Organizing Institutions:
Núcleo de Investigação em Geografia e Planeamento
Centro de Estudos de Geografia e Ordenamento do Território
Funded by FCT-MCTES
Proceedings of the 3rd International Meeting of Fire Effects on Soil Properties
Universidade do Minho
FIRE EFFECTS ON SOIL PROPERTIES Proceedings of the 3rd International Meeting of Fire Effects on Soil Properties
António Bento Gonçalves, António Vieira (Eds.)
FIRE EFFECTS ON SOIL PROPERTIES
Proceedings of the 3rd International Meeting of Fire Effects on Soil Properties Guimarães, 15-19 March, 2011
António Bento Gonçalves, António Vieira (Eds.)
Editors: António Bento Gonçalves and António Vieira Edition: NIGP-Univ. Minho and CEGOT ISBN: 978-989-97214-0-1 Dep. Legal: 324599/11 Printing: Chapa5 Design and text formatting: António Vieira Cover photo: Prescribed fire in Gerês Mountain (António Bento Gonçalves)
Organizing Committee:
Coordinators António Bento Gonçalves António Vieira
Secretary Flora Ferreira Leite
Members Luciano Lourenço Xavier Úbeda
Collaborators João Maia Mónica Santos
Organizing Institutions:
Núcleo de Investigação em Geografia e Planeamento (Universidade do Minho) Centro de Estudos de Geografia e Ordenamento do Território (Universidades de Coimbra, Porto e Minho)
Poster Jury: Daniel Neary Flora Ferreira Leite Lea Wittenberg
Meeting Conclusions: Artemio Cerdà Jorge Mataix-Solera Mike Kirkby Stefan Doerr
Scientific Committee:
António Bento Gonçalves (Universidade do Minho - Portugal) António Vieira (Universidade do Minho - Portugal) Ana Cristina Meira (Instituto Politécnico do Porto - Portugal) António Pedrosa (Universidade do Porto - Portugal) Artemi Cerdá (Universitat de València - Spain) Çagatay Tavsanoglu (Hacettepe University - Turkey) Celeste Coelho (Universidade de Aveiro – Portugal) Chris Chafer (Sydney Catchment Authority - Australia) Deborah A. Martin (U.S. Geological Survey – United States of America) Dennis Fox (Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis – France) Fernando Rebelo (Universidade de Coimbra - Portugal) Hermínio Botelho (Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro - Portugal) John A. Moody (U.S. Geological Survey – United States of America) Jorge Mataix-Solera (Universidad Miguel Hernández - Spain) Luciano Lourenço (Universidade de Coimbra - Portugal) Lúcio Cunha (Universidade de Coimbra - Portugal) Maria José Roxo (Universidade Nova de Lisboa – Portugal) Montserrat Diaz Raviña (IIAG-CSIC - Spain) Richard Shakesby (Swansea University – United Kingdom) Scott W. Woods (University of Montana – United States of America) Stefan Doerr (Swansea University – United Kingdom) Susana Bautista (Universidad de Alicante - Spain) Xavier Úbeda (Universitat de Barcelona -Spain)
Supporting Institutions:
3rd International Meeting of Fire Effects on Soil Properties 15-19 March 2011 | University of Minho | Guimarães, Portugal
CONTENTS PREFACE…..…………………………………………………………………
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TRIBUTE TO MARIA SALA………………………………………………..
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PROGRAMME……………………………………………………………….. 19 KEY LECTURES PRESCRIBED FIRE - THE SPARK THAT LED TO A NEW PARADIGM IN PORTUGAL Paulo Mateus, Autoridade Florestal Nacional..………….……………………..
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CRITERIA TO DEVELOP PROTOCOLS FOR POST-WILDFIRE SOIL REHABILITATION: CURRENT EXPERIENCE IN GALICIA (NW SPAIN) José António Vega, Centro de Investigación Forestal de Lourizán………..…... 32 RESEARCH ON ASH FROM PRESCRIBED AND WILDLAND FIRES SINCE THE 1950’S: PAST APPROACHES AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS Deborah A. Martin, United States Geological Survey..……………………….. 33 THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE PHOENIX PROJECT CENTRE TO POST-FIRE RESEARCH IN EUROPE Francisco Moreira, CEABN…………………………………………………...
