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2013 Spring | Natural Science & Restoration

Fire in our Forests: Impacts of Low-Severity Fire in Yosemite

Student(s):

Jamie Wilson

Program or Department(s):

  • Program on the Environment
  • University of Washington

Site supervisor(s):

Kendall Becker

Partner(s):

  • UW School of Environment and Forest Sciences

Faculty advisor(s):

James Lutz, School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington

During my internship with UW graduate student Kendall Becker I examined the effects of low severity fire on Abies concolor (white fir) dominated stands in Yosemite National Park (YNP). To perform this task I conducted an extensive literature review of the ecology and history of the area. I then took data collected from four A. concolor dominated plots, two of which had burned in 2005 and two of which were unburned controls. With this data I examined how forest structure and radial tree growth varies between burned and unburned sites as well as sites burned at different severities.