Prescribed Burns Planned in Humboldt Redwoods State Park.
Prescribed burn. [Image from California State Parks]
California State Parks, in cooperation with CAL FIRE, are planning to begin a series of prescribed burns in Humboldt Redwoods State Park starting [today] September 25, 2024, along Fox Camp Road. Work may continue through the following week in areas surrounding the Albee Creek Campground. Smoke and flames may be visible from Mattole Road at Humboldt Redwoods State Park and nearby areas.
Forest management and prescribed burns are designed to reduce the encroachment of conifer trees and shrubs into prairies, as well as reduce fuel loads in the forests to lessen the likelihood of catastrophic wildfire. These proactive measures not only protect park infrastructure but also significantly reduce the chance of a catastrophic wildfire, potentially saving hundreds of thousands of dollars while ensuring a safer environment for both the park and neighboring communities.
For thousands of years prior to European settlement and colonization, local Native American tribes regularly used fire to manage the various landscapes of our parks, shaping the ecosystems we see today. These traditional practices continue to play a vital role in sustaining the natural systems and biodiversity of the area. Returning fire helps to maintain these natural systems that can be threatened by a lack of fire and continue an ongoing resource management program designed to maintain prairie grasslands, enhance forage for wildlife, control exotic plant species, and maintain our old-growth forests for generations to come.
For additional information contact Lathrop Leonard, Forester I at [email protected] or (707) 502-9352.
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Yup. Let’s see… we are continuing to maintain ‘man-made’ ecosystems… in wild-lands ?
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Go figure.
The areas they’re burning are not wild wilderness. They were logged, or had little homesteads. Now there are tourist attracting trophy trees. Before all this, fires burnt. Excluding fire is unnatural too. Reintroducing fire helps to lower the severity of inevitable future fires.
>”The areas they’re burning are not wild wilderness.”
That is true. The prairies were repeatedly burned by the Indians to provide game.
Indians weren’t concerned about setting lands on fire to provide ‘fire protection’… fires had to do with hunting and food gathering.
Dense forests (especially redwood) provide almost no resources for Indians.
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Point is… if ‘left alone’ the forests will grow back into the prairies.
In the future, that would provide lots of ‘natural’ virgin redwoods and firs.
Park service (and some humans) don’t like that. Meanwhile, other people are chaining themselves to trees and protesting any man made changes.
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Go figure.
It’s a bit more complicated than that. If we left it alone and didn’t burn *or* put out any fires, the ecosystems would evolve to deal with whatever the new ‘natural’ is. Fires occurred in these systems before humans migrated in and began altering them and there were extensive natural fire-maintained prairies pre-aboriginal humans.
The problem is we don’t have large enough areas left to do that in and it’s complicated by the presence of a large number of non-native species and by the rate at which we are altering the climate.
Our current set of parks is much closer to outdoor museums that have characteristics that we want to be maintained before they are lost completely. Hence the management.
Ignorant comment is ignorant.
Go figure.
Hmmm… was there anything I said that was… er… wrong ?
Nope. Burning land to preserve a ‘man-made’ environment.
“in wild-lands”
That part right there. That’s the wrong part.
Disturbed area (man made fires) in Redwood National Park.
So… old growth Redwood/Fir/Spruce forests aren’t ‘wild lands’.
Gee whiz. Go figure.
tending the Garden
hey Bozo? are you a native american traditionally from these lands? then step down. others know more. also saving old growth redwoods is vital to redwoods existing in the future.introduced species will not lead to forests growing back into prairies…that is not how encroachment works. also, of course you would quote the flippin bible to head off a discussion about the environment. there is no need to throw religion into this. come on grow up.
Wow, since when do you need to be a Native American to have an opinion on land management. No “introduced” species are being discussed. The religious thing at the top is Kym’s, and not Bozo. Burning these prairies will not save nor harm old growth redwoods.
But thank you for trying.
>”hey Bozo? are you a native american traditionally from these lands? then step down. others know more…”
Eh ? You mean that DNA carries environmental knowledge ? WOW !!!
Well, gee whiz ! Hitler espoused that idea. (He didn’t know about DNA though.)
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>”… introduced species will not lead to forests growing back into prairies…that is not how encroachment works.”
Eh ? You mean the Redwood Parks are full of ‘introduced species’ ? WOW !!!
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>”… of course you would quote the flippin bible to head off a discussion about the environment. there is no need to throw religion into this. come on grow up.”
Eh ? Where did that come from ? Probably from RHBB bible quote ?