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EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNAll sites involved with the FFS study follow the core experimental design as laid out by national protocols detailed in A National Study of Consequences of Fire and Fire Surrogate Treatments, the national FFS proposal. The components of this design include treatments, replication and plot size, and response variables. Any deviations from these protocols have been approved by the FFS Executive Committee and Science Management Integration Committee (SMIC). TREATMENTS One of four treatments was assigned to each
treatment area within a block. Treatments include:
Mechanical fuel reduction was implemented by a chainsaw crew and consisted of cutting all mountain laurel and rhododendron as well as a all trees over 6 feet tall and less than 4 inches dbh. No fuels will be removed from the site due to the high cost of operating in steep terrain. Mechanical fuel reduction was be conducted in the winter of 2001-2002. Prescribed burning of each treatment area will be conducted the winter following mechanical reduction to allow drying and some decomposition of slash. Ground crews will ignite strip headfires. Weather conditions and strip placement will be selected to produce flames from 1 to 2 m high. The major objective of prescribed burning will be to remove the shrub layer.
Selected study sites are in three blocks on the Green River Game Land. Blocks 1 and 2 are in adjacent areas but separated by Pulliam Creek. Block 3 is approximately 2.9 kilometers to the southeast of blocks 1 and 2 and across the Green River.
RESPONSE VARIABLESWithin the treatment area, core response variables are measured for each of the following disciplines: (Click on discipline heading for more information about each.)
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