Fire

Oak forests in eastern North America were borne of fire. Fire shaped the species, the size and the spatial distribution of trees within these cherished forests.  Over the past century, fire suppression and fragmentation has reduced the resistance and resilience of these forests to pests, pathogens, weather and changing climate.  This is leading to a slow conversion of these oak forests to maple forests, which has important implications to the ecology and economy of eastern North America.  For example, oak forests host more wildlife species, both old and young forest specialists, than most other forest types in the East. Due to the critical role that fire plays in regenerating oak, prescribed burning began in several areas in 2015. Prescribed fire currently occurs in even-aged units that will be harvested as shelterwoods or clearcuts in the 2028 harvest cycle. Over time, researchers are examining the effects of fire on vegetation, small mammal, bird, moth, beetle, and spider populations as well as the effects of fire on tree quality.

Key Papers:

• Stanis, S. and M.R. Saunders. 2018. Long-term overstory tree quality monitoring through multiple prescribed fires in eastern deciduous forests. In: Kirschman, Julia E., comp. 2018. Proceedings of the 19th biennial southern silvicultural research conference. e-Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-234. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Southern Research Station:355-362.