Topic 15b:

Human Land-Use in the Ponderosa Pine Forest

Human Land-Use in Rocky Mtn Forests

Ponderosa Pine forest history

            Human land-use history in SW forests – esp. Ponderosa Pine forests

                        human land-use:

                        impacts of logging – grazing – fire suppression – grasses – competition –

decreased fire frequency (pre-suppression)

how all these interact to create the ponderosa forests we see today (dense, single-age stands)

interactions between these variables

**be able to construct a diagram including all the relevant variables in this scenario

Fire Policy – history & current situation

                        Fire Wars video

                        history of fire policy, management of public lands past & present
                        fire policy discussion - Yellowstone & "Big Blow-Up"

Group Work/For your Notes

Make a concept map that shows the interactions between the list of concepts below, and indicates how they resulted in the changed Ponderosa forests we see today, which are totally different in structure than they were historically.

Concept List:

• grazing

• logging

• fire frequency

• fire intensity

• ponderosa pine

• open stands

• dense stands

• pine seedlings

• ground fire

• crown fire

• 10 a.m. rule (fire suppression)

• competition

• grass & shrubs