A Framework for Addressing Forest Health and Productivity in ...

Lynn Starr,Jane L. Hayes,ThomasM. Ouigley,Pacf c NorthwestResearchStaton Forestry and BanqeSc ences Laboratory, T40TGekelerLane La Grande Oregon97850 Gary E. Daterman,Pacfc NorthwestResearchStation.ForestrySciencesLaboraiory, 3200 SW JeffersonWay Corvalls Oregon97337 ano SandraBrown, W nrockInternationa, c/o 831 NW SundanceCircle CorvallisOreqon97330

A Frameworkfor AddressingForestHealthand Productivityin Eastern Oregonand Washington Abstract llcalthy ibrcns and rangclandsarc rcsiUcnlto dislurbanccswithin a cc(ain rangeof variation.In eastemOregoDandlhshington, have evolred in the presenceofsporadic disturbancessuch as firc, tlood!. and insccl and diseaseoutbreaks.Ecologiecos,vstenrs cal and human facrors have combined io changedisturbanceregimes. structure.and pattcms rcsul!ing in dcclining health and producti!ity in forest and rangelandecosystems.We expect that with impro\ed understandingof dislurbanceproccsscsand careful managementof the dri\ers of disturbanceit is possibleto enhanceecosystemresiliency.As an aid to managcrsin deler mining actions that may be sLrccessfulin restodng resilienceto ecoslstems,we describelinkagesamong componcntsthal mar enahle managersto hamess beneficial effects of disturbanceswhjle mininizing the advcrsc cffccls. A conceplual liamework presentedhere idendfies relaiions among factors that managerscan influence.and that arc important 1oecologicalprocesses nd outcomes.lntegrating social and economic componenrshelps managcrsto balancewhal thc land will allow. whar people want, and \lhat societ,vcan aftbrd. lnfluence diagramshelp idendfy inrportantlinkagesand the arcasrvhcrcrcscarchnay help to weigh

lntroduction Healthy forestsand rangelandsare a basic componentin theeconomic.social.andphysicalhealth of humancommunities.In subsistence communities, the connectionis clear; items peopleneed for food, shcltcr,clothing,andhealthareobtaincd from the land local to tbe community.As communities depend more on trade lbr goods and services,the connectionbecomeslessclear.However,manyruralcommunitiesin easternOregon and Washingtoncontinue to dependon the productivity of the land fbr goods and servicesand the jobs they provide. Many people who are not directlyemployedin naturalresourceindustries are drawn to the areaas residentsor visitors for recreation,clean air and water, and other amenities providcd by hcalthy forcsts and rangelands. The issue that faces society now is whether the productivity and health of these ecosystemsof easternOregon and Washingtonis at risk, and if so. what options managershave to restoretheir resilienceand maintaintheir integrity. The purposeofthis paperis to providea fiamework for thinking about forcst health and productivity and the many facton that influence them.

The papersthat follow will provide infomation "flesh to out" the tiamework.

Boleof Disturbance Healthy forests and rangelandsrequire a mix of plant and animal speciesadaptedto the site, suit ablestockinglevelsandagedistributionsofthose species,a variety of stand structures.and lunctioning ecologicalprocesses. Healthyecosystenrs are dynamic, not static.They are resilient to disturbanceswithin a rangeof variation and are. in manycases,dependenton them(White andPickctt 1985).Ecosystcms in thePacificNofihwesthave evolved in the prcsenceof sporadicdisturbances such as fire. floods, and insect and diseaseoutbreaks (Agee 1990, Quigley et al. 1996). Such disturbances conribute to nutrientcyclingandcre ate canopy gaps and a mosaic of structuresnecessarylbr a rich diversity of plants and animals (Gastet al. 1991.Hessburget al. 1994,Johnson 1994,Youngbloodand Wickman, 1tlpress). Unfortunatell factorshavecombinedto change disturbanceregimes and structuralpattems and haveresultedin declininghealthandproductiv ity offorestandrangelardecosystems in the interior

