This virtual- and field-based training was developed and hosted by the Oak Woodlands & Forests Fire Consortium, Lake States Fire Science Consortium, and the Huron-Manistee National Forests. The virtual event was held June 1-4, 2021, and introduced participants to:
— tools for selecting metrics that match management/restoration objectives;
— developing site-specific protocols for sampling;
— developing a monitoring handbook and monitoring protocols/program for your local ecosystems;
— how to establish long-term monitoring and quantitative/qualitative data for wildfire risk assessment; and
— evaluating the need for prescribed burns and other fuels treatments.
Field measurements were conducted independently at individual attendees’ home units, and the data then analyzed in the virtual classroom setting.
Recordings of all of the workshop presentations and field measurement instructional videos can be found below, additional materials for the workshop and other related resources can be found HERE.
INSTRUCTION TEAM
Lead Instructor
Brian Stearns – Assistant Zone Fire Management Officer, Huron-Manistee National Forests
Instructor Cadre
Matthew Malesic – Zone Fuels Assistant Fire Manager Officer, Huron-Manistee National Forest
Michael Kelly – Fuels Technician, Mark Twain National Forest
Joseph Marschall – Senior Research Associate, University of Missouri
Brian Sturtevant – Research Ecologist, Northern Research Station USDA Forest Service
Paul Priestley – Fire and Forest Restoration Coordinator, The Nature Conservancy Minnesota Chapter
Jack McGowan-Stinski – Program Manager, Lake States Fire Science Consortium
DAY ONE PRESENTATIONS
Developing a monitoring handbook for your local ecosystem to meet management objectives
Presented by Brian Stearns (From NPS Fire Monitoring Handbook, measurement rotation, plot locations and density)
Fuels measurement techniques
Presented by Brian Stearns and the Instructor Cadre
(Brown’s fuel transects, duff/litter)
Forms – Standard forms and how to customize
Presented by Brian Stearns
Fuels/vegetation photo monitoring
Presented by Brian Sturtevant
(Homework, watch this photoload technique video)
DAY TWO PRESENTATIONS
Mortality measurements
Presented by Paul Priestley
Fire severity and composite burn index
Presented by Brian Sturtevant
Fire behavior and burn severity mapping
Presented by Brian Stearns and Instructor Cadre
Online resources and Apps: Excel fuels calculator, FFI, FFI Lite, FCCS, Survey 123
Presented by Brian Stearns
Fire effects on timber value measurements
Presented by Joe Marschall
DAY FOUR PRESENTATIONS
Coarse-level metrics
Presented by Jack McGowan-Stinski
FIELD MEASUREMENT DEMONSTRATION VIDEOS
Go-no-go Fuels gauge demonstration
(Brian Stearns, Huron-Manistee National Forests)
Mortality plot demonstration
(Brian Stearns, Huron-Manistee National Forests)
Densiometer/Moose-tube demonstration
(Brian Stearns, Huron-Manistee National Forests)
Bole char and crown scorch measurement demonstration
(Brian Stearns, Huron-Manistee National Forests)
Frequently used fuels and fire monitoring tools
(Brian Stearns, Huron-Manistee National Forests)
Hori-hori use litter measurement and fuel bed depth measurement demonstration
(Brian Stearns, Huron-Manistee National Forests)
Common fuels measurement questions
(Brian Stearns, Huron-Manistee National Forests)
Fuels tally up-close demonstration
(Brian Stearns, Huron-Manistee National Forests)
Litter and duff measurement demonstration
(Brian Stearns, Huron-Manistee National Forests)
Post-burn fuels transect demonstration
(Mike Kelly, Mark Twain National Forest)
Pre-burn fuels transect, new plot installation
(Mike Kelly, Mark Twain National Forest)