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Abstract
Since 1992 a collaborative group of fire scientists, forest conservationists, and Federal resource specialists have been developing proposals for a Research Natural Area (RNA) in the Warner Creek Fire area on the Willamette National Forest in Oregon. Inspired by these proposals, the Oregon Natural Heritage Plan created the new category of "Fire Process RNAs" in order to protect landscape-scale areas for dynamic ecosystem disturbance and succession processes resulting from wildland fires. Fire Process RNAs have many values for basic wildland fire research, ecosystem restoration, biodiversity conservation, and public education. They are especially suited to frequent-fire ecosystems, such as the ponderosa pine ecosystems of the Southwest and could serve as important control areas for measuring the effects of managed restoration activities and broad-scale environmental change due to global warming. This paper will: (1) present some of the history and theory of the evolving Warner Fire Process RNA proposals; (2) discuss some of the social issues, scientific controversies, and management challenges involved with designing and managing Fire Process RNAs; and (3) present the Warner proposal and its public support as a model to advocate for a network of Fire Process RNAs throughout fire-prone ecosystems of the West.
Parent Publication
Citation
Ingalsbee, Timothy. 2001. Fire Process Research Natural Areas: Managing research and restoration of dynamic ecosystem processes. In: Vance, Regina K.; Edminster, Carleton B.; Covington, W. Wallace; Blake, Julie A., comps. Ponderosa pine ecosystems restoration and conservation: steps toward stewardship; 2000 April 25-27; Flagstaff, AZ. Proceedings RMRS-P-22. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. p. 54-60.
