oaks; fuel treatment ecological effects monitoring; postfire tree regeneration inventory; subalpine forest response to climate change; fuels mapping for Sierra San Pedro Mártir National Park, Mexico) • University of California-Davis/Information Center for the Environment (International Climate Change and Resource Management Seminar; FRID mapping; Regional EUI program; Wieslander VTM map digitization; resampling of 1930s VTM vegetation plots; fire rotation mapping) • University of California Extension (southern Sierra Nevada prescribed fire council; Sierra Nevada Adaptive Management Project; Tahoe Wildfire Summit; forest and fire ecology outreach) 50
• University of California-Santa Cruz (comparative study of drought, beetle, and fire impacts on forests in Baja and Alta California) • University of Massachusetts (historical range of variation assessments, westslope Sierra Nevada) • University of Montana (Angora Fire monitoring; Sierra Nevada postfire regeneration monitoring; species habitat modeling of likely climate change effects; resampling of 1930s VTM vegetation plots; TEUI mapping Mendocino NF) • University of Nevada-Reno (Orcuttia monitoring and conservation assessment) • US Fish and Wildlife Service (California fisher climate impact assessment; Black Backed Woodpecker working group) • US Forest Service International Programs (Baja California fire management working group; International Climate Change and Resource Management Seminar; various international missions) • US Geological Survey/Biological Resources Division (California Fire Science Consortium; Sierra Nevada: climate change science program; S. California: multiple hazards mapping project; fire severity in chaparral fires)
Ecology Program annual meeting, Davis, 3-2012