Watershed processes discussion covers wildfires, bird management 

The session began with a focus on riparian areas in landscapes with frequent fires and associated patterns of fire severity. Carl Skinner of the United States Forest Service (USFS) gave the presentation, discussing the ways in which topography, vegetation types, climate and temperature patterns and the soil make-up of riparian areas control fire.
Skinner also discussed the main driver of wildfires in the Klamath region, showing that a high percentage of fires in recent years have been caused by lightning strikes. That, coupled with cool, wet winters that grow fuels and hot, dry summers creates a system with annual fire seasons that are a part of the natural system, he said.

Much of Skinner’s presentation looked at how fire frequency does not seem to vary much between areas in the region, but the patterns of severity do. He stated that a better understanding of where fire is most severe can help policy makers decide which areas should receive fuels reduction treatment.

Tom Lisle, also of the USFS, discussed the coupling of hillslopes with the Klamath River’s channel in the lower basin. The conclusions he presented were that the stream channels in the basin are generally very steep with little fish habitat availability, and due to the nature of many of the hillslopes, those areas that are available are vulnerable to debris flows.

Next, Patricia McDowell of the University of Oregon spoke about the ways in which the Klamath River moves across its floodplain and forms secondary branches, among other changes.

McDowell showed an image of the geological indicators available that show some of the river’s paths from as far back as 3,500 years, and explained that much of the channel formation and transformation occurs as a result of sediment accrual.

Chris Massingill of the University of Oregon next led a presentation titled “Concurrent measurement of geomorphic hydrologic and vegetation characteristics in riparian zones: a needed synthesis for integrated ecological monitoring.”

Massingill described her work in the upper basin with the identification of the various types of vegetation along the river bank and how and where certain varities can grow. Her conclusion offered a number of questions for those looking at restoration, including what grows where, what should be planted and where and what strategies have worked well in the past. She said that she feels it is important to understand how the make-up of the land drives vegetation growth when focusing restoration efforts.

John Alexander of the Klamath Bird Observatory finished the session by discussing how a comprehensive bird monitoring network can be used to improve ecosystem management and restoration.

According to Alexander, birds are easily and inexpensively identified and act as indicators of how their ecosystems are functioning. He stated that assessements of native bird populations look at how each species’ numbers have varied over a time period as well as factors that have caused dips or rises in the populations.

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