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The issue synopsis accurately indicates that old growth forests and old-growth trees are different in each forest type. As a result, management actions directed at old growth should never become a one size fits all approach.

Old growth in the Ponderosa Pine dominated forests east of the Cascades are threatened by unnatural crown fire. These systems evolved over thousands of years with regular fire, but fire that stayed on the ground. These ground fires reduced seedlings, recycled nutrients and regulated forest structure (age and spacing). In the abscence of these ground fires (caused by fire suppression aka Smokey Bear) these forests are jammed with too many small trees. The result is that fire that now moves up the small trees into the crowns and burns these forests severely--a form of fire that is unnatural and way outside their evolutionary framework.

Although it seems counter-intuitive to argue that thinning is important in old growth in the case of Ponderosa Pine forests it is critical. If we do not treat these forests they will be even more vulnerable to fire, insect outbreaks and climate change. Given the genetic importance of these legacy trees we need to act now.

posted 4 years, 6 months ago
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