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AB - The article contains all presentation abstracts from the Wildland Fire track of the 2013 Society of American Foresters National Convention. Soils & Hydrology Charles Luce Zachary Holden John Abatzoglou a Corresponding author (cluce@fs.fed.us). b USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Boise, ID 83702. c USDA Forest Service, Missoula, MT 59802. d University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844. Trends in Pacific Northwest Streamflows: Causes and Consequences for Forests 71 A changing climate means more than warming temperatures; precipitation patterns around the globe are changing too. Precipitation changes are some of the most difficult to project for the future, and there is substantial uncertainty in the Northwestern United States. Even greater uncertainty is associated with mountainous areas, where most of our water originates. Despite uncertainty in projections, it is important to understand the influence of precipitation because many ecological processes are much more sensitive to water balances than temperature, and the effects may be more disruptive than anticipated. Declining snowpacks, earlier streamflow timing, and declining streamflow have been noted in Pacific Northwest mountains over the last 60 years. Understanding the causality of the trends is hampered by the lack of high-elevation precipitation data spanning this period. The observational network of precipitation gages located in lower-elevation valleys (USHCNv2) has seen only slight declines over the same period. To many, this suggests that the trends in streamflows and forests are driven by temperature increases. An important assumption behind that conclusion, however, is that high-elevation precipitation is strongly correlated with low-elevation precipitation. We present a series of interrelated analyses demonstrating that the decline of orographic precipitation enhancement offers an important additional mechanism for describing patterns in the observed trends. We also offer theory and observations supporting the idea that trends in orographic precipitation may be a manifestation of warming air temperatures, representing a second pathway for climate change effects in mountain landscapes in the Pacific Northwest. Finally, we discuss how the distinction in process is critical to adaptation in land and water management. Charles Houder a Corresponding author (chh@srwmd.org). b Suwannee River Water Management District, Live Oak, FL 32060. Managing Forests for Water Resources in the Steinhatchee River Basin 100 The 586-square-mile Steinhatchee River basin sits within Florida's Gulf Coastal Lowlands. Forests in the basin have been subject to significant timber harvesting since the late 1800s and industrial silviculture since the mid 1900s. Throughout this period, landowners installed drainage ditches and canals to improve access to the timber and to make additional lands suitable for plantations of principally slash pine (Pinus elliotii). In the late 1980s, local residents began to raise concerns about the impact of silvicultural drainage on the fisheries of the river and Gulf of Mexico. The Suwannee River Water Management District commissioned a 1990 study that partially supported these claims. A series of land purchases and management practices to restore the natural hydrology and forest communities followed. The largest single effort has been in Mallory Swamp, a perched wetland system that straddles the basin divide. Here, a 60,000-acre wildfire in 2001 effectively reset the ecological clock, facilitating one of the most extensive projects under the Wetland Reserve Program. On the 31,000 acres in public ownership, roller chopping and burning have allowed re-emergence of the herbaceous ground cover and the re-establishment of the pine overstory. Upgraded control structures and a series of 58 ditch blocks control discharge from the swamp to mimic natural sheet flow. The installation of 311 culverts has restored the movement of water within the property by reconnecting bisected wetlands. Meanwhile, new concerns about the sustainability of north Florida's water supply have initiated the planning of projects for water storage and aquifer replenishment. Gene Theodori a Corresponding author (gtheodori@shsu.edu). b Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX 77341-2446. Objective and Perceived Effects of Shale Gas Development: A Sociological Perspective 119 Technological advances in horizontal drilling and multistage hydraulic fracturing are two primary factors associated with spawning the unprecedented shale gas boom during the past decade in the United States. Accompanying this tremendous surge in shale gas production is a barrage of controversy. At the center of the debate is the well stimulation/completion process known as hydraulic fracturing. Data collected in general population surveys from random samples of individuals in Texas and Pennsylvania are used to empirically examine both objective and perceptual issues associated with the exploration and