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FOREST FIRES AS DRIVERS OF LAND DEGRADATION IN PORTUGAL Celeste Coelho, CESAM-University of Aveiro………………………………... 39 COMMUNICATIONS FIRE-INDUCED CHANGES IN SOIL ORGANIC MATTER STABILITY ALONG A CATENA ON MT. ETNA, SICILY Giovanni Mastrolonardo, Ruedi Seiler, Giacomo Certini, Rolf Krebs, Michael Plotze, Markus Egli…………………………………………………………….. 43 THE EFFECTS OF HEATING A LATERITIC PODZOLIC SOIL ON SOIL PHOSPHATE AVAILABILITY, A GLASSHOUSE STUDY Robert Gilkes, Emielda Yusiharni……………………………………………... 44 HOW DOES BIANNUAL BURNING ALTER THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF ORGANIC MATTER IN SOILS?- AN EXAMPLE FROM THE CAMPO IN THE HIGHLAND OF SOUTHERN BRAZIL Heike Knicker, Deborah P. Dick, Ricardo S.D. Dalmolin…………………….. 45
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MINERALOGICAL AND CHEMICAL CHANGES IN A LATERITIC SOIL DUE TO A BUSHFIRE IN THE DARLING RANGE, WESTERN AUSTRALIA Emielda Yusiharni, Robert Gilkes……………………………………………... 49 FIRE SEVERITY EFFECTS ON ASH CHEMICAL COMPOSITIONS AND EXTRACTABLE ELEMENTS Paulo Pereira, Xavier Úbeda, Deborah Martin………………………………… 50 QUANTIFYING THE INTENSITY OF PRESCRIBED FIRE IN DEGRADED PINE FOREST AND PINE-OAK FOREST, NAM NAO NATIONAL PARK, THAILAND Kobsak Wanthongchai, Singkhorn Rugsamanee, Phanpong Kongdetadisak, Voradet Tarusadamrongdet, Khwanchai Chinnawong………………………… 55 IMPACT OF UNPRECEDENTED FIRE INTENSITY ON SOIL PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES: THE CASE OF THE CATASTROPHIC VICTORIA FIRES OF 2009 Stefan Doerr, Richard Shakesby, Bryant Rob, Smith G. Hugh, Gary Sheridan, Patrick Lane, Tina Bell, William Blake……………………..…………………. 59 POST-FIRE RILL AND GULLY FORMATION, SCHULTZ FIRE 2010, ARIZONA, US Daniel George Neary, Karen A. Koestner, Ann Youberg, Peter E. Koestner…. 60 MEASUREMENT OF A PM10 EMISSIONS IN A POST-WILDFIRE ENVIRONMENT Natalie Wagenbrenner, Brian Lamb, Peter Robichaud, Mathew Germino……. 64 SOME REFLECTIONS ON ACQUISITION, PROCESSING AND ANALYSIS OF STATISTICAL DATA IN FOREST SOILS Ana Cristina Meira, J. P. Meixedo……………….…………………………… 68 USING PESERA TO MANAGE DESERTIFICATION PROCESSES FOLLOWING WILDFIRES IN GÓIS AND MAÇÃO, PORTUGAL Tanya Esteves, António Ferreira, J. A. Soares, Mike Kirkby, Rick Shakesby, Brian Irvine, C. S. Ferreira, Celeste Coelho, M. A. Carreiras…………………. 69 CHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF TERRA PRETA DO ÍNDIO SOILS, PALEOSOILS AND A SOIL FROM THE NORTH OF GALICIA AFFECTED BY FOREST FIRES María Teresa García Ares, R. Pardo Lorenzo, Manuel Bao Iglesias, Felipe Macías Vázquez………………………………………………………………... 75 RUNOFF RATES, WATER EROSION AND WATER QUALITY ON A SOIL COVERED WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF ASH Merche B. Bodí, Francisco Javier León Miranda, Artemi Cerdà, Victoria Balfour, Jorge Mataix-Solera, Stefan Helmut Doerr…………………………... 80
