Evaluating economic efficiency of fuel treatments in sagebrush that vary in ecological resilience and invasion resistance
With limited resources, land managers are challenged to reduce wildfire risk while supporting the ecological integrity of sagebrush ecosystems. Simulations that incorporate ecological resilience and resistance to invasion into benefit-cost analysis of fuel treatments highlighted specific economic drivers across three sagebrush vegetation associations.
Sagebrush ecosystems are in rapid decline due to annual grass invasion and pinyon-juniper expansion, while under simultaneous risk to severe wildfire. However, sagebrush ecosystems are not all the same, nor is the suitability or economic efficiency of fuel treatments.
In mountain big sagebrush associations, simulations of prescribed burn fuel treatments indicated that treatments were economically efficient in ecosystems dominated by sagebrush or in the early to mid-phases of pinyon-juniper expansion when compared to expected suppression costs. For low sagebrush, mechanical fuel treatments were not economically efficient, mainly due to higher associated costs. For black sagebrush, mechanical fuel treatments led to increased suppression costs in three of six potential treatment settings largely due to increases in surface fuels and fire behavior.
While wildfire suppression cost savings were the primary benefit, economic benefits included enhanced wildlife habitat, water availability, livestock grazing, and recreational opportunities. This research suggests that if land managers consider treatment costs along with specific sagebrush associations and their resilience and resistance levels, they can plan more effective and efficient fuel treatments.
Publications
- Jeanne C. Chambers, Jessi L. Brown, John B. Bradford, David Board, Steven B. Campbell, Karen J. Clause, Brice Hanberry, Daniel R. Schlaepfer, Alexandra K. Urza. 2023. New indicators of ecological resilience and invasion resistance to support prioritization and management in the sagebrush biome, United States
- Thomas A. Bridges-Lyman, Jessi L. Brown, Jeanne C. Chambers, Lisa M. Ellsworth, Matthew C. Reeves, Karen C. Short, Eva K. Strand, Michael H. Taylor. 2024. Evaluating the economic efficiency of fuel reduction treatments in sagebrush ecosystems that vary in ecological resilience and invasion resistance
- Jeanne C. Chambers, Richard F. Miller, David Board, David A. Pyke, Bruce A. Roundy, James B. Grace, Eugene W. Schupp, Robin J. Tausch. 2014. Resilience and resistance of sagebrush ecosystems: Implications for state and transition models and management treatments
- Jeanne C. Chambers, Jessi L. Brown, Matt C. Reeves, Eva K. Strand, Lisa M. Ellsworth, Claire Tortorelli, Alexandra K. Urza, Karen C. Short. 2024. Fuel treatment response groups for fire‑prone sagebrush landscapes
Related Datasets
Chambers, J.C.; Brown, J.L.; Bradford, J.B.; Board, D.I.; Campbell, S. B.; Clause, K.J.; Hanberry, B.; Schlaepfer, D.R.; Urza, A.K. 2023. New indicators of ecological resilience and invasion resistance to support prioritization and management in the sagebrush biome, United States [Dataset]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.h18931zpb
Chambers, Jeanne C.; Brown, Jessi L.; Reeves, Matthew C.; Strand, Eva K.; Ellsworth, Lisa M.; Tortorelli, Claire M.; Urza, Alexandra K.; Short, Karen C. 2024. Treatment Response Groups (TRGs) for use in landscape-scale assessments of fuel treatment types and locations in the Snake River Plain, Northern Basin and Range, and Central Basin and Range level III ecoregions in the western United States. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2024-0008
Chambers, Jeanne C.; Brown, Jessi L.; Reeves, Matthew C.; Strand, Eva K.; Ellsworth, Lisa M.; Tortorelli, Claire M.; Urza, Alexandra K.; Short, Karen C. 2024. Dominant sagebrush associations of the Snake River Plain, Northwestern Basin and Range, and Central Basin and Range level III ecoregions in the western United States. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2024-0006
Chambers, Jeanne C.; Brown, Jessi L.; Reeves, Matthew C.; Strand, Eva K.; Ellsworth, Lisa M.; Tortorelli, Claire M.; Urza, Alexandra K.; Short, Karen C. 2024. Pinyon and juniper expansion areas and persistent woodlands in the Snake River Plain, Northern Basin and Range, and Central Basin and Range level III ecoregions in the western United States. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2024-0007
Short, Karen C.; Scott, Joe H.; Gilbertson-Day, Julie W.; Napoli, James M.; Olszewski, Julia H.; Chambers, Jeanne C.; Brown, Jessi L.; Crist, Michele R.; Ellsworth, Lisa M.; Reeves, Matthew C.; Strand, Eva K.; Tortorelli, Claire M.; Urza, Alexandra K; Vaillant, Nicole M. 2024. Fuelscape datasets for wildfire risk assessment in the sagebrush biome (270m). Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2024-0004
Multimedia
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Webinarshttps://research.fs.usda.gov/rmrs/products/multimedia/webinars/assessing-wildfire-risk-and-mitigation-opportunities-sagebrush
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Videohttps://research.fs.usda.gov/rmrs/products/multimedia/videos/readings-tea-leaves-season-5-episode-4-2024-post-season-roundup
