Pacific Southwest Research Station

Biodiversity response to burn intensity and post-fire restoration

Principal Investigators:
Pat Manley, USDA Forest Service-Pacific Southwest Research Station
Dennis Murphy, University of Nevada-Reno
T. Will Richardson, Tahoe Institute for Natural Science

Proposal [pdf]

Final Report (Tarbill Master’s Thesis 2010) [pdf]

Please contact Dr. Pat Manley with questions regarding the final report.

Project Summary

The objective of this study was to determine the relative influence of burn intensity and post-fire restoration activities on wildlife recovery in the first few years following the fire. The results can be used to guide future management of the burned area and other burn areas to enhance the conservation and restoration of biological diversity in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

The study also provides a baseline of information on the status of birds, small mammals, and ground-dwelling invertebrates in the burn area that can be used as a point of reference for future monitoring efforts in the area. For example, although the USFS Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) conducted salvage logging on many of their urban parcels in 2007, the bulk of acres will not be salvaged until 2009 or later. These treatments could be informed by the results of this study by providing target conditions that will enhance the retention and recovery of wildlife and ecosystem function.