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CHARACTERIZING THE HYDROLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF WILDFIRE ASH Scott W. Woods, Victoria N. Balfour………………………………………….. 85 DEPOSITIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF POST-FIRE FLOODING FOLLOWING THE SCHULTZ FIRE, SAN FRANCISCO PEAKS, ARIZONA Karen Ann Koestner, Mike D. Carroll, Daniel G. Neary, Peter E. Koestner, Ann Youberg………………………………………………………………….... 90 HYDROLOGICAL RESPONSE OF A SMALL CATCHMENT BURNED BY EXPERIMENTAL FIRE Cathelijne Stoof, Joost Iwema, António Ferreira, Rutger Willem Vervoort….. 94 SOIL WATER REPELLENCY PERSISTENCE AFTER RECURRENT FOREST FIRES, MT. CARMEL, ISRAEL Naama Tessler, Lea Wittenberg, Noam Greenbaum…………………………... 99 IMPACTS OF WILDFIRE ON SOIL REPELLENCY WITHIN OBLIGATE RESPROUTER COMMUNITIES NEAR SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA Jessica Tamara Heath, Chris Chafer, Thomas Bishop…………………………. 104 THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF SOIL WATER REPELLENCY IN DETERMINING RUNOFF-INFILTRATION PROCESSES IN BURNED MEDITERRANEAN FOREST SOILS Lea Wittenberg, Dan Malkinson, Annelies Voogt, Danny Leska, Eli Argaman, Saskia Keestra………………………………………………………………….. 110 VARIABILITY OF THE SOIL THERMAL PROPERTIES AFTER PRESCRIBED FIRE Carles M. Rubio, Luís Outeiro, Francesc Ferrer, Xavier Úbeda…………….. 115 DO STAKEHOLDERS KNOW WHAT HAPPENS TO SOIL AFTER FOREST FIRES? A CASE STUDY IN CENTRAL PORTUGAL Cristina Ribeiro, Celeste Coelho, Sandra Valente, Teresa Carvalho, Elisabete Figueiredo……………………………………………………………………… 119 COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTS OF POST-FIRE SOIL STABILIZATION TREATMENTS ON SOIL EROSION CONTROL AND IN SELECTED SOIL PROPERTIES IN GALICIA (NW SPAIN) María Teresa Fonturbel, Montserrat Diaz-Raviña, José António Vega, Serafín J. González-Prieto, Cristina Fernandez, Ángela Martín, Enrique Jiménez, Ana Barreiro, Tarsy Carballas………………………………………………………. 123 ROCK GABION, ROCK ARMORING, AND CULVERT TREATMENTS CONTRIBUTING TO AND REDUCING EROSION DURING POST-FIRE FLOODING - SCHULTZ FIRE 20102 Daniel George Neary, Karen A. Koestner, Ann Youberg……………………... 128
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EFFECTIVENESS OF TWO MULCH TREATMENTS CONTROLLING SOIL EROSION AND WATER CONSERVATION Celeste Alves Coelho, Sérgio Prats, Alexandra Pinheiro, Teresa Carvalho, Anne-Karine Boulet, António Ferreira, João Soares…………………………... 132 PRELIMIARY DATA OF SOIL PROPERTIES AND SOIL EROSION FOLLOWING A WILDFIRE AND DIFFERENT POST-FIRE SOIL STABILIZATION TREATMENTS IN LAZA (NW SPAIN) Montserrat Díaz Raviña, A Martín, A. Barreiro, A. Lombao, M. J. Goméz, A. Couto-Vázquez, L. Iglesias, F. Díaz-Fierros, T. Carballas……………………. 136 GEOMORPHIC ASPECTS OF POST-FIRE SOIL EROSION – SCHULTZ FIRE 2010 Ann Youberg, Karen Ann Koestner, Daniel G. Neary, Peter E. Koestner…….. 140 SOIL PROPERTIES IN BURND AND UNBURND MEDITERRANEAN SHRUBLANDS IN MONTESINHO NATURAL PARK, NORTHEAST PORTUGAL Felícia Fonseca, Micaela Leite, Tomás de Figueiredo………………………… 144 HOW COAL FIRES AFFECT THE CLAYS: AN INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH Sorin - Corneliu Radan, Silviu Radan…………………………………………. 148 CONTRASTING EFFECTS OF FIRE ON FOREST AND AGRICULTURAL SOILS Cornelia Rumpel, Bruno Mary, Yessica Rivas, Christian Valentin, C. Nocentini, G. Certini, Francisco Matus………………………………………... 153 RILL EROSION IN BURNED FORESTS Joseph W. Wagenbrenner, Peter R. Robichaud……………………………….