production of shale gas. Further, these data are used to empirically examine issues associated with the public's views on the process of hydraulic fracturing, the management and disposal of frac flowback wastewaters, and frac flowback wastewater treatment technologies. Lastly, contributions made to self-reported knowledge of hydraulic fracturing by eight different sources and the amount of trust in each of the same sources to deliver unbiased, factual knowledge about the topic are investigated. The findings from this presentation should prove beneficial to forestry professionals, as well as other natural resource managers and agency personnel. Possible implications and recommendations of the results are advanced, as are suggestions for future research projects and outreach programs. Albert Lang W. Michael Aust M. Chad Bolding Kevin McGuire a Corresponding author (Lan0893@vt.edu). b Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061. Sediment Deposition from Forest Roads at Stream Crossings 127 Forestry best management practices (BMPs) have been developed to minimize erosion from nonpoint sources such as roads, yet implementation of BMPs is often constrained by costs, time, location, and terrain characteristics. Additionally, litigation regarding the silvicultural exemption of ditched forest roads and stream crossings have focused national attention on sediment delivery ratios and BMPs at stream crossing approaches. Estimates of sediment delivery from roads are needed to understand the effectiveness of BMPs in reducing the amount of erosion entering streams. The goal of this research project was to examine sediment production from forest road approaches at stream crossings. Forty road approaches were used in the study, ranging from low to high standard (temporary to permanent) representing a wide range of road characteristics, classes, and BMP levels. Approaches were located in the Ridge and Valley and Piedmont physiographic regions of Virginia and categorized into four road classes. Road attributes were characterized for each approach (dimensions, surfacing characteristics, BMPs used, etc.). At each approach, rubber waterbars were installed across the road to divert sediment from the approach into silt fence catchment areas. Sediment pins were installed within the catchment area to allow periodic measurement of sediment depths. Additionally, erosion potentials for approaches were modeled using the Universal Soil Loss Equation, Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (Version 2), and Water Erosion Prediction Project (Forest Road) and compared to actual sediment delivery. Current data represents one year of sediment measurements from the stream crossings as influenced by road standards and BMPs. Robert Burns Andrew Mowen Alan Graefe Chad Pierskalla a Corresponding author (robert.burns@mail.wvu.edu). b West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506. c Penn State University, State College, PA 16801. Outdoor Recreation and the Comprehensive Natural Gas Development Process 148 In this session we will discuss the newly emerging and potentially conflicting goals of the comprehensive natural gas development process and outdoor recreation. This process involves the development of infrastructure (roads, pipelines, etc.), the creation of jobs, the actual hydro-fracking process, and any number of other impacts, both positive and negative. There are potential threats to outdoor recreation, and potential benefits associated with the revenue associated with the natural gas development process and outdoor recreation. Although some recent studies have focused on social impacts of the gas development process (Theodori, et al.), little research has been conducted on the impacts on recreational resources or visitors' recreational experience. While severance fees from the comprehensive natural gas development process and other taxes have the potential to positively impact outdoor recreation resources other research suggests tourism in southern New York state may be negatively impacted. Beauge (2010) reported negative impacts on local recreation activities. Finally, Legere (2010) suggested that local communities may experience short-term increases in housing costs and increased traffic. Potential conflicts may exist between the goal of fracking and that of having a quality outdoor recreation experience and properly managing recreational resources. Clearly, a balance must be struck between these potentially divergent goals. To date, little conclusive research findings have been published on this topic. An open discussion focusing on the pros and cons of the comprehensive natural gas development process and the best methods of managing outdoor recreation in a manner that may allow the two convergent activities to coexist. Corinne Muldoon Peter Caldwell a University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455. b Corresponding author (peter_caldwell@ncsu.edu). c USDA Forest Service, Raleigh, NC 27606. National Forests and Water Supply under a Changing Climate 162 Surface water supply in the US and