I. Old Growth Forest - Mesa Community Collegemc.maricopa.edu/~larur76621/b105common/images/Section...

5/5/2013

1

I. Old Growth Forest F

ore

st

Ec

os

ys

tem

I. Old Growth Forest

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

A. Ancient forests are defined by the _______

of the trees themselves. Western Hemlock,

maximum age of ______ years, may be

considered young when compared to the

Douglas fir’s potential age of ______ years.

Western red cedar or redwood can live

______ years, while a sequoia may exist

over 3000 years.

age

600

1200

2000

5/5/2013

2


ore

st

Ec

os

ys

tem

B. Besides the ancient forest of the

Pacific Northwest, other forests

across the country face threats

from intense logging and

development.


Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

B. Besides the ancient forest of the

Pacific Northwest, other

forests across the country face

threats from intense logging

and development.

The Tongass National

Forest in ____________

contains one of the largest

remaining ____________

rain forests in the world. In

1990, the Tongass Timber

Reform Act was established

to protect this region from

logging.

S.E. Alaska

temperate

5/5/2013

3


ore

st

Ec

os

ys

tem


Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

In the deep south, natural upland forests are being

replaced by pine forests. These “plantation” forests are

ear-marked for pulpwood. Removal of the native

hardwoods is dramatically reducing the ____________ of

plants and animals.

biodiversity

5/5/2013

4


ore

st

Ec

os

ys

tem

The unique “____________”

forests on mountain tops

rising from the deserts of

Arizona and New Mexico are

being threatened by extensive

logging and development.

Environmental groups are

proposing a reserve system

whereby existing old growth

is connected through a series

of wildlife corridors.

Sky island


Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

The Great Northern Forest of New York, Vermont, New

Hampshire, and Maine, consists of _____________ acres

with most of the land privately owned. More than a million

acres are on the market, with current economic conditions

favoring the land to be sold, subdivided, and developed.

26 million

5/5/2013

5

a. Northern Spotted Owl

Juvenile Adult

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

C. Old Growth Forests and Animals 2. Six species that prefer & may require old growth habitat


b. Pine Marten c. Flying Squirrel

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m


5/5/2013

6

d. Bald Eagle

f. Brown Creeper

e. Vaux’s Swift F

ore

st

Ec

os

ys

tem


Roosevelt Elk Sitka Deer

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m


5/5/2013

7

D. The Multi-layered canopy

of ancient forests has special

qualities different from those in

a younger forest canopy. A

unique plant and animal

community has evolved in these

canopies. For example, 121

species of lichens have been

identified in these canopies.

Red voles and hoary bats co-

exist with the giant trees’ long

branches. This incredible

___________ makes old growth

invaluble.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

biodiversity


Plant Diversity

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m


5/5/2013

8

Douglas Fir Needles

Condensation accounts for

20% of annual precipitation.

Average tree contains 60

million needles.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

E. Roles of dead and decaying logs

1. Provide homes & food for

animals, fungi, bacteria & 300

species of insects.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m


5/5/2013

9


2. Decaying logs act like sponges

storing water that animals and

plants use in the dry season.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m



3. Logs in streams create resting

pools and serve as the base for

a streamside food chain,

leading from insects to fish &

birds, and eventually to larger

mammals.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m


5/5/2013

10


4. Logs are nutrient “sinks”,

gradually releasing essential

elements back into the

environment over an 800 year

period

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m



5. Logs become a habitat for

nitrogen fixers such as lichens

(Lobaria oregana), and provide

a habitat for mycorrhizae.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m


5/5/2013

11


6. “Nurse logs”, provide a site for the establisment of

other tree species.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m



6. “Nurse logs”, provide a site for the establisment of

other tree species. For example, a fallen Douglas Fir

tree becomes a nurse log for a Western Hemlock.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m


5/5/2013

12

F. Loss of Old Growth Forest

• Less than 5% remains.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m



1. Example: Western Oregon & Washington.

a. Only about 2-3 million acres remain (about 7-10%)

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m


5/5/2013

13




Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

Clear Cut and Logging Roads





Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m


5/5/2013

14


2. Many logs go unprocessed to Japan.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m



3. Unless logging practices change, old growth

ecosystems may disappear.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m Clear Cut to Forest Service Boundry


5/5/2013

15

G. Old Growth vs. Managed Douglas

Fir Forests

1. Managed Douglas fir forests result

in a ________ look. Old growth

results in a multilayered canopy

that allows more light to reach the

forest floor.