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FIRE IMPACT ON SOIL AND NUTRIENT LOSSES IN SCHIST MOUNTAIN AREAS: CENTRAL PORTUGAL STUDY Richard Shakesby, Carla Sofia Santos Ferreira, Rory Walsh, Célia Bento, António Ferreira, Cathelijne Stoof……………………………….. 160 SOIL MICROBIAL COMMUNITY STRUCTURE AS AFFECTED BY A WILDFIRE IN LAZA (NW SPAIN) Alba Lombao, A. Barreiro, A. Martín, M. Raviña…………………………….. 165 IMMEDIATE AND SHORT-TERM EFFECTS OFF A WILDFIRE ON SOIL BIOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES IN LAZA (NW SPAIN) Ana Barreiro, A. Lombao, A. Martín, M. Raviña……………………………. 168
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NEAR INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY TO ESTIMATE TEMPERATURES OF BURNED SOILS: IMPORTANCE OF SAMPLE VARIABILITY IN MODEL CONSTRUCTION Andrea Pérez-Bejarano, César Guerrero, Jorge Mataix-Solera, Victoria Arcenegui, Gema Bárcenas, Jose Martín Soriano-Disla, Jorge Mataix-Beneyto 171 ADAPTACLIMA - ADAPTATION TO THE EFFECTS FROM CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE AVE António Bento Gonçalves, António Vieira, Flora Ferreira Leite, José Martins, Domingos Silva, Vera Soares………………………………………………….. 175 THE IMPORTANCE OF PINE NEEDLES IN REDUCING SOIL EROSION FOLLOWING A LOW/MEDIUM INTENSITY WILDFIRE IN JUNCEDA (PORTUGAL) – AN EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN António Bento Gonçalves, António Vieira, Luciano Lourenço, José Salgado, Luís Mendes, Américo Castro, Flora Ferreira Leite…………………………… 181 GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT RESEARCH ON FOREST FIRES AND SOIL EROSION António Vieira, António Bento Gonçalves, Carla Martins, Flora Ferreira Leite, Luís Mendes…………………………………………………………….. 186 IMMEDIATE POST-FIRE SOIL INTERVENTIONS IN FORESTED AREAS Celeste Alves Coelho, Sérgio Prats, Alexandra Pinheiro, Teresa Carvalho, Anne-Karine Boulet, António Ferreira………………………………………… 192 EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN TO MODEL INFILTRATION INTO AWATER REPELLENT SOIL USING A CRUST-TYPE INFILTRATION EQUATION Dennis Fox, Cyriel Adnès, Jean Morschel, Frédéric Darboux………………… 195 MODELING POST-FIRE RUNOFF AND EROSION AT THE MICROPLOT SCALE UNDER SIMULATED RAINFALL IN EUCALYPT PLANTATIONS IN NORTH-CENTRAL PORTUGAL Diana Catarina Vieira, Maruxa Malvar, João Pedro Nunes, Jan Jacob Keizer... 196 INITIAL STAGE OF FUNGAL SUCCESSION IN DIFFERENTLY MANAGED POST-FIRE PINUS MUGO PLANTATIONS ON THE BALTIC SEA COAST Ernestas Kutorga, Gražina Adamonytė, Reda Iršėnaitė, Sigitas Juzėnas, Jonas Kasparavičius, Svetlana Markovskaja, Jurga Motiejūnaitė, Aušra Treigienė…. 197 THE FREQUENCY OF FIRES AND LAND DEGRADATION - CABEÇO DA VESSADA DO MONTE, SERRA DA CABREIRA Flora Ferreira Leite, António Bento Gonçalves, António Vieira, Luís da Vinha 198
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RAINFALL SIMULATIONS AND FOREST FIRES IN THE CENTRAL SECTOR OF THE EBRO BASIN Francisco Javier Leon Miranda, C. Alvarez, D. Badia, M. Echeverria, C. Martí, P. Ibarra…………………………………………………………………. 203 THE EFFECTS OF RECURRENT RAINFALL EVENTS ON THE HYDROLOGICAL CHANGES OF SOIL SURFACES COVERED BY ASH Francisco Javier Leon Miranda, M. B. Bodí, A. Cerdà, J. Mataix-Solera, M. Echeverría……………………………………………………………………… 208 AGING OF BLACK CARBON IN THE PROTECTED MARSHLAND OF THE GUADALQUIVIR DELTA, SOUTHERN SPAIN Heike Knicker, Francisco Javier Gonzaléz Vila, Luis Clemente Salas………... 213 CATION’S WASHING IN BURNED SOIL: A RAINFALL SIMULATION STUDY José Javier Cancelo González, María Ermitas Rial Rivas, Francisco DíazFierros Viqueira………………………………………………………………... 