especially in the Southeast is highly dependent on water originating on forested lands. These water supplies are at risk of degradation from land use conversion and climate change. Here we use WaSSI, a hydrologic, spatially distributed, water accounting model to 1) estimate the water yield originating from NFS lands to serve the human population in the Southeastern US with drinking water, and 2) to examine the sensitivity of this water supply to climate change. WaSSI is an integrated monthly water balance and flow routing model that simulates the full hydrologic cycle for each of 10 land cover classes in 2,099 Watershed Boundary Dataset 8-digit Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) watersheds across the conterminous United States (674 HUC watersheds in the Southeast). Preliminary results for all forested lands (including NFS lands) indicate that forests in the Southeast (29% of the land area) provided 36% of the total water yield between 2001 and 2010. Forestland contribution to discharge at the outlets of HUCs ranged from 0–90% of total discharge (median 30% of total discharge) across the 674 HUCs in the Southeast. Of the 50.3 million people served by surface water in the Southeast in 2005, 20.9 million (42%) were served by water with more than 50% originating on forested lands. Water supply in areas where mean annual evapotranspiration approached mean annual precipitation (e.g. west Texas and coastal areas of South Carolina, Georgia, and Northeast Florida) were most sensitive to climate perturbation. Nicolas Zegre Patrick Eisenhauer Pamela Edwards a Corresponding author (nicolas.zegre@mail.wvu.edu). b West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506. c USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Parsons, WV 26287. Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Freshwater Resources—A Review 164 Advances in unconventional natural gas extraction methods, namely horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, have drawn attention to unconventional formations throughout the United States. Energy development continues to be heavily dependent on freshwater and as demand for freshwater increases so does the consumption of energy required to provide it. Surface impacts associated with the exploration of unconventional shale gas will undoubtedly occur through the development of necessary infrastructure, including new access roads, storm water systems, drilling pads, freshwater impoundments, and compressor stations, all of which increase landscape fragmentation. However uncertainty surrounding the direct and indirect impacts of shale gas development on fresh water resources remains and has the potential to conflict with water quality standards of other related natural resource industries, namely forestry. Key concerns are the contamination of shallow groundwater and surface water that supply many rural residents with clean drinking water; water withdrawals and in-stream flows; and wastewater generation. This presentation evaluates the effects shale gas energy development on surface and subsurface water resources by comparing and contrasting unconventional gas development to historical practices, focusing in the eastern US. The overall objective is to identify and inform natural resources managers of the potential impacts associated with unconventional shale gas extraction. The specific goals of our presentation are to (1) draw distinctions between conventional and unconventional drilling processes, (2) present a conceptual model of potential impacts to freshwater water resources and (3) discuss potential research approaches that contribute to our understanding of potential impacts of unconventional shale gas development. Patricia Butler Christopher Swanston Leslie Brandt Stephen Handler Maria Janowiak a Corresponding author (prbutler@mtu.edu). b Michigan Technological University, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Houghton, MI 49931. c USDA Forest Service, Climate, Fire and Carbon Cycle Science Unit, Houghton, MI 49931. d USDA Forest Service, St. Paul, MN 55108. Climate Change Response Framework 176 Land managers face the immense challenge of integrating the uncertainties of a changing climate into decisions that span large spatial and temporal scales. The Climate Change Response Framework is a collaborative, cross-boundary approach among scientists, managers, and landowners to incorporate climate change considerations into natural resource management. The Framework relies on four main components to deliver credible and relevant information to land managers and provide a process to apply that information at multiple scales: Partnerships engage a variety of land managers, scientists, and others who enrich the skills, lands, resources, and perspectives involved in this effort. Vulnerability assessments synthesize research about projected changes in climate and impacts on forest ecosystems in order to provide critical information to land managers. These assessments identify the species and ecosystems that are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Forest