Field Trip to Heil with Nick Stremel

Heil Ranch Field Trip 6/9/10

• Gus Heil is the last descendant expected to work the land. The Heil family has
expressed selling the remaining privately owned land to Boulder Open Space, or to
developers.
• The existing Heil homestead is assessed at over $20 million (600 acres).

Kevin Grady (CSU, Natural Resource Management) is the caretaker at Heil and a POS ranger and he discussed the smooth fencing option rather than barbed wire, or the Lodgepole pine fencing for their (elk) eyesight to see better and avoid going through the fence, but still have access over it. He talked about the urban interface studies of tagged wildlife, including the 180# male mountain lion who called Heil Ranch his home (and where all he had travelled). Kevin also talked about weed control using herbicides, bioagents, and volunteer man power to reduce the invasive weeds among the trails and parking lot areas.

Nick Stremel (CU, Geography/ENVS) from the Forestry Department discussed several issues regarding forest management:

• Main goals are restoration, fire mitigation, habitat creation and maintenance.
• #1 way to monitor and manage the forest is to walk and hike into the areas of study
and collect data from the field.
• Boulder County acquires land that has been grazed, logged, or mined and where the
trees have been removed or clear cut.
• Other land has been (fire) suppressed so the trees are dangerously dense and must be
masticated or chipped by using machinery (that's one way to thin the forest).
• The remains of the tree particles are left as fine fuel in the understory of the lower
montane ponderosa pine open space where invasive species like the Mullen or thistle plants sprout through the disturbance but will eventually be choked out by the native revegetation process (hopefully).
• BCPOS reintroduces native species of vegetation and wildlife.
• The desired outcome of prescribed burning is increased diversity in ecological
wildlife, vegetation, and forestry so the user experience is enjoyable and the properties are protected.

Methods of calculating tree density and study areas for habitat:

• Thinning structure of stand is calculated by targeted basal area where the tree
diameter is considered per square acre.
• Where 3000 smaller 1" diameter trees will have the same basal area of 4 large 20"
diameter trees based on canopy base height, thickness of bark, and width of branch
sprawl.
• Ideal tree stands will have 100-150 basal area depending on the diameter of the
remaining choice trees.
• Prescription parameter objectives for "restoration" structures that consider historical
climate indicators attempt a grouping of mosaic variation where multiple species
cohabitate.
• Tree stands can remain in cluster areas with open Savannah type meadows of
grasslands in between to mitigate crown fire fuel.
• Indicator species like the Abert's Squirrel which prefer a clumpy tree stand
structure, and the migratory Myotis Bat, are each increasing in population and considered a success after the last mastication process of thinning tree densities in 4/09-6/09.
• The wildlife specialists proposed a "buffer" space of disturbance around the bat nests on the northern ridge to consist of 1300 ft, however the fire division based the buffer criteria on the steep slope area below the nests which is around 650 ft, where the bat is still protected, while the forest can be managed through planned disturbance.
• Compromise is key when varying open space departments express varying concerns from wildlife, botany, fire suppression, trail use, and private residence.
• Human values and property possession make clear cutting or demolition fires impossible, so the county works with land owners to clear cut a specified area around private property.
• Patch cutting protects property values and increases the intrinsic value of open space land by fulfilling human expectations of experiencing thriving flora and fauna among natural habitats.
• Balancing values of staff/public/species is the ongoing goal of Boulder County Open Space.
Historical Climate indicators:
• Tree ring analysis
• Climatology almanacs
• Historical photos
• Vegetation
• Fire scars
• Stumps

Some thoughts on fire suppression:
• Beginning in 1860-1867 fire suppression began in Heil Ranch.
• 40 year fire frequency with varying intensity, meaning some constructive fine fuel
fires, and some destructive crown embellishment.
• Untreated stands with no understory have tier system of vegetation: top-
domination, middle-medium, and lower-crippity crap.
• 150 years ago there where maybe 12 Ponderosa in a small area compared to 300
Ponderosa today due to fire suppression.
• Maintenance is now the goal rather than destruction--small patchy areas of tree
stands, rather than large overgrown areas of forest surrounded by large areas of grass meadows.
Pine beetle behavior and prevention:


Mainly are known to attack older mature Lodgepole Pine in upper montane with thick bark and rich sap content, but are now attacking younger, varying tree species even in lower elevations. Since many of the stands are the same age, pine beetles have an unlimited "buffet" of food supply. Patch cutting increases mosaic and variable ecosystems which accelerate regrowth after pine beetle disturbance.

Overland Fire 10/29/03-10/31/03
• Largest fire in Boulder County history, 3500 acres.
• 270 fire fighters responded with no casualties.
• Ignited in the evening by downed power line in Jamestown.
• Chinook westerly winds at 50mph pushed the fire directly west to east down the
Lefthand Canyon ridge from Jamestown through Heil Ranch.
• 300 families were evacuated but only four structures burned.
• The total damage assessed to $400,000.
• Rocky Mountain Fire Department lit back fire below, which swept westward and
charred the fine fuel prior to the crown fire reaching the lower areas.
• Eastern cold front pushed westward 36 hours after initial fire started, shifting the
winds to an upslope low pressure system, bringing precipitation and snowfall, with much needed fire suppression.

Questions:
1. Fires generally burn uphill. Why did the Overland fire burn downhill?
2. Why do log fences work better for elk migration than wire fences?
3. What is "crippety-crap"?
4. Why does the POS forestry department feel the need to "treat" the Ponderosa forests of Heil Ranch?
5. What are some of the other factors (besides restoring the structure and function of the forest) must the forestry staff consider when planning forest treatments?
6. Why not just return fire to Heil without thinning beforehand?
7. What is the historic fire regime in the Lower Montane Forests?