214 FAST CHARACTERIZATION OF WILDFIRE EFFECTS ON SOIL ORGANIC MATTER BY ANALYTICAL PYROLYSIS Jose Maria de la Rosa, Maria Eufemia Varela, Silvia Regina Faria, Maria Fátima Araújo, Francisco Javier Gonzalez Vila, Heike Knicker, José António González Pérez, Jan Jacob Keizer……………………………………………... 218 EFFECTS OF PRESCRIBED FIRE ON CARBON STORAGE AND LOSS IN DEGRADED PINE FOREST AND PINE-OAK FOREST AT NAM NAO NATIONAL PARK, THAILAND Kwonchai Chinwong, Kobsak Wanthongchai, Vorrdesh Tarusadamrongdet, Singkuon Rugsamanee, Punpong Kongdetadisak……………………………... 224 JOINT EFFECTS OF FIRE AND DROUGHT ON THE SEASONAL PATTERNS OF SOIL NUTRIENT AVAILABILITY AND MICROBIAL ACTIVITY M Belén Hinojosa, António Parra, David António Ramírez, José António Carreira, Roberto García-Ruiz, José Manuel Moreno…………………………. 228 SHORT-TERM CHANGES IN SOIL PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES AFTER WILDFIRES IN NW SPAIN María E. Varela, Elena Benito, María Rodríguez-Alleres, Jan Jacob Keizer….. 229 EFFECTS OF WILDFIRE ON SOIL WATER REPELLENCY AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS FOR SOIL EROSION Maria Rodriguez Alleres, María Eufemia Varela Teijeiro, Elena Benito Rueda 230 WILDFIRE EFFECTS ON HIDROCHEMISTRY OF MARÃO RIVER WATERSHED Maria Rosario Costa, José Aranha……………………………………………... 231
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EVOLUTION OF SOIL ORGANIC MATTER AFTER FIRE: A 20-YEAR CHRONOSEQUENCE Marie A. ALEXIS, H. Knicker, C. Anquetil, C. Rumpel……………………… 237 OVERLAND FLOW AND SOIL EROSION AT MICRO-PLOT SCALE IN SIX RECENTLY BURNT EUCALYPT STANDS IN NORTH-CENTRAL PORTUGAL Maruxa Malvar Cortizo, J. P. Nunes, J. Jacob Keizer.………………………… 240 POTENTIAL AND EFFECTIVE RESPONSE TO FIRE OF THE SEED BANK OF A MEDITERRANEAN HEATLAND Paula Maia, Isabel Fernandes, Ana Vasques, Domingos Viegas, Juli Pausas, J. Jacob Keizer……………………………………………………………………. 241 SOIL PROTECTION BY ASH AFTER A WILDFIRE Paulo Pereira, Artemi Cerdà, Xavier Úbeda, J. Mataix-Solera, Deborah Martin 242 IMPACT OF A FOREST REGENERATION METHOD USED AFTER FIRE ON SOME SOIL PROPERTIES Piotr Sewerniak, Slawomir S. GONET………………………………………... 247 BIOAVAILABLE METAL MICRONUTRIENT IN THE RHIZOSPHERE BURNED SOILS Pura Marcet, Saleta Gonzalez………………………………………………….. 251 RECLAMATION OF A BURNED FOREST SOIL WITH FISH MANURE VERMICOMPOST Pura Marcet, Saleta Gonzalez, Beatriz Coleiro………………………………... 254 APPLICABILITY OF THE CURVE NUMBER TO THE SOIL HYDROLOGICAL RESPONSE FOLLOWING PRESCRIBED BURNING IN A HEATHLAND ECOSYSTEM (TEMPERATE-HUMID NW SPAIN) Rosario Basanta, Francisco Díaz-Fierros………………………………………. 258 EFFECTIVENESS OF HYDRO-MULCHING TO REDUCE RUNOFF AND EROSION IN A RECENTLY BURNT AND LOGGED MARITIME PINE STAND IN NORTH-CENTRAL PORTUGAL Sérgio Alegre, Maruxa Cortizo, Sílvia Faria, Diana Vieira, Paula Maia, Ana Vasques, Alexandra Albuquerque, Max X. Shen, Hein Vermin, Jan J. Keizer... 263 COAL PALAEOFIRES IN THE WESTERN DACIC BASIN: GEOPHYSICAL, MINERALOGICAL AND GEOCHEMICAL SIGNATURES RECOVERED FROM PORCELANITES AND CLINKERS; A CASE HISTORY Sorin - Corneliu Radan, Silviu Radan…………………………………………. 266
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IMPORTANCE OF DTM ACCURACY, PRECISION AND ACQUISITION TECHNIQUE FOR ESTIMATING CONTRIBUTING AREAS OF POSTFIRE EROSION AT THE SLOPE AND CATCHMENT SCALE S. Cambra, L. Pereira, J. Jacob Keizer………………………………………… 271 SOIL NUTRIENTS AND ORGANIC MATTER STOCKS AND THEIR LOSSES BY RUNOFF FOLLOWING WILDFIRE IN NORTH-CENTRAL PORTUGAL J. Jacob Keizer, N. J. Abrantes, I. M. A. N. Campos, M. M. A. Cerqueira, G. Erny, V. I. Esteves, S. R. Faria, R. S. V. Ferreira, M. C. Malvar, J. P. Nunes, M. I. S. Nunes, S. A. Prats, M. E. T. Varela, S. Van den Heuvel, M. Xufeng Shen……………………………………………………………………………. 272 POST-FIRE NUTRIENT LOSSES BY RUNOFF FROM PLOT SCALE IN NORTH-CENTRAL PORTUGAL R. S. V. Ferreira, M. M. A. Cerqueira, J. Jacob Keizer………………………... 273 AUTHOR INDEX…………………………………………………………...