Adaptation Resources document provides a suite of information, ideas, and tools to help natural resource managers integrate climate change information into land management planning and decisionmaking. It includes a menu of adaptation actions and a workbook to assist managers in considering their management objectives, ecosystem vulnerabilities, and potential approaches for adaptation. Real-world examples use the resources described above to demonstrate how managers have integrated climate considerations into planning and activities. These projects grow partnerships and test new ideas and actions. These four components bring together federal, state, and tribal land management organizations, conservation organizations, and private forest owners in a collaborative effort to implement adaptive responses. James Vose a Corresponding author (jvose@fs.fed.us). b USDA Forest Service, Otto, NC 28763. Climate, Forests, and Water: Expectations from the USDA National Climate Assessment 178 The importance of forest watersheds for ensuring high quality and well regulated water flows is among the most well accepted tenets of forestry. Decades of research from experimental watersheds has shown that forests deliver the cleanest water among alternative land uses, buffer hydrologic extremes, and can be actively managed without significant impacts on water resources. As the climate continues to change, key questions arise about whether our current understanding, models, and management practices will be compatible with a rapidly changing climate and new disturbance regimes. The National Climate Assessment takes a forward look at how direct and indirect impacts of climate change could impact hydrologic processes. For example, the effects of elevated CO2 on water budgets will likely be modest compared to the direct impacts of changes in precipitation. Increases in large scale disturbances such as fire, bark beetle outbreaks, and defoliating insects will likely increase runoff and reduce water quality. In snow dominated forest ecosystems, increased temperatures will likely impact snow cover depth, duration, and extent and the timing of runoff. Changes in species composition, either through mortality or management, can also impact water resources. For example, planting fast growth species to sequester carbon or for bioenergy may result in greater water demand compared to other land uses. In addition, I will discuss potential management options for mitigating impacts with examples from long-term watershed studies. Brian Morris a Corresponding author (brian.morris@vt.edu). b Virginia Tech, Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, Blacksburg, VA 24061. Forest Road Stream Crossings. How Big Is the Problem? 184 Forest road stream crossings are required in many parts of the country for forest management and recreational activities. Due to the recent nonpoint source pollutant hearing by the United States Supreme Court and proposed rule changes by the Environmental Protection Agency, industry and agency professionals have questioned crossing permitting processes as well as the adequacy of current guidelines. This project was designed to evaluate the sedimentation problem associated with permanent haul road stream crossings as well as the adequacy of current BMPs in the Piedmont region of Virginia. Rainfall simulation experiments were conducted on three different crossing structures (ford, culvert and wood panel bridge) with varying levels of BMPs (low, standard, and high). Stream water samples were collected during rainfall simulations and analyzed to determine the sediment contributions. The resulting sedimentation data and VA Department of Forestry BMP stream crossing audit data were combined to allow for the estimation of total sediment contribution from stream crossings as well as total sediment contribution for each stream crossing type at the regional scale. Overall the bridge crossing resulted in the lowest sediment contribution, followed by the ford and the culvert. However, audit data analysis indicates that culvert crossings are the most common permanent crossing type, followed by fords and bridges. The larger quantity of culverts coupled with their larger sediment contribution indicates that forest managers should focus on their BMP efforts for culverts while considering the use of other possible crossing structures with lower rates of sediment contribution. Richard Cristan M. Chad Bolding W. Michael Aust Scott Barrett John Munsell a Corresponding author (rcristan@vt.edu). b Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24060. Assessment of State-Developed and -Implemented Forestry Best Management Practices 199 Since the Federal Water Pollution Act of 1972, most US states have developed and implemented forestry best management practices (BMPs) during and after forestry operations. Monitoring and implementation of forestry BMPs typically vary by state. Forestry BMP guidelines are generally nonregulatory in the southeastern states. In many northeastern and Pacific Northwest states, forestry BMP guidelines are mandatory