Final Report, Forest Restoration of Sun Creek, Crater Lake National Park
Conclusion
The restoration of the mixed conifer forests of Sun Creek will require patience and a substantial commitment of time and money. The unlogged forests and those logged that have naturally restocked with pines will be fairly easy to restore. Fire restoration in those communities can be done using techniques that have been applied elsewhere at Crater Lake National Park.
The logged but unstocked areas will require an unusual treatment for a National Park area, but one justified by past effects of modern humans. As with most silvicultural operations, there are chances of planting mortality or fires that are too hot that may cause localized failure. We recommend a monitoring program for the planting/fire operations so these techniques can be refined as they are applied.
The first monitoring element is remeasurement of the established permanent plots over time to more precisely evaluate the initial prescribed fire effects. Subsequent monitoring of planted seedling survival and effects of fires should become a routine part of the restoration process. In another century, through careful management, the effect of the logging of pines and unnatural protection from fire will be largely erased from the landscape.
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