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Do stakeholders know what happens to soil after forest fires? A case study in Central Portugal Cristina Ribeiroa, Celeste Coelhoa, Sandra Valentea*, Teresa Carvalhoa, Elisabete Figueiredob a
CESAM – Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar; Departamento de Ambiente e Ordenamento, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro; b GOVCOPP – Unidade de Investigação em Governança, Competitividade e Políticas Públicas, Secção Autónoma Ciências Sociais, Jurídicas e Políticas - Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro *
[email protected] Key-words: Forest fires.
Introduction The integration of ecological and social aspects is essential to a successful post-fire management (Toman et al., 2008). Forest fires produce major impacts on soil, water and vegetation. Fires can produce on-site and off-site degradation impacts that result in property damage, ecosystems disruption and ultimately in loss of human life and injuries. If environmental impacts of fires are well known, the integration of this knowledge on forestry practices is far from being completely addressed. Ferreira et. al. (2008) demonstrate that fires affect negatively soil properties (infiltration rate, porosity, conductivity and storage capacity), organic matter and soil structure and also increase overland flow and erosion yields, mainly due to the destruction of ground cover and major changes in soil structure. The mitigation of these impacts demands a combined post-fire intervention including public authorities, forest owners and local stakeholders. Nevertheless there is a low public awareness about the importance of those interventions (Ribeiro et. al, 2010). Fire management is a complex issue which comprises a set of different activities ranging from pre-fire up to post-fire interventions (Toman et. al, 2008). These interventions focus in three different stages of action, namely: i) prevention of large fires; ii) mitigation of fire impacts; and iii) burned areas rehabilitation. At all these stages, interventions require trust and confidence between all the stakeholders. This is even more necessary in post-fire intervention, where public opinion is affected by the occurrence of the event. Olsen and Schindler (2010) referred the need of establishing a long term commitment between organizations and citizens as an essential tool to promote post-fire management acceptance. The knowledge about the community where post-fire interventions takes place is also a very important aspect, since it can influence the decision-making process about management. Past experience showed that more active communities are better prepared to respond, plan and collaborate with agencies on post-fire intervention (Steelman et. al, 2004 in Ryan and Hamim, 2008). Studies developed in burned forest areas demonstrated that the success of the implementation of post-fire techniques relies on the social capital and on the involvement of citizens in post-fire planning and management (Olsen and Schindler, 2010). Since postfire intervention is a complex process, it should be integrated in the management process, including prevention actions, such as reduction of fuel to mitigate fire risk (Toman et. al, 2008). Financial and technical support to communities is also of paramount relevance to promote pos-fire interventions.