2. The major disadvantage of

intensive forest management

practices is eliminating ________

diversity.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

plantation

genetic


H. Old Growth Forests in Arizona

1. How has cable logging affected old growth forest

habitats in Arizona?

• Cable logging allows logging in formally

unreachable remote canyons.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m


5/5/2013

16


2. 4 species of organisms that prefer old growth forest

habitats in Arizona.

a. Mexican Spotted Owl

b. Goshawk

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m



2. 4 species of organisms that prefer old growth forest

habitats in Arizona.

c. Wild Turkey

d. Mt. Graham Red Squirrel

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m


5/5/2013

17

Protesting Loggers F

ore

st

Ec

os

ys

tem


Protesting Environmentalists

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m


5/5/2013

18

A. Definie Snag: a standing dead tree

B. Past thoughts were negative.

1. Lightning strike could turn

dead wood into torch.

2. Falling branches & trees could

be dangerous to humans.

3. The space occupied by a snag

could be better used by living

trees.

4. Forest disease and pests may

live in snags.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

II. Snag Ecology

II. Snag Ecology C. Research has changed past thoughts.

1. Snags are useful for cavity nesting birds.

a. How many species in the

1) U.S.? _______

2) In Arizona? _______

b. Other birds use dead trees for

perching, roosting, courting, &

territorial display.

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m 85

69

5/5/2013

19

Research has changed past thoughts.

Most of these birds feed on insects.

1. Epidemics of tree killing insects, such

as the bark beetle, occur more often

in logged areas where snags were cut

down.

2. An insect epidemic, once begun,

cannot be stopped by birds. But birds

can hold bug numbers in check.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

II. Snag Ecology

Size of snags & snags per acre.

Number of snags per acre.

1. Pacific Northwest: 7

2. Arizona: 6

Characteristics of snags.

1. 6 or more years old.

2. More than 18 inches in diameter.

3. 40 or more % bark cover.

4. 46 feet tall had more holes.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

II. Snag Ecology

5/5/2013

20

III. Forest Ecosystems and Fire A. Healthy, functional forests have always been dependent on

______________ natural fires. The pre-settlement fires frequently spread over large areas usually in the abundant grasses associated with these forests.

B. Without natural fire, numerous consequences resulted. Forests became more dense because an unprecendented number of seedlings survived. Massive amounts of pine needles, branches, and logs accumulated on the forest floor, resulting in a dangerous _______________.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

low intensity

fuel buildup

III. Forest Ecosystems and Fire C. Diasastrous wildfires in Arizona have included:

1. 1990 Dude Fire - _____________ acres burned plus 6 fire fighters killed.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

1990

2012

28,480

5/5/2013

21

2. 2000 Coon Creek Fire (Sierra Anchas)

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m


2. 2000 - Coon Creek Fire (Sierra Anchas)

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

III. Forest Ecosystems and Fire

5/5/2013

22

2010 - Coon Creek Fire (Sierra Anchas) F

ore

st

Ec

os

ys

tem

III. Forest Ecosystems and Fire F

ore

st

Ec

os

ys

tem

III. Forest Ecosystems and Fire 2010 - Coon Creek Fire (Sierra Anchas)

5/5/2013

23


3. 2002 Rodeo-Chediski Fire _______________ acres burned.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

467,066

2002 2012


4. 2003 Aspen Fire - ___________ acres burned.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

84,750

5/5/2013

24


5. 2011 Wallow Fire - __________ acres burned.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

538,049

2012

III. Forest Ecosystems and Fire D. Yellowstone fires of 1988.

1. A total of 793, 880 acres or 36% of the park was affected by the wildfires.

2. Over 9000 firefighters battles the fires, without any fatalities.

3. The fire fighting effort cost $240 million in 2012 dollars.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

5/5/2013

25

III. Forest Ecosystems and Fire D. Yellowstone fires of 1988.

1. A total of 793, 880 acres or 36% of the park was affected by the wildfires.

2. Over 9000 firefighters battles the fires, without any fatalities.

3. The fire fighting effort cost $240 million in 2012 dollars.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

III. Forest Ecosystems and Fire E. In an effort to reduce such fires, the Forest Service uses

_____________. Such fires are low intensity fires used to reduce fuel acumulations, increase forest health and create the diversity needed by wildlife. Additionally, plant nutrients are recycled into the soil which encourages new growth in a variety of plants.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

prescribed fire

5/5/2013

26

III. Forest Ecosystems and Fire F. A catastrophic wildfire greatly effects ___________ . Animals may die from

the direct exposure to heat and smoke. More significant is the animal’s loss of habitat, food sources and their displacement. A prescribed fire reduces the direct threat to wildlife.

