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OLD, PARK-LIKE, PONDEROSA PINE FORESTS/FLAMMULATED OWL- In the late 1880's old ponderosa pine forests were systematically logged for building materials, railroad ties, mine shaft timbers, and fuel to feed copper mine smelters. By 1940, much of the low elevation old ponderosa pine was gone. After World War II, the Forest Service continued harvesting old ponderosa pine forests at mid elevations. By the 1990's less then 10% of the original old ponderosa pine forests remained. By 1940 fire suppression had successfully precluded natural, low severity fires from burning through ponderosa pine forests. This allowed dense stands of Douglas-fir to invade ponderosa pine stands. This increased competition encouraged insects and disease to threaten those stands. Worse yet, due to the accumulation of ladder fuels resulting from this invasion of Douglas-fir, when wildfires did burn in 1988, 2000, and 2001, they often resulted in high severity fires that killed all the trees, not the low severity fires of the past, where most old ponderosa pine survived. Flammulated owls, a species uniquely adapted to exploit old, park-like, ponderosa pine are at-risk in Region One due to this combination of past events. Their sensitive status in Region One suggests they are at risk of federal listing. If you'd like to learn more about the status of old, park-like ponderosa pine forests or the flammulated owl, click on……………….. |
