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| Figure 2. Approximate location of lodgepole forests in Crater Lake National Park, with suggested Management Type (A-E) noted. See text for definitions. X= non-lodgepole type surrounded by lodgepole. The heavy line which more-or-less parallels the park boundary is the inner limit of the fire suppression zone, as shown on the Park’s Fire Management Plan. |
Type A:
Fire history type
(1)Communities:
a) Shasta Fir-Mountain Hemlock/Sedge-Lupine
b) Mountain Hemlock/Grouse HuckleberrySuggestions: No prescribed burning necessary.
Reasons: Presently, more of the park that can support fir-hemlock is in lodgepole than during primeval time. Through time, lack of man-caused fire will allow the balance of fir-hemlock to lodgepole to return toward an equilibrium to be determined by the natural fire regime. Exactly what this balance was in primeval times we cannot determine, but we are sure there was less lodgepole pine. Use of fire to reduce the heavy fuel loads in these types is not justified– the resulting dead lodgepole would raise ground fuels to even greater levels within a few years. The fire danger and beetle kill now associated with these stands is the price to be paid for a return toward primeval conditions.
Type B:
Fire history type (2)
Communities:
a) Subalpine Fir/Goldenweed/Aster-Blue Wildrye
b) Subalpine Fir/Collomia-PeavineSuggestions: No prescribed burning necessary.
Reasons: Much of this area, on the west slope and in the Pinnacles Valley, was burned since 1855, and is thus relatively early in its development. A gradual encroachment of forest on meadow is probably the “natural” condition, with small fires periodically eliminating some tree islands and meadow reproduction. Hopefully, natural fire will fill this role. Our interpretation of this system’s dynamics is open to considerable question, but unless a detailed re-examination shows it to be erroneous, no use of prescribed fire should be necessary. In perhaps 30-60 years the situation should be reassessed if these areas are not following the patterns we predict or if natural fire has not occurred in at least some spots.