G. Prescribed fires usually resutlt in rapid smoke dispersal and reduction of ________________ . When weather conditions change and create a situation where smoke lingers over an area, burning is discontinued.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

wildlife

lingering haze

III. Forest Ecosystems and Fire H. Keep in mind, that all forest fires are not the devastating events that we have

been taught to believe. Forest ecology management will always benefit from the natural, low, intensity fire that mother nature had provided.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

5/5/2013

27

IV. Can We Restore our S.W. Forests? A century of _______________, ____________ and ______________ have radically

changed our forests. Across the landscape, southwestern forests are now much younger,

shorter and more plantation-like. ___________ year old ponderosa pines were common

at the turn of the century while today, a _______ year old tree is considered mature.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

fire suspension overlogging grazing abuse

400

120

IV. Can We Restore our S.W. Forests? A. Cause of our current condition.

There is growing consensus among forest activist groups as to what

specific steps must be taken to restore the southwest's ponderosa pine

and mixed conifer forests that have been severely impacted by

decades of fire suppression, over-logging and grazing abuse.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

5/5/2013

28

IV. Can We Restore our S.W. Forests? B. Forest restoration planning requires an understanding of what

___________________ forests were like as well as an understanding

of the current state of southwestern forest health.

1. These forests were characterized by large diameter trees with

interlocking crowns that could be found in multi-aged clumps or

scattered even-aged blocks.

2. Additionally, they had dense, diverse, grassy understories with lush

___________ areas. Regularly occurring low-density ground fires

burned through the ponderosa pine forest while sporadic stand-replacing

ground fires occurred in the mixed conifer.

3. Southwestern forests are badly _______________. There is virtually no

place today where one can find areas described by early explorers as

"carpets of gamma" and "luxurious avenues of grasses and flowers." A

growing body of scientific literature cites grazing as a major contributor

to forest overstocking. __________ prevents tree establishment and

encourages fire. Without grass too many young trees spring up. It is now

believed that grazing plays an even greater role in the creation of dense

forest thickets than does fire suppression. The implications are clear.

We will never have balanced, functioning ecosystems as long as forest

lands are overgrazed.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

pre-settlement

riparian

overgrazed

Grass

IV. Can We Restore our S.W. Forests? B. Forest restoration

4. It is now time to begin the process of restoring southwestern forests. There is still

much we do not know about forest ecology so our approach to forest management

should be conservative. There is, however, general agreement among

southwestern forest activists that the following management goals must be

implemented:

a. Because of their rarity, there should be no further logging of mature yellow

pines and old growth habitat.

b. There should be no further logging of trees greater than _______ in diameter.

c. We must re-introduce fire in our forests with designate "___________" areas.

d. We must restore native grass communities and riparian areas.

e. _____________ should be removed from sensitive areas.

f. There should be some _________________________ of dense young tree

thickets to reduce fire hazard and protect older trees.

g. We should strive to develop sustainable rural economies with small logging

programs based around ecosystem restoration needs.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

16”

let burn

Livestock

selective thinning

5/5/2013

29

IV. Sustainable Alternatives to Wood A. Hemp

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m


Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

5/5/2013

30


1. Hemp (from Old English hoenep) is mostly used as a low

tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) strains of the plant Cannabis sativa of

fiber and/or oilseed varieties.

• Hemp is one of the earliest known domesticated plants.

• For a crop, hemp is very environmentally friendly as it requires few

pesticides, no herbicides, less water and fertilizers than most crops.

• Hemp is one of the faster growing biomasses known making it a

sustainable crop.

• Over 30 countries produce hemp, including Australia, Austria, Canada,

Great Britain, France, Russia and Spain. China is the world-leading

producer of hemp.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m


2. Historical of hemp and its uses included:

• Hemp use archaeologically dates back to the Neolithic Age in China from the 5th

century B.C.