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Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) demands the involvement of communities, forest agencies, forest entreprisis and public agencies (Leskinen, 2004; Dhubháin et. al, 2008) throughout the entire process. In fact, public participatory approaches can only be successful if a social learning process is embraced since the beginning (Leskinen, 2004). The participatory planning aims to improve decisions about forest management, reduce conflicts of interest and achieve consensus about the goals and fundamental actions to SFM (Ryan and Hamim, 2008). Another important aspect is, as mentioned, to develop trust between public entities, forest organizations and citizens (Olsen and Shindler, 2010). This is extremely important to change perceptions about the role and actions of each stakeholder as well as to develop partnerships and joint work towards SFM. Ryan and Hamim (2008) highlight that the public perception about the institutional framework of natural resources management depends on pre-existent confidence on the entities and on past collaboration experiences. However, other aspects such as socio demographic characteristics and individual and social perceptions about environment are also important variables influencing those perceptions. Objectives The main aim of this communication is to discuss forest owners and managers´ social perceptions regarding the effects of fires on soil and the need of post-fire intervention to mitigate soil degradation. This study was carried out under the scope of RECOVER project which aims to develop immediate soil management strategies for recovery after forest fires. Under this project a social survey was undertaken in Pessegueiro do Vouga parish representing a typical forest landscape of Central Portugal. This area is integrated in the municipality of Sever do Vouga in which the main land use is forest, mostly occupied by Pinus pinaster and, more recently, Eucalyptus globulus. The area has been recurrently affected by intense fires. Forest is mainly composed by small-holdings and it is a complementary, even residual, activity regarding family income. Together with the above mentioned aspects, this circumstance is reflected in low levels of intervention on forest. Methodology The data collection, using a semi-structured interview, was developed in two phases. In the first phase, the interview was applied to the forest owners living at the study area. A sample of 28 respondents representing 15% of the total forest owners within the parish, was used considering their distribution by age groups, by size of the forest holdings and by the dominant forest species. In the second phase the interview was applied to local entities, such as the local authority of Pessegueiro do Vouga parish, the City Council of Sever do Vouga, the Technical Forest Office of Sever do Vouga, the Agricultural Cooperative of Sanfins, the head of Sever do Vouga Fire Brigade, and a forest enterprise Portucel Soporcel. The aim of this methodology was to collect data on the possible different visions about forest fires and forest management, as well as to obtain information in order to compare intervention and decision making and management perspectives. The respondents were asked questions on the environment impacts of forest fires, in particular soil changes. Questions related to post fire interventions to remediate fire effects on the soil, the techniques available, their knowledge on those recovery actions and their acceptance and the implementation of those techniques in their land, were also considered.
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Results and conclusions Despite the recognition of the relevance of social and institutional aspects regarding social and economic effects of forest fires, environmental damages of large fires are also very important and demand particular efforts from the forest owners producers. Several studies have demonstrated some environmental benefits of prescribed burning, namely to vegetation and biodiversity such as reducing organic matter accumulation and increasing landscape diversity (Ferreira et. al, 2009). This communication aims to discuss whether local stakeholders related with forest management are aware of fire effects on soil. In fact, changes on soil structure and soil quality were mentioned both by forest owners and local entities. These changes are mostly linked with erosion, soil permeability and fertility. Respondents recognized that soil degradation after fire is observed in different ways: such as small rills, loss of topsoil and also the appearance of a drier horizon or a stony soil. Most respondents also perceived changes on soil infiltration after fire, by the increase of water runoff. However, two respondents mentioned the opposite effect. Finally, the increase of soil fertility after a fire was also perceived as a beneficial consequence due to the incorporation of ashes on the soil. More than 50% of forest owners were affected by fires in their own properties. The forest owners‟ main interventions after fire are not directly related with the mitigation of fire effects on soil. These interventions are mainly linked with the removal of burned wood and litter and the planting of new trees (Ribeiro et. al, 2010). The forest owners