Restoration and Natural Recovery Following

Wildland Fire at the INEEL

Roger D. Blew

ESER

[photo of wildfire]

We have heard so much about the risks wildfire brings to western rangelands.

[photo of wildfire]

More and more, fire in sagebrush steppe results in cheatgrass.

[Photo of wildfire]

In recent years it seems the risks increase and the consequences of fire loom larger.

[Photo of wildfire]As land managers feel the heat to reduce the risks and repair the aftermath, a question that seems to have been forgotten is,

“How was this supposed to work?”

“What was supposed to happen after a fire?”

[photo B&W of post fire]

Imagine a time and place where wildfire did not result in cheatgrass. Imagine what we might learn about fire recovery if such a place still existed.

[photo B&W of fire recovery]Could that time and place still exist at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory?

This presentation will focus less on restoration and more on natural recovery and some of the things that affect natural recovery.

INEEL History

• 1940s – Navy Gun Range and Aerial Bombing Range• 1950 – DOE Energy Research Facility

Much of the INEEL is grazed.

The INEEL is mostly good to excellent condition Wyoming big sagebrush and bluebunch wheatgrass rangeland.

cheatgrass frequency

0

10

20

30

40

1950

1957

1965

1975

1985

1990

1995

Nu

mb

er o

f p

lots

Cheatgrass has invaded the INEEL,... 

cheatgrass density

0

5

10

15

20

1950

1957

1965

1975

1985

1990

1995

Pla

nts

per

m2

…but, densities are low.

Why so little cheatgrass?

• High elevation – Too cold

• Precipitation patterns– Wettest months are May

and June– Provides additional soil

moisture for perennials after cheatgrass is done.

Fire map

These fires remove all aboveground plant material leaving only charred remains behind…

…and often leaves the impression of total destruction and devastation.

This impression is reinforced by the large amount of fire fighting resources usually deployed. 

Sometimes after chasing a fire 15 or 20 miles across the desert, burning tens of thousands of acres you have to ask, have we just “saved the foundation?” At least the soil did not burn up! 

The Snake River Plain is known for its wind and loess soils.Fires result in substantial wind erosion. These erosion rates are enough that there is a concern that it might affect recovery.

We can only hope that the material is deposited downwind, building soil elsewhere. 

Actually, the “foundation”for natural recovery is, of course, those plants that resprout after fire.  

This is the expected fire recovery on the INEEL

Two growing seasons after fire. Quick recovery of native grasses and forbs, with only limited invasion by non-natives.

Our conclusion about natural recovery…

If there was a healthy plant community before the fire…

There will be one after the fire.

Post-Fire Recovery of Native Plants

0102030405060

1997 1998 1999Total Vascular Shrub Native Grass Native Forb

% C

ove

r

Post-Fire Recovery of Non-Native Plants

0102030405060

1997 1998 1999Cheatgrass Forbs

% C

ove

r

Even in this good condition rangeland, sagebrush does not re-establish well. This fire is ~70 years old and has only minimal sagebrush recovery.

Something’s Missing

In Idaho BLM typically tries to speed sagebrush recovery by aerial broadcasting of seed on snow

Two years after planting, we surveyed 14 km of belt transects…

And found lots of things…

No Sagebrush•Arrowheads•Lithic scatters•Hunting blinds

•Horseshoes•Tin cans•Kitchen utensils•Harness hardware•Telegraph insulators

•WWII ordnance•Rare plants•Sage grouse lek

But No Sagebrush

Why no sagebrush seedlings?

It’s windy in Eastern Idaho and the seeds may have blown away.

We will survey again this year and include some areas that were planted at the same time, but had

burned 6 years earlier.

This will test if the presence of established grasses facilitated seedling establishment, possibly by

reducing the loss of seed by wind.

The greatest risk factor to natural recovery and

invasion by non-natives is soil disturbance.

Disturbance associated with fire fighting is a common problem.

If they are bladed shallow, they often recover satisfactorily.

Two growing seasons after fire.

If they are bladed deep enough to destroy crowns, weed invasions can result.

But some soil disturbances are not so obvious.

Even soil disturbance associated with drilling seed as part of restoration can effect recovery of natives.

Planting was done on a burned area that was expected to recover naturally.

•Crested Wheatgrass

•Intermediate Wheatgrass

•Oats

Drilling Effect on Native Recovery

0102030405060

1997 1998 1999

UnPlanted Planted

% C

ove

rTotal Vascular

Drilling Effect on Native Recovery

0

2

4

6

8

10

1997 1998 1999UnPlanted Planted

% C

ove

r

Native Grass

Drilling Effect on Native Recovery

0

5

10

15

20

1997 1998 1999UnPlanted Planted

% C

ove

r

Native Forbs

Drilling Effect on Native Recovery

05

1015202530

1997 1998 1999UnPlanted Planted

% C

ove

r

Native Shrubs

Drilling Effect on Native Recovery

0

10

20

30

40

1997 1998 1999UnPlanted Planted

% C

ove

r

Introduced Forbs

Drilling Effect on Native Recovery

0

2

4

6

8

10

1997 1998 1999UnPlanted Planted

% C

ove

r

Cheatgrass

Conclusions

If there was a healthy plant community before the fire, there will be one after the fire.

What did we learn about natural fire recovery?

Conclusions

What did we learn about sagebrush aerial seeding on new burns?

It’s windy in Eastern Idaho

Conclusions

Large soil losses due to wind do not necessarily mean lost plant recovery.

What did we learn about wind erosion and natural recovery?

Conclusions

If there was a healthy plant community before the fire…

Don’t Mess With It!

What did we learn about soil disturbance?

Summary• Know your rangeland.

– Monitor range condition and trend.– Map areas that may be at risk to

invasive plants should there be a fire.– In the aftermath of a fire, these areas are

harder locate.– Simplifies BAER planning process.

Summary• Manage for healthy rangeland.

– To the extent possible, don’t wait for a fire to consider restoring problem areas.

If there was a healthy plant community before the fire, there will be one after the fire.

Acknowledgements

Funding for Fire Ecology Research at the INEEL from:

•Department of Energy •Bureau of Land Management•The Nature Conservancy

Acknowledgements

•Amy Forman – S.M. Stoller•Beth Colket, Steve Bunting, Karen Launchbaugh – U of I•Seanne Buckwalter - ISU

Dr. Jay E. Anderson1937 - 2002