Ashland Post Fire Landscape Assessment 2014 2

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Ashland Post Fire Landscape Assessment 2014 2 Ashland Post Fire Landscape United States Assessment Forest Depart ment of Service Agriculture Ashland Ranger District Custer National Forest Powder River and Rosebud Counties, MT May 2014 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Ashland Post Fire Landscape Assessment 2014 2 Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 10 1.1 Ashland Ecological and Social/Economic Niche .............................................................................. 11 1.1.1 Livestock Grazing ...................................................................................................................... 11 1.1.2 Mixed Prairie and Forest ............................................................................................................ 11 1.1.3 Disturbance Processes ................................................................................................................ 12 1.1.4 Habitat and Watershed Conservation ......................................................................................... 12 1.1.5 Forest Products ........................................................................................................................... 12 1.1.5 Recreation .................................................................................................................................. 13 2.0 Conservation Goals ......................................................................................................................... 13 2.1 Watershed ......................................................................................................................................... 13 2.2 Aquatic and Riparian Systems, Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems ............................................. 13 2.3 Hardwood Draw and Broadleaf Deciduous Woodland Ecosystems ................................................. 13 2.4 Mixed Grass Prairie Ecosystems ....................................................................................................... 14 2.5 Ponderosa Pine Ecosystems .............................................................................................................. 14 3.0 Biophysical Context ........................................................................................................................ 14 3.1 Climate (weather station data) .................................................................................................... 14 3.1.1 Historic climate variability ......................................................................................................... 14 3.2 Biophysical Environment – Ecological Units ................................................................................... 16 3.2.1 Northern Great Plains, Powder River Basin-Scoria Hills Sub-region ....................................... 17 3.2.2 Landscape Characteristics .......................................................................................................... 17 3.2.3 Climate ....................................................................................................................................... 17 3.2.4 Potential Natural Vegetation ...................................................................................................... 18 3.2.5 Landtype Associations, Ashland Ranger District ........................................................................ 18 3.3 Disturbance Processes ................................................................................................................. 21 3.3.1 Fire (Fire history, literature, Fire Regime) ................................................................................. 21 4.0 Biological Diversity Existing Condition ......................................................................................... 22 4.1 Biological Diversity .......................................................................................................................... 22 Ashland Post Fire Landscape Assessment 2014 3 4.1.1 Vegetation .................................................................................................................................. 22 4.1.2 Forest and Woodlands ................................................................................................................ 22 4.1.3 Shrubland and Grassland ........................................................................................................... 23 4.1.4 Riparian and Wetland Areas ...................................................................................................... 24 4.1.5 Badlands-Sparse Vegetation ...................................................................................................... 25 4.1.6 Vegetation Dynamics ................................................................................................................. 25 4.2 Aquatic, Riparian Hardwood Draw, and Broadleaf Deciduous Ecosystems Existing Conditions ... 28 4.2.1 Aquatic and Riparian Systems .................................................................................................... 28 4.2.2 Areas with Limited Riparian ...................................................................................................... 30 4.2.3 Forest Plan Associated Riparian Key Habitats and Indicator Species ....................................... 30 4.2.4 Relationship of Hardwood Draws and Riparian ........................................................................ 30 4.2.5 Hardwoods Overview ................................................................................................................ 31 4.3 Mixed Grass Prairie Ecosystem Existing Condition ......................................................................... 36 4.3.1 General Description ................................................................................................................... 36 4.3.2 Uplands ...................................................................................................................................... 37 4.3.3 Upland Vegetation Existing Condition ....................................................................................... 37 4.3.4 Transitory Range Created by Recent Fires ................................................................................. 38 4.3.5 Invasive Species ......................................................................................................................... 38 4.3.6 Forest Plan Associated Mixed Grass Prairie Key Habitats and Management Indicator Species ............................................................................................................................................................ 40 4.4 Ponderosa Pine Ecosystem Existing Condition ................................................................................ 40 4.4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 40 4.4.2 Past Large Wildfire on the Ashland District – 1988 to 2012 ..................................................... 42 4.4.3 Ponderosa Pine Cover Impacted by Wildfire from 2000 to 2012 .............................................. 43 4.4.4 Extent of Forest Cover and Change as a Result of Large Wildfires from 1990 to 2012............ 43 4.4.5 Individual Forest Types and Change in Cover Extent as a Result of Large Wildfires from 1990 to 2012 ................................................................................................................................................ 46 4.4.6 Extent of Ponderosa Pine Cover by Canopy Cover and Size Class and Change From 1990’s to 2012..................................................................................................................................................... 50 4.4.7 Acres Suitable For Timber Product Post Wildfire Disturbance ................................................. 56 4.4.8 Reforestation Assessment and Strategy for Return of Forest Cover for Large Wildfires 2000 to 2012..................................................................................................................................................... 58 Ashland Post Fire Landscape Assessment 2014 4 4.4.9 Average Structure for the Dominant Size and Cover Classes on Moist and Dry Aspects for Unburned Ponderosa Pine Forested Areas. ......................................................................................... 62 4.4.10 Current Beetle Hazard in Unburned and Low Severity Ponderosa Pine Areas ....................... 64 4.4.11 Potential Mortality from Pine Engraver Beetle and Woodborer in 2012 Burned Areas .......... 71 4.4.12 Ponderosa pine forested areas that have
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