absenteeism, lack of interest and low investment on forestry was also mentioned by the local entities as a constraint to forest management. Concerning the implementation of specific post-fire management techniques, the results show that forest owners have no knowledge about their existence. However some respondents referred practices that can mitigate soil erosion, such as cutting the branches which cover the soil after fire. Mulching, application of barriers, channels cleaning and paths treatments are examples of post-fire techniques largely used in the USA, Canada and Australia burned areas to mitigate immediate soil erosion (Robichaud et. al, 2000; Robichaud and Brown, 2005). Some respondents from local entities recognized some of these techniques. The implementation of these techniques is almost inexistent, except some on-going research experiences (Coelho et. al, in this conference) and public interventions. In fact, individual intervention on forest is focused on production areas, aiming to have some economic profit from timber production. The implementation of these measures demands a long-term vision, which does not exist in the current Portuguese forest management framework. This study also addressed the predisposition of forest owners to increase their knowledge about post-fire intervention. Most respondents demonstrated interest to obtain information through practical demonstrations and training on the field. In parallel, the entities interviewed demonstrated willingness to collaborate in these activities, as well as in promoting local partnerships to achieve such purpose. The literature review highlights the relevance of trust and cooperation between entities, stakeholders and general citizens. The acceptance and implementation of post-fire techniques to reduce soil erosion can only be possible if this involvement is achieved. The empirical evidence shows the existence of interest and willingness to cooperate from both categories of respondents interviewed. In brief, to the question present in the title - do stakeholders know what happens to soil after forest fires? – and considering the evidence provided by the study, a very accurate
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answer would be: yes, they do. But due to lack of knowledge of mitigation techniques available and cooperation, this it is not reflected in their interventions. Acknowledgment The research described in this paper was developed under several projects, namely on the framework of RECOVER project (PTDC/AGR-AAM/73350/2006) funded by Fundação para a Ciência e para a Tecnologia (FCT), and RAA project, funded by the Permanent Forest Fund (IFADAP/INGA). References Coelho, C., Prats, S., Carvalho, T., Pinheiro, A., Ferreira, A., Soares J. 2011. Effectiveness of two mulch treatments controlling soil erosion and water conservation. Proceedings book of the International Meeting of Fire Effects on Soil Properties (in prep.). 15-19 March of 2011 - Guimarães, Portugal Coelho, C., Valente, S., Ferreira, A., Soares, J., Carvalho, T., Ribeiro, C. 2010. Forest Fire Versus desertification in Portugal. International Conference on Combating Land Degradation in Agricultural Areas (LANDCON 1010). October 11-15, 2010. Xi‟an, China. Dhubháin, Á.N., Fléchard, M.C., Moloney, R., O`Connor, D. 2008. Stakeholders’ perceptions of forestry in rural areas—Two case studies in Ireland. Land Use Policy, 7, pp. 9. Ferreira A.J.D., Silva J.S., Coelho C.O.A., Boulet A.K., Keizer J.J., 2009 The Portuguese Experience in Managing Fire Effects In: Fire Effects on soils and restoration strategies. Cérda A. e Robichaud P. (eds) Land Reconstruction and Management. Vol 5. 401-424pp Ferreira, A., Ritsema, C., Coelho, C., Boulet, AK., Keizer, J. 2008. Soil and water degradation processes in burned areas: Lessons learned from a nested approach. Catena, 74, 273-285. Leskinen, L.A. 2004. Purposes and challenges of public participation in regional and local forestry in Finland. Forest Policy and Economics, 6, 605-618. Olsen, C.S, and Shindler, B.A. 2010. Trust, acceptance, and citizen–agency interactions after large fires: influences on planning processes. International Journal of Wildland Fire 19: 137-147. Ribeiro, C., Figueiredo, E., Coelho, C., Valente, S., Carvalho, T. 2010. Uma árvore não faz a floresta? Análise da percepção dos proprietários florestais face aos incêndios e sua actuação. Em: E. Figueiredo, E. Kastenholz, M.C. Eusébio, M.C. Gomes, M.J. Carneiro, P. Batista, S. Valente (Org.). IV Congresso de Estudos Rurais – Mundos Rurais em Portugal: Múltiplos Olhares, Múltiplos Futuros. Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, 4 a 6 de Fevereiro, pp. 172-173. Robichaud, Peter R.; Beyers, Jan L.; Neary, Daniel G. (2000). Evaluating the effectiveness of postfire rehabilitation treatments. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-63. Fort Collins: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 85 p. Robichaud, P. R.; Brown, R. E. (2005). Postfire Rehabilitation Treatments: Are We Learning What Works? Proceedings of the 2005 Watershed Management Conference. July 19-22, Williamsburg, VA. 13 p. Toman, E.L.; Shindler, B.; Absher, J.; McCaffrey, S. 2008. Postfire Communications: The Influence of site visits on local Support. Journal of forestry 25-30
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