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Given that resource managers rely on computer simulation models when it is difficult or expensive to obtain vital information directly, it is important to evaluate how well a particular model satisfies applications for which it is designed. The Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) is used widely for forest management in the US, and its scope and complexity continue to increase. This paper focuses on the accuracy of estimates made by the Fire and Fuels Extension (FFE-FVS) predictions through comparisons between model outputs and measured post-fire conditions for the Cold Springs wildfire and...

At the Priest River Experimental Forest in northern Idaho, USA, snow water equivalent (SWE) was recorded over a period of six years on random, equally-spaced plots in ~4.5 ha small watersheds (n=10). Two watersheds were selected as controls and eight as treatments, with two watersheds randomly assigned per treatment as follows: harvest (2007) followed by mastication (2008), harvest (2007) followed by prescribed fire (2008), prescribed fire alone (2006), and prescribed fire (2006) followed by salvage (2007). Canopy closure was recorded using a digital hemispherical camera, and snow water...

The use of woody biomass for the production of domestic bioenergy to meet policy-driven demands could lead to significant changes in the forest resource. These impacts may be limited if woody biomass from forests is defined as only the residues from logging. Yet, if only residue is used, the contribution of woody biomass to a renewable energy portfolio will also be limited. As the definition of woody biomass is expanded, the impacts on the forest resource increase, as does the contribution of woody biomass to the renewable portfolio. A combination of markets and policies will determine the...

Eccentricity of stems of Artemisia tridentata Nutt. (big sagebrush) has been reported previously. Analysis of samples observed over 2 years documented that each stem terminal produces about 8-10 branches each year, and during second-year growth, 3-8 of these develop into short, flowering, determinate branches. Each flowering branch produces hundreds of seeds and then dies at the end of the season, while the other vegetative branches persist. However, growth of the determinate flowering branches causes the death of vascular cambium surrounding their attachment points on the main stem. This...

In the secondary hardwood industry, rough mills convert hardwood lumber into dimension parts for furniture, cabinets, and other wood products. ROMI 4.0, the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service's ROugh-MIll simulator, is a software package designed to simulate the cut-up of hardwood lumber in rough mills in such a way that a maximum possible component yield is achieved. ROMI 4.0 simulates the cut-up of lumber using two common processing modes: rip first and chop first. Additionally, this latest version of ROMI includes a novel feature that allows users to analyze each board's yield...

The different uses of wood result in a hierarchy of carbon and energy impacts that can be characterized by their efficiency in displacing carbon emissions and/or in displacing fossil energy imports, both being current national objectives. When waste wood is used for biofuels (forest or mill residuals and thinnings) fossil fuels and their emissions are reduced without significant land use changes. Short rotation woody crops can increase yields and management efficiencies by using currently underused land. Wood products and biofuels are coproducts of sustainable forest management, along with...

Engineers and hydrologists use the curve number method to estimate runoff from rainfall for different land use and soil conditions; however, large uncertainties occur for estimates from forested watersheds. This investigation evaluates the accuracy and consistency of the method using rainfall-runoff series from 10 small forested-mountainous watersheds in the eastern United States, eight annual maximum series from New Hampshire,West Virginia, and North Carolina, and two partial duration series from Georgia. These series are the basis to compare tabulated curve numbers with values estimated...

Many engineers and hydrologists use the curve number method to estimate runoff from ungaged watersheds; however, the method does not explicitly account for the influence of season or forest cutting on runoff. This study of observed rainfall and runoff for small, forested watersheds that span the Appalachian Mountains of the eastern United States showed that curve numbers calibrated for the growing season tended to be smaller than for the dormant season. Forest cutting tended to increase curve numbers. However, the increase in water yield following forest cutting on these watersheds only...

Three series of photographs display a range of natural conditions and fuel loadings for sagebrush-steppe types that are ecotonal with grasses, western juniper, and ponderosa pine in eastern Oregon, and one series of photographs displays a range of natural conditions and fuel loadings for northern spotted owl nesting habitat in forest types in Washington and Oregon. Each group of photos includes inventory information summarizing vegetation composition, structure, and loading; woody material loading and density by size class; forest floor depth and loading; and various site characteristics....

Societal safeguards, established by those who have shared perceptions of the importance of safety and taking preventative measures, reduce the incidence of accidents that harm people and damage property. These safeguards prevent or discourage community members from partaking in careless behaviors that often lead to accidents. Wildland urban interface communities that recognize the importance of safety and taking preventive measures are likely to have a lower rate of accidental wildfire. Research has established a strong link between a positive safety culture and a reduction in accidents....