Plants & the Potential for Wildfire

Plant measurements will be recorded in treatment plots to understand how vegetation structure and plant community composition influence the risk of the site being dominated by invasive plants. We will also explore how changes in vegetation and soils after treatment affect erosion and wildlife. Several changes in the plant community can be used to indicate transition to unhealthy landscapes that require changes in management strategies. For example:

• A change in fuel loads can result in increased wildfire potential and necessitate different fire management approaches.

• A decrease in native perennial grasses can affect the site’s ability to remain healthy and indicate a need for revegetation.

• High densities of invasive plants before fire or other treatments can result in domination of the site by invasive plants necessitating both herbicide treatments and revegetation.

With more information about vegetation response to management treatments, managers may more easily be able to predict treatment outcomes and select a management strategy with reduced uncertainty.