• In late medieval Germany and Italy, hemp was employed in cooked dishes, as

filling in pies, and tortes, or boiled in a soup.

• The Spanish brought hemp to the Western Hemisphere and cultivated it in Chile

starting about 1545.

• In 1619, the first Virginia House of Burgesses passed an Act requiring all

planters in Virginia to sow hemp.

• Sails of the Mayflower were made of hemp.

• Drafts of the constitution were written on hemp paper.

• Covers for the Conestoga wagons were made of hemp.

• Hemp clothing (cotton clothing was worn by the elite)was the fabric of choice.

• The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 levied a tax on anyone who dealt commercially

in cannabis, hemp, or marijuana. It was repealed by an overriding law in 1970.

• Hemp was used extensively by the U.S. during WWII for uniforms, canvas and

rope. Much of the hemp used was cultivated in Kentucky and the Midwest

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

5/5/2013

31


3. Uses today include:

• Clothing

• Building supplies

• House wares

• Packaging

• Cosmetics

• Textiles

• Sports equipment

• Paper

• Fuel

• Toys

• Food and beverages (Hemp oil is a healthy cooking oil and the seeds are high in

protein)

• Has fibers that are much stronger, having a greater tensile strength than both

cotton and wood

• More sustainable and renewable

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

IV. Sustainable Alternatives to Wood B. Bamboo

1. Is one of the fastest growing plants on earth with reported growth rates of _____

inches in 24 hours. These rates depend on local soil and climatic conditions as well as

_________ . More typical growth rates in temperate climates are _______ inches per

day.

2. Products from bamboo include wood flooring, ___________, _________,

__________ and _________________, and __________ _______________ .

3. Bamboo is a hardy, durable product from a ______________ resource which helps

deter harvesting of old-growth forests for _________ products.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

39

species 1 - 4

paper textiles

building construction musical intruments

renewable

wood

5/5/2013

32

IV. Sustainable Alternatives to Wood B. Bamboo

4. Growing bamboo does not require the use of _____________ and _______________.

Because of the rapid growth rate, bamboo sequesters ___________________ at rapid

rates.

5. The growing of bamboo and manufacturing of products does have social impacts on

__________, __________ ____________, and contains little or no _________

___________. For reduced indoor air pollution, these products are produced without

_________________ based adhesives.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

pesticides fertilizers

carbon dioxide

labor transit energy recycled

materials

formaldehyde

IV. Sustainable Alternatives to Wood C. Other Sustainable Options:

1. Wood-plastic composite (WPC's) -- are composite materials made of

______________________ and _____________.

• Introduced in the early 1990's, this product is now being used in ___________,

_____________, fences, landscape timbers, ________, park benches, molding

and trim, __________ and _________ frames and __________ ___________.

• Pros -- made from ____________ materials, resistant to rot, decay, and

__________ attack. They also lack the need to be __________.

• Cons -- have a lower strength and stiffness then wood. They have to be cleaned

(depending on the environment) several times a year to remove mildew spots.

Depending on the types of plastics used, WPC's may have higher ________

hazard properties.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

Wood-fiber/flour plastic(s)

outdoor

deck floors siding

window door indoor furniture

recycled

insect painted

fire

5/5/2013

33

IV. Sustainable Alternatives to Wood C. Other Sustainable Options:

2. Cork Flooring -- is made by removing bark of the _______ _______

without harming the tree. It is renewable, and a sustainable resource, Cork

is __________________, and an excellent ____________ ensuring minimal

heat loss. It also provides noise insulation.

3. Linoleum -- is made from dried and milled ________ seeds mixed with pine

resins, wood flour and ground ________. Attached to a jute backing makes

linoleum 100% biodegradable. It is antistatic, repelling ________ and does

not fade as pigments are embedded in the structure.

Fo

res

t E

co

sy

ste

m

cork oak

anti-microbial insulator

flax

cork

dirt

I. Old Growth Forest - Mesa Community Collegemc.maricopa.edu/~larur76621/b105common/images/Section...

Documents

Transcript of I. Old Growth Forest - Mesa Community Collegemc.maricopa.edu/~larur76621/b105common/images/Section...