through Forest Practice Acts. Alternatively, some states such as Virginia are quasi-regulatory so that BMP guidelines are nonregulatory but water quality infractions can result in fines. Depending on the state, agencies or organizations other than forestry may be conducting the monitoring and implementation of forestry BMPs. There have been few studies that compare monitoring strategies and implementation of forestry BMPs between regions and states. This study surveyed the most involved state organization in each US state regarding their forestry BMP program. The survey was initially sent to all state foresters to direct the survey to the most appropriate personnel in their agency or to the proper agency. The survey included questions on which agency monitors forestry BMPs, most recent guidelines or revisions, rates of compliance, sites evaluated for each BMP guideline, monitoring methods, the nature of state BMP guidelines (regulatory or nonregulatory), and state budget and personnel allocated to water quality protection. Survey results will be used to evaluate the status and implementation of forestry BMPs for each state and region of the United States. Kristopher Brown W. Michael Aust Kevin McGuire W. Cully Hession C. Andrew Dolloff a Corresponding author (krisrb3@vt.edu). b Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061. Quantifying BMP Effects on Sediment Delivery at Forest Stream Crossings 202 Hydrologic and soil erosion models have been developed to assist forest land managers in identifying high-risk areas for sediment delivery to streams and implementing appropriate Best Management Practices (BMPs) for water quality protection. Previous studies indicate that USLE-Forest and Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) can successfully predict soil erosion from forest roads. However, model performance has not been evaluated at the road-stream interface for a wide range of road approach characteristics and Best Management Practice (BMP) implementation. Such approaches are crucial because the US EPA is currently requesting that state forestry organizations further document the relationship between BMP compliance and sediment delivery. Use of calibrated models is the most feasible methodology for wide-scale examination of these linkages in a timely fashion. Therefore, this research will examine USLE-Forest and WEPP predictions of sediment delivery rates from forest road stream crossing approaches in the Virginia Piedmont region to evaluate the sediment-reduction efficacy of forestry BMPs. The objectives for this research are to: 1) Test model performance by comparing predicted and measured annual sediment delivery rates; 2) Use models to predict annual sediment delivery rates for a wide range of road approaches; 3) Evaluate the cost effectiveness of complete and partial graveling to reduce sediment delivery by comparing model predictions representing observed field conditions with those having increasing levels of gravel surface coverage on the approaches; 4) Examine the relationship between Virginia Department of Forestry BMP audit scores and model predictions of road approach sediment delivery rates. R. Wayne Skaggs Shiying Tian George Chescheir Devendra Amatya Francois Birgand a Corresponding author (skaggs@ncsu.edu). b North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695. c USDA Forest Service, Center for Forested Wetlands Research, Cordesville, SC 29434. Effect of Afforestation on Watershed Outflow: A Simulation Study 235 It is not possible to answer the question “What is the effect of afforestation on annual or seasonal outflow from a watershed?” in the general case. The effect of afforestation on hydrology depends on many factors. Chief among them is climate; so the question and its answer should at least be expressed in terms of location, which more or less defines weather conditions and the basis for the hydrologic response to afforestation. This presentation will report results of a simulation study of hydrologic response to afforestation at 10 locations around the world. DRAINMOD-Forest was used to simulate the hydrology of drained, field-scale watersheds under both pasture and plantation pine for long periods of weather record at each location. Analysis of results indicated that afforestation of pasture lands resulted in decreases of long term average annual outflow by 20 to 100 percent depending on annual precipitation and potential evapotranspiration. Prediction of reduction in outflow caused by afforestation was strongly correlated to the ratio of precipitation to potential evapotranspiration. Devendra Amatya Zhaohua Dai Shiying Tian a Corresponding author (damatya@fs.fed.us). b USDA Forest Service, Center for Forested Wetlands Research, Cordesville, SC 29434. c USDA Forest Service, North-Central Research Station, Newtown Square, PA 19073. d North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7625. Forest Potential Evapotranspiration- Importance in Assessment of Forest Water Balance 243 Climate change and commonly used ecohydrologic models often estimate annual