Fire and forests

Letting the old trees stand

Wildfire is a natural occurrence in forests throughout the West, and many plants have adapted over the eons to fire. In fact, some can't thrive without it. Lodgepole pine, for example, needs fire. The fire's heat opens its "serotinous" cones and releases seeds for germination.

Letting the old trees stand, dead or alive, helps wildlife and forests recover following wildfire.

Post-fire logging of the big trees that remain after a fire has been a growing trend in the West. But it is now being heartily questioned by both scientists and the public. A growing number of studies today show that post-fire logging does nothing to restore the landscape, though that might be the intent. Logging following fires actually harms lands and forests.

Leaving trees in place following wildlife:

• Protects against soil erosion and maintains soil nutrition. Post-fire logging compacts the soil and leaves it nutrient poor.
• Speeds regeneration, adding shelter for growing seedlings.
  
• Leaves the stand structure that provides shade and cover for other young trees and seedlings. Post-fire logging also kills naturally regenerating seedlings through the direct disturbance of logging machinery. Natural fires often burn in a patchy fashion, leaving green trees behind, which can be harmed in the logging process.
• Reduces fire risk - since logging leaves behind many fine fuels of branches and slash providing tinder for new flames.
• Aids all wildlife. Leaving the recently killed, large trees, which, either standing or on the ground, provides critical cover and habitat for recovering wildlife and plant life.

Dead trees are wildlife habitat

For many decades following fire, trees, both dead and alive, have powerful, irreplaceable value as wildlife habitat. Standing, broken-topped live or dead trees in burned forests provide homes and food (insects) for a myriad of birds and other wildlife. They are a priceless foundation for the healthy recovery of future forests.