“What we need in the Intermountain West to really scale up this type of important work is not only boots on the ground capacity to cut the trees to get the prescribed fire back on the ground, but also a robust forest products industry that can come in and help with this sort of work and also help pay for the millions of acres that need to be accomplished.”
– Adrian Leighton, IWJV Western Forest Conservation Coordinator
Ponderosa pine forests are adapted to frequent, low-intensity ground fires that keep fuel levels low, maintain a patchy mix of grasses, shrubs, and trees, and create diverse wildlife habitat. However, decades of fire suppression have made these forests denser, causing wildfires to burn hotter and kill more trees. To restore resilience, forest managers can thin overcrowded stands and use prescribed fire to reestablish the natural fire cycle, helping trees survive wildfires and grow to large, old ages. These treatments also benefit wildlife by creating healthier grasses and forbs for species such as elk and mule deer, while fire-scarred trees provide nesting and cavity habitat for birds and small mammals.
Scaling up this work requires both on-the-ground capacity and a strong forest-products industry. Thinning and removing smaller trees is expensive, and the loss of local mills has increased transportation costs and reduced the economic viability of forest treatments. A healthy wood-products economy therefore strengthens both forest and community resilience, making it possible to restore and protect the millions of acres of fire-adapted forests that need management.
