AUTHORS 



RESEARCH SUMMARY 



MARILYN (MARTI) F. CRANE earned a B.A. from San 

 Jose State University in 1961 and an M.A. (botany) 

 fronn the University of Montana in 1980. Tliis report is 

 based in part on her graduate research. Ms. Crane is 

 presently employed by Systems for Environmental 

 Management, a nonprofit research foundation in 

 Missoula, Mont. She is currently studying the fire 

 ecology of central Idaho habitat types in cooperation 

 with the USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest 

 and Range Experiment Station. 



JAMES R. HABECK is a professor of botany at the 

 University of Montana. He has authored or coauthored 

 more than 50 papers on plant ecology. During recent 

 years Dr. Habeck has conducted fire ecology investiga- 

 tions in Northern Rocky Mountain forests, especially 

 those in Glacier National Park and the Selv^/ay- 

 Bitterroot Wilderness Area. He is currently engaged in 

 the identification and description of Research Natural 

 Areas for the USDA Forest Service. Dr. Habeck earned 

 his B.S. and M.S. degrees in botany and a Ph.D. in 

 plant ecology and wildlife from the University of 

 Wisconsin, Madison, in 1954, 1956, and 1959, 

 respectively. 



WILLIAM C. FISCHER is a research forester for the 

 Fire Effects and Use Research and Development Pro- 

 gram at the Intermountain Station's Northern Forest 

 Fire Laboratory, Missoula, Mont. He earned his B.S. 

 and B.S.F. degrees at the University of Michigan in 

 1956. Prior to 1966, he was employed as a forester (fire 

 control) on the Boise National Forest in Idaho. 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 



The studies reported are the result of cooperation 

 between the University of Montana Department of 

 Botany and the USDA Forest Service, Intermountain 

 Forest and Range Experiment Station. The support of 

 the Forest Service's Northern Region Division of Avia- 

 tion and Fire Management, the Lolo National Forest, 

 the Missoula Ranger District, and the Montana Divi- 

 sion of Forestry, Southwest Area, was an important 

 factor in the initiation and conduct of these studies. 



Acknowledgment is also due to Bruce McCune, Gale 

 Anderson, and Anne Bradley for their contributions to 

 the data collections. Technical consultation was 

 graciously provided by Peter Stickney, Rick Oberheu, 

 Bobbie Hartford, and Mike Marsden, Intermountain 

 Forest and Range Experiment Station, Missoula, Mont. 

 Jack Puckett, Northern Region Fire Management Divi- 

 sion (now retired), also provided assistance. Dr. R. 

 Erickson provided climatological data from his 

 weather station in Pattee Canyon. Portions of this 

 report are based on studies conducted within the 

 graduate program at the University of Montana. 



A severe stand-destroying wildfire burned a 

 1,200-acre (486 ha) second-growth Douglas-fir forest 

 (primarily Douglas-fir/ninebark habitat type) near 

 Missoula, Mont., in July 1977. Most of the burned area 

 was aerially seeded with exotic grasses during 

 November 1977 while covered with snow. 



Seeded orchardgrass and the native pinegrass are 

 the most competitive species after 5 years. Orchard- 

 grass is dominant in most areas. Shrubs have 

 achieved dominance in most ravines and on some 

 upland sites. On many upland sites, however, second- 

 ary colonization by shrubs will be necessary for a well- 

 defined shrub stage to become established. The 

 recovery of understory plants has been much more 

 rapid in the ravines than on any upland sites. Tree 

 regeneration is presently scarce, suggesting that 

 reforestation will be slow. 



CONTENTS Page 



Introduction 1 



The Study Area 1 



Location i 



Geology and Soils 1 



Climate 1 



Vegetation ^ 



Fire Frequency 4 



The Fire 4 



Postfire Treatment 4 



The Studies 7 



Study Methods and Results 7 



Vegetative Recovery on Upland Sites 7 



Vegetative Recovery on Ravine Sites 12 



Fuel Loading on Study Area 13 



-Moss Development on Study Area 15 



Distribution of Conifer Regeneration in the Study 



Area 15 



Discussion of Initial Vegetative Recovery Following 



Pattee Canyon Fire 17 



.General Discussion 17 



Recovery of Conifers 17 



Recovery of Individual Understory Species 19 



Shrub Response 19 



Herbaceous Species Response 20 



Moss Response 22 



Response of Seeded Grasses 22 



Competition Between Seeded Grasses and 



Natural Revegetation 22 



Erosion Control 22 



Wildfire Hazard 22 



Summary 22 



Publications Cited 23 



Appendixes A-1 and A-2 24 



Appendix B-1 25 



Appendix B-2 26 



-Appendix C 27 



Appendix D 29 



