Fairy Lake Rx Burn Monitoring Stated objectives:  Mimic light to moderate ground fire  To minimize the mortality of mature whitebark pine (<5%)  To create cache habitat  To reduce competition between from subalpine fir, spruce, and Douglas fir 160 acre Rx burn unit implemented in fall 2004

Fairy Lake Rx Burn Monitoring Stand Characteristics  feet elevation  % slope  aspect (south)  Fuel model 10  Blister Rust present pre-burn; no evidence of MPB Burn Characteristics  Patchy; consumed areas that had been previously slashed  Some stand replacement crown fire

 10 treatment and 5 control plots  Stand Exams on 1/300 acre plot; Veg composition on 1/100 acre plots  BAF 10 to tally trees in the plot  Ground cover on 100 points  MPB and Blister Rust assessed on 100 trees in treatment and control areas  Both PIAL and PIFL were present on the site and were combined for the purpose of analysis Methods

Results Averages for  # (BAF 10) trees in the plot  % of total trees represented by 5-needle pines  % of 5-needle pine trees that were dead

Range and S.D. for Variable TreatmentControl Trees in plot4-17 (4.7)5-20 (5.9) % of trees that were 5 needle pine (28.4)20-90 (29.5) % of 5-needle pines dead (25.3) (39.5) Results

Averages for  % bare ground in plot  % of 100 trees that had MPB activity  % of 100 tres that had Blister Rust  % of Blister rust trees that were dead

Range and S.D. for Variable TreatmentControl %Bare Ground0-26 (7.3)0-30 (11.8) Results

Control Treatment

Discussion  No significant differences between treatment and control. Fire was the primary mortality agent in treatment plots and Blister Rust in control plots. More small trees left in control.  Fire did not seem to create cache habitat – grasses and forbs came back quickly. Also, not enough cones being produced to entice nutcrackers. We observed woodpeckers in the stand, not nutcrackers; maybe too soon to tell, but not likely to see WBP or Limber regeneration  Ribes was present on all control plots but only one treatment plot; however blister rust levels are severe in both the control and the treatment area  Overall levels of MPB are moderate. Slightly higher MPB occurrence in treatment may be related to fire weakened trees attracting beetles

Conclusions  Effects of fire (and possible secondary effects of fire on mtn pine beetles) were outweighed by the effects of blister rust  Burn did not meet objectives  5-needle pines will likely be replaced by Abla in this stand

Recommendation Plant whitebark and/or limber pine In this Rx burn unit as soon as seedlings are available