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Northwest(Gastet al. 1991,Caraheret al. l992, may hclp to restorehealthy.resilient, productive O ' L a u g h l i n e t a l . 1 9 9 3 ,E v e r e t te t a l . 1 9 9 4 , (Quigleyet al. 1996).Actionsor "trear ecosystems Langston199,1. SampsonandAdamsI994,Agee ments" that have been undertakenwith the exl q q 8 ) .T h c . ) s l c n ri ' J I r i s k .a n d \ o m e s p e c i e . . pcctationof improved forest health and produc slructures,rnd lirnctionsare diminishcdor in tivity include "passive" approachessuch as dangerof beinglost. l i r c s t o , .el ,r r l u r i o no r c h r n g c .i n g r l z i n gr e gi m e . "Active" approaches includeteatmentsto modily Thc primary causesrelateto changesthat have standcomposition.structure,and stocking level occurredoverthelast 150years(Covingtonet al. suchasthinning,salvagelogging,mcchanicalfuel 1994.Everettet al. 1994,Quigley ct al. 1996, treatment,and prescribedfire; or to control noxJaindlandQuigley 1996.NationalResearch Coun ious weedsor insectpestoutbreakssuchas using c r l 2 0 0 t l r .f r r l l . e r t l e r su . e d l o p g i n gp r r c l i c e s herbicides,pesticides,Bacillu s thuringiensis, or that removedhigh value,largeold treesliorn fbrpheronones, or by introducing natural encmies \\crr.tn!r\l c\l\ lhal aiie.'ible. Eirrll grazingprrcof noxious weedsor inscct pests. ticesemphasized numbcrsof livestockresulting in substuntild overgrazing. Firewasviewedasbeing ResearchFocus detdmental,and e1lbftsto suppressfire werc largely successtulafter airplaneswere enlistcd in the efTo focus rcsearchon theseissues,the Pacific fofis. When insect cpidemics were widespread, Northwest ResearchStation formed a Research larious insecticideswere applied to millions of Initiative for Improving ForestEcosystemHealth acres.Thesefactorsall contributedto the cunent and Productivity in Oregon and Washingtonby lbrest health situation in the inland Wcst. ManagingEcosystemDisturbance. Its specific goal Therearemany examplesof diminishedfuncis 'to developscience-based informationandtechtion. Many sitesmore suitedto droughGand fircn o l o g i c \t o J . \ i . t l u n d o u n e r lsn d m r n a g e r 'i n resistantponderosapine are now donrinatedby managingrisks associatedwith fire, insects,and densestandsof fir-species susceptible to drcught, diseases. . .conscrvingthebeneficialeffectsofthese fire. and insectand diseaseoutbreaks(Wickman agents,while maintainingecosystemintegrity at 1992).Supprcssionof tires that were part of the multiple scaleswith the mix ofproducts and confrequent,lo$'intensityfue regimchasled to buildditionsvaluedby society"(Hayeset al. 2000). up of fuels and setthe stagefor huge crown fires To effcctivelydealwith suchcomplexityrnd geo, that are difllcult to contain (Mutch et al. 1993, graphic(cope.ue organiu eLlinlormarionin remt. Cevington et al. 199,+)and that havc severeet'of ccological and socioeconomicstructuresand fects on vegetation,soil, and habitat.Habitat for processesiagents that influence the processes! manv speciesis increasinglyfragmentedand isowhich we tenn "drivers":andoutcomessuchas lated (Trombulak and Frissell 2000, Wisdom et timber products.increaseor decreasein endanal. 2000). Aquatic habitat has sufferedincreascd geredspccies,recreation,and water supply (Figsedimentation, lessshadingleadingtohigherwater ure l). We furthcreraminedrhesedrirer'. protemperatures, Ioss of pools, and is isolatedby casses,and outcomesat various spatial scales. baniers to passage(TrombulakandFrissell2000, Temporalscalewas also included but was dilliHowell200l).Forestandrangclandshavebecome cult to addressconsistently.The expectationis depletedin nativc speciesand invadedby nonthat by careful nlanagementof the drivers and native plants(Quigley et al. 1996).Social and continualevaluation.we can enhanceecosystem economicsystemsinfluencetbrest health and resilienceand improve outcomes(Figure 2). Exproductivity andare alsoinfluenccd by lbrest hurlth arnplesof cu[ent outcomesthat people would conditions(Blatneret al. 1996,TanakaandBolon like to changejnclude the loss of potential rim r996). berproductsandrelatcdjobs, degradationof ecological processes(hydrologic cycle, nutrient cy Either cunent managementapproachesor taking cling, carbon sequestration),and risk to homes a hands-offapproachwill likely resultin ecosysfrom catasfophic forest tlres; loss of timber protenr conditions at the laldscape scale that con,luctionund increasedfire ri.k frum iniecr outtinue to decline,or. at best. slowly improve over breaksl threatsto speciessurvival; and loss of hundredsof years.Managemcntactionsthatchange amenitiesand rccreationopportunities.Many speciescomposition,density.and stmcturcwhile environmeltal drivers that afTectecological consideringecosystemprocesses andcapabilities. 2

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