Working to Restore Aspen

SWAN VALLEY - The natural world is always changing. The term that biologists use to describe this process is called succession. Whenever man gets involved with nature, succession is altered in some fashion. Often the impact of man's involvement is not known immediately and may take decades to become evident. In the Intermountain West, a variety of man's activities as well as natural factors have led to a situation where native aspen trees are in dramatic decline. Robust stands of aspen trees are not only important to maintaining a healthy forest, but they provide critical habitat for a wide range of wildlife, especially mule deer and elk.The United States Forest Service USFS), Idaho Department of Fish & Game (IDFG), and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) have joined together on numerous projects to benefit aspen, a critical phase to one of these projects was executed last week just east of Swan Valley, Idaho. The week of September 14 the Palisades Ranger District of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest was busy in preparation and execution of the North Bear Burn, located about 13 miles southwest of Swan Valley, Idaho. The purpose of the approximately 1,000 acre project was to help create a diversity of age classes and species within the existing vegetation. The USFS was responsible for the operational aspects of the burn; IDFG and RMEF provided habitat expertise and funding, altogether adding over $80,000. According to Fire Management Officer Spencer Johnston, "Forest Service crews came in last year to prepare for the prescribed burn by slashing small diameter conifer to help facilitate fire spread through aspen stands and increase success in meeting project objectives and aspen restoration." At the start of last week, blacklining was done by the firefighters to keep the fire within the boundaries set for the prescribed burn. The next day the target area was ignited by handheld drip torches on the ground and from the air by a helicopter with a helitorch suspended under it on a giant sling. Fire conditions on the ground were monitored constantly and the fire shifted continually in response to changes in factors like temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and even the amount of direct sunlight. In addition to attempting to reduce the encroachment of conifers into the aspens by directly burning the conifers, the goal was to also create stress in the existing aspens. According to Johnston, "When a disturbance from a prescribed burn occurs the aspen will respond by regenerating hundreds of aspen stems/acre the following year." This unique response to stress means that a grove of aspen is not made up of hundreds of trees, but is instead a single organism, described by biologists as an "aspen clone." A mixed-age stand of aspen is important to wildlife like mule deer and elk not only because of the protective cover it provides during important activities like birthing, but also because of the wide range of plants found growing under its protective canopy. This project is just one of many of the ongoing efforts underway across the region to help promote healthy aspen communities. To learn more about other efforts locally visit the Eastern Idaho Aspen Working Group Website at http://www.eiawg.org/