catchment water balance/availability as a difference between precipitation and potential evapotranspiration (PET) for unlimited moisture conditions. Depending upon availability of data, PET, in those models, is most often estimated using process-based Penman-Monteith (P-M), FAO-Penman or energy-balance (Priestlay-Taylor) or temperature-based (Thornthwaite) methods for a well-watered grass reference. In this paper, long-term annual and seasonal water annual balance simulated by DRAINMOD-FOREST model for a pine forest in North Carolina are compared to those obtained by using the grass reference P-M PET and discussed for potential discrepancies. Similarly, potential effects on long-term water balance simulated by MIKESHE for a natural forest watershed at Santee Experimental Forest in South Carolina using the grass P-M PET are discussed in the context of estimated forest P-M PET obtained from a weather station data above the forest canopy. Later, the effects on water balances using widely used Priestlay-Taylor method and its standard coefficient of 1.26 to compensate for P-Maerodynamic component are also examined for both of these humid coastal forests. Future changes of forest PET due to climate change are as likely as changes in precipitation pattern due to change in air temperature. However, the uncertainty in projections of catchment water balance/availability due to effects of interactions of projected increase in temperature, in the context of changing climate, with other factors like wind speed, humidity, albedo, and leaf area index (LAI) and stomatal conductance in estimating forest reference PET remains a challenge warranting further research. Anne Hairston-Strang a Corresponding author (astrang@dnr.state.md.us). b Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources, Annapolis, MD 21401. Maryland Forests Improving Water Quality for the Chesapeake Bay TMDL 257 Forests are an essential part of keeping watersheds healthy in Maryland, and are being used to meet targets for Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) regulations in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. A number of practices are credited for nutrient reduction, including riparian forest buffers, upland tree planting, urban trees, and forest harvesting BMPs. Forest and tree practices offer the advantage on long-term function, multiple benefits, and cost effectiveness. The long time frame for full establishment of new forests is a drawback in the 2-year milestone policy approach and for cost/benefit analyses that rarely extend beyond 20 years. Forest practices and conserving existing forests play important roles in watershed health that need to consider long-term conditions. Implementation challenges vary among practices, but consistency of funding, alternative land uses and values, and invasive species are common issues. Targeting strategies using fine-scale data, LiDAR, and flow-path modeling are being used to identify high-priority locations for local watershed implementation plans, building on our understanding of soil and topographic conditions most conducive to nutrient reduction. Eric Zenner a Corresponding author (eric.zenner@psu.edu). b The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802. Potential Impacts of Natural Gas Development on Forest Management and Silviculture 284 Oil and gas (O&G) development has been steadily increasing in forests in recent years. To administer O&G activities, public land management agencies were tasked to develop policies, guidelines, and comprehensive development plans including environmental reviews and permitting procedures addressing: erosion and sedimentation, surface and groundwater quality and quantity, soils, air quality, noise and light pollution, recreation, public health and safety, transportation and pipelines, energy needs and use, existing and potential land use, habitat diversity and interspersion (e.g., fragmentation), protected animals and plants, nonnative species, and restoration. To ensure consistency with ecosystem and multiple-use management guidelines, best management practices had to be developed addressing activities related to: well-site clearing and drilling (e.g., locating gas well-pad sites); road use (e.g., construction, maintenance, access; erosion and sedimentation control); and water acquisition, transport, storage, and disposal (e.g., water impoundments, pipelines (gas or water), staging/storage areas, compressor stations), and delineating water withdrawal areas. Managers conducting routine field inspections and communicating with operators had to learn a new language, become familiar with new technologies, and internalize new statutes, regulations, and practices (e.g., emergency and pollution incidents) to minimize adverse impacts and avoid potential conflicts. The highly diverse nature of O&G development tasks requires a specialized workforce, and, at least at the beginning of the O&G development process, shifts the management focus almost exclusively from forests or ecosystems to O&G. Although it is still too early to tell how O&G