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Aug 4, 2001
By Ann Bond Above the bean fields of Pleasant View, piñon and juniper forests give way to ponderosa pine as the land rises up to the rim of the Dolores River Canyon. The area hasn't experienced fire in at least 80 years; trees grow closely together, and the underbrush is dense. It's a wildfire waiting to happen, but the Bureau of Land Management is stepping in to try to correct past mistakes and sustain the forests for the future. "We're using lots of different tools to thin the vegetation on about 4,000 acres of public land," said Ken Reed, U.S. Forest Service/BLM Dolores District forester. "We're cutting small trees by hand and offering the logs as firewood. After the hand-thinning, a hydromower comes in to reduce the newly cut ground fuels and open up the area a little more." The hydromower is a machine that munches brush and small trees, leaving a layer of mulched vegetation on the ground to retain moisture and help prevent erosion. The resulting random mosaic of clearings would help slow a wildfire’s progress and reduce its intensity, saving the larger trees from harm. The project does not extend into the Dolores River Canyon Wilderness Study Area, and no new roads are being built. Only trees less than eight inches in diameter are being cut. "In forestry, it's the opposite of what we were taught in the past. We used to take the large trees
and try to grow the smaller ones," Reed said. "Now, these old yellow-barks are so rare that we're trying to protect them, but there are still too many small trees crowded in here." The older pines are about 200 years old; the smaller ones from 40 to 80 years old. "Those are the ones we're taking out," he added. "This area hasn't burned in so long that it's eight to 10 cycles out of the range of its natural fire regime. If we thin the stands now, we can come in later and safely use prescribed fire to reintroduce the benefits of fire." Vegetative thinning followed by prescribed burning can benefit a ponderosa forest in many ways. Not only will opening up the stands help keep wildfires from roaring through in a destructive, dangerous manner, it will also help the forests regenerate themselves and support a diversity of wildlife. "The pine regeneration is fairly sparse in this area, so we need to burn after we thin to expose the mineral soil so the pine seeds can germinate," Reed said. "This is also key winter range for deer and elk, and thinning the canopy will allow more sunlight to reach the ground and encourage the growth of forbs and grasses." The felled trees are being piled along roadsides for the public to remove as firewood. Ruben and Manuel Miranda of Summit Ridge were out cutting the small trees into firewood-sized logs this week along with other area residents. They plan to gather about five cords to help heat their homes this winter. "I found out about this when I went to get a firewood permit at the Forest Service office in Dolores," Ruben said. "Other members of my family may also come out and get some." "Half of the wood we had piled up here last week is gone," Reed said. "I'm glad to see it going as fast as it has, glad to see people using it. If you cure it for six months, it'll be ready to burn by December." A local commercial vendor has removed about 20 cords under permit for resale. The rest is available to members of the public who hold personal-firewood permits. These cost $10 per cord, and allow each household to gather up to 10 cords per year for personal use. Forest Service fire crews are doing some of the hand-thinning in between fire-fighting assignments. The BLM has also contracted with the Southwest Youth Corps. This local nonprofit organization, modeled after the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930s, is now in its fourth year of offering conservation-based jobs and education to local youth. The corps' new Fire and Fuels Reduction Crew is open to 18- to 25-year-olds interested in a career in preventing and fighting forest fires. "I'm interested in working for the Forest Service, and this is a good foot in the door," said Joey Hundert, 18, of Durango. "Before this, I knew nothing about forestry. The Corps really invests in us; we get training that certifies us to use a chainsaw and be on call for fires around the area." Youth Corps crews also help maintain trails and build fence on public lands. They acquire job skills, earn school credit and a paycheck, and are eligible to receive an Americorps grant towards furthering their education. "I've been skipping through the sciences in school, not really knowing what I wanted to do. This experience has totally changed my direction," said Brandon Kunisch, 22, of Fort Collins. "I've decided I want to study either forestry or fire science. I'm also interested in working on a hotshot crew. We've worked side by side with professional firefighters, who have been like mentors to us." The seven-man Youth Corps crew working on the Dolores Rim project has acquired a lot of experience this summer. In New Mexico, they thinned defensible space around an area scheduled for a prescribed burn, and created fire breaks around archaeological sites at Mesa Verde National Park. "This is not just picking up a saw and cutting down trees. It's doing something good for the land," Hundert said. "I'm impressed the agencies are admitting they made mistakes in the past by suppressing all fires and allowing forests to get so dense. I'm proud to be helping out." "These guys have moved a lot of wood," Reed said. "They’re very professional; they work safely in teams and do a good job." For more information on the Southwest Youth Corps, call 970 259-8607 or visit its Website at www.southwestyouthcorps.com. For more information on the Dolores Rim fuels-reduction project, call Reed at the Dolores Public Lands Office at 882-7296. An Environmental Analysis of the project can also be found on the web at www.co.blm.gov/sjra/index. html. Ann Bond is the public affairs specialist for the San Juan Public Lands Center. |
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