Fire footprint timelapse

Google Earth has produced a timelapse of bush fires in Australia that is illuminating.

The animation shows fire scars appear, fade and be overwritten by a new fire. Though fire size seems to be increasing in Australia, this process creates patchiness and resiliency in Sierra Forests, But it takes place over the hundreds of years cycle of forest tree growth, rather than the few years of brush and grasslands, so it's harder to see.

Sagehen Project Decision Notice signed!

Dear Sagehen Project Collaborators and Interested Parties,


The Sagehen Project Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact was signed by Alexander Friend (Director, Pacific Southwest Research Station) and Tom Quinn (Tahoe National Forest Supervisor) on May 6, 2013.

The Sagehen Project Environmental Assessment (EA) and supporting documents are available online at the Tahoe National Forest’s website.

The legal notice of the decision is expected to be published in Grass Valley’s The Union newspaper as soon as tomorrow. The date of the legal notice in The Union will establish the timeframe for the 45-day appeal filing period under 36 CFR 215.

Laurie Perrot
Environmental Coordinator
Tahoe National Forest
631 Coyote Street
Nevada City, CA 95959
lperrot@fs.fed.us
(530) 478-6244

• Decision Letter
• Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact
• Responses to Public Comments Received

Graphic artwork

Scientific Illustrator Stephanie Rozzo recently produced graphic art demonstrating concepts behind the Sagehen Forest Project. Let us know if you would like copies of this poster or its components for project outreach.

General Technical Report - 237

The Pacific Southwest Research Station has released a new publication: GTR-237.

This new publication addresses "widespread interest in applying new forest practices based on concepts presented in U.S. Forest Service General Technical Report PSW-GTR-220, "An Ecosystem Management Strategy for Sierran Mixed-Conifer Forests".

GTR-220 provides much of the foundation of the Sagehen Forest Project.

Demo plot PhotoPoints

We set up a number of designated PhotoPoints within the two demonstration plots to capture starting conditions, as well as changes over time moving forward.

I've uploaded a zip file (88M) with all the demo plot PhotoPoint pre- and post-treatment photos, as well as GIS layers showing locations and plot outlines. Here is a sample pre- and post-treatment photo pair for 10 Point 1b:

Useful tool

Here's a useful tool for all these meeting documents: an online file converter.

You upload files that you can't open because of incompatible software versions. The website converts them as you desire, then e-mails them back to you so that you can then open them.

You can also install a Compatibility Pack from Microsoft that will allow you to open new files with older software versions: For PC | For Mac