development affects actual on-the-ground silviculture/management, challenges due to forest fragmentation and invasive species are anticipated. Joshua Fershee a Corresponding author (jpfershee@mail.wvu.edu). b West Virginia University, College of Law, Morgantown, WV 26506. Roosevelt's Legacy: Law and Policy Implications of Natural Gas Production 285 Natural gas from shale formations has been hailed both as an opportunity to address climate change concerns and a grave danger likely to accelerate climate-related harms. Professor Fershee's presentation will discuss the potential impacts of natural gas exploration and production, particularly hydraulic fracturing, on forest resources and management, with a particular focus on the legal implications of such development. The presentation will also provide a look into the opportunities and risks that come from increased natural gas development as related to forest stewardship and ecological resilience. Finally, the presentation will seek to provide a legal and historical context for fossil fuel development as it relates to forest management and silviculture, including a discussion of the modern impacts of development in President Theodore Roosevelt's adopted state of North Dakota. This presentation will synthesize Professor Fershee's research on fossil fuel development, renewable energy law and regulation, and climate change law as applied to forest conservation and management. The presentation concludes that natural gas development is neither inherently good nor bad; rather, the long-term impacts will depend not on the resource, but on how we choose to use and develop it. C. Rhett Jackson Samantha Marchman Masato Miwa Scott Terrell William Summer David Jones a Corresponding author (rjackson@warnell.uga.edu). b University of Georgia, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, Athens, GA 30602-2152. c Kyushu University, Research Strategic Development Office, Fukuoaka, Japan. d Jacobs Engineering, Athens, GA 30605. e North Carolina Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources, Raleigh, GA 27699-1651. f North Carolina Forest Service, Raleigh, NC 27699. Nutrient Concentrations and Export from Clearcuts and Site-Prepared Plantations 290 This study quantified the effects of clearcut harvesting and site preparation without fertilization on nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations and yields in small headwater streams. The Dry Creek study monitored two watershed pairs on the old International Paper Southlands Experimental Forest for two years prior and one year following harvest, and for two more years following site preparation and planting. Two treatment watersheds were clearcut and downstream portions of SMZs were thinned in fall 2003. Herbicide application, burning, and planting followed a year later. All operations followed the 1999 Georgia BMPs. Previously published research revealed a large increase in water yield following harvest, with substantial differences in the magnitude of the effect across the two pairs. Nutrient concentrations were highly variable within and between monitoring periods, even in reference watersheds. Silvicultural activities did not effect on phosphorus and ammonia concentrations; however, nitrate/nitrite and total nitrogen concentrations increased slightly in treatment watersheds following stand reestablishment. Trends in annual nutrient export followed trends in annual water yield. Nutrient yields increased after timber harvest largely as a result of increased water yields. These increases in nutrient yields were minor, and streams exported only 4% to 20% of atmospheric nitrogen inputs. Nitrogen concentrations in treatment streams were dominated by inputs from an upstream agricultural area, and nitrate levels decreased going downstream through the forest watersheds. Molly Roske a Corresponding author (molly.roske@yale.edu). b Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, New Haven, CT 06511. Forest Fragmentation and Riparian Ecosystem Health in the Dry Tropics of Panama 322 Little dry tropical forest remains in the world due to widespread conversion to pasture, agriculture, or expanding human settlement. In Panama's Azuero peninsula, patches of dry tropical forest are restricted to riparian zones in pasture-dominated landscapes, but until now no assessment has been made of factors determining their health and ecosystem functions. This is an important first step in the development of a riparian forest health index, to improve connectivity and management of forest buffers in pasture lands, as well as the ecosystem services (e.g. regulatory provision of water resources, erosion control, biodiversity, etc.) that benefit nearby human communities. The role played by evermore fragmented forests in localized and regional hydrology is of increasing concern because many uncertainties still exist regarding the functional integrity of fragmented forest landscapes in protecting existing water resources and their future sustainability. In this research, geospatial analysis was used to quantify the degree of remaining riparian forest cover, and which factors most directly influenced deforestation patterns. To then assess riparian forest ecosystem integrity and function, field measurements of certain indicators of riparian forest health (stream character and condition, surrounding vegetation patterns, soil properties, and water availability) were taken. With these findings, floristic structure/composition patterns are analyzed with respect to hydrological functions, to generate models of landscape-level optimization of silvipastoral land cover types. The findings of this work are being applied as a handbook guide for riparian forest conservation/restoration in the region, and in training workshops for practitioners and policymakers interested in reforestation and ecosystem services. John Campbell Mark Green Heidi Asbjornsen Matthew Vadeboncoeur a Corresponding author (jlcampbell@fs.fed.us). b USDA Forest Service, Durham, NH 03824. c Plymouth State University, Plymouth, NH 03264. d University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824. e University of New Hampshire, Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans and Space, Durham, NH 03824. Long-Term Changes in the Water Balance at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest 326 Climate change has the potential to alter the quantity and quality of surface waters, having implications for stream ecosystem services. In the northeastern US, it is unclear how climate change may affect surface water, which is of critical importance in this densely populated region. We evaluated hydrometeorological trends in the northeastern US, using the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire as a case study. Significant increases in air temperature and precipitation that have been observed over the long-term record are altering stream water yield and chemistry. Declines in the snowpack have resulted in higher flows during winter and an earlier and lower stream water snowmelt peak in spring. These changes in hydrology, in addition to changes in phenology, have caused a shift in the timing and magnitude of nutrient export. Overall, streamflow volume has increased over the record due to the increases in precipitation. Interestingly, the increase in streamflow is greater than the increase in precipitation, such that evapotranspiration (calculated as the difference), shows a significant declining trend. Comparisons of evapotranspiration trends from other small watershed studies in the northeastern US, suggest that the decline in evapotranspiration could be indicative of a broader regional trend. This trend may be a result of both biological and physical controls, with climate as an overarching influence. Understanding how these factors affect stream water supply and nutrient flux is important because it will enable us to better prepare for and adapt to future climate change. Jami Nettles a Corresponding author (jami.nettles@weyerhaeuser.com). b Weyerhaeuser Company, Columbus, MS 39704. Forests, Water, and Sustainability in a Changing Climate 335 Industrial forestry operates under a broad set of demands that are constantly shifting. Climate change introduces not just new demands, but additional complexity itself, which environmental research is struggling to address. Consequently, the familiar objectives of forest hydrology—measuring and maintaining forest water quality, water quantity, and aquatic biology under a range of operational practices—must be expanded. Demand for forest-based biofuel feedstock will undoubtedly rise along with, if not due to, changes in familiar environmental feedback mechanisms. To maximize environmental protection, the practices used to protect water resources must also consider components of the carbon life cycle such as equipment efficiency and harvest residuals, and describe parameters that can be compared across other industries. The need to respond to climate change is driving many different groups to develop sustainability metrics to describe these choices and guide decisionmaking. While many different metrics will be needed to cover environmental sustainability, water use has emerged as a seemingly simple measure. However, underlying philosophies of water accounting are already making this quite complicated. Weyerhaeuser Company has a long history of cooperative forest hydrology research, with highly instrumented paired watersheds in North Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, and Uruguay currently comparing the water quality and quantity effects of silviculture, biofuel plantings, and afforestation. This study is an attempt to integrate important findings from this and other research into meaningful metrics, focused on water use, that reflect the environmental costs and benefits of the increasing intensity of operations needed for biofuel growth and harvest. Copyright © 2014 Society of American Foresters
TI - Abstract
JO - Journal of Forestry
DO - 10.1093/jof/112.1.127
DA - 2014-01-01
UR - https://www.deepdyve.com/lp/springer-journals/abstract-4xLbT0rmdJ
SP - 127
EP - 132
VL - 112
IS - 1
DP - DeepDyve
ER -