The health of many Rocky Mountain ecosystems is in decline because of the policy of excluding fire in the management of these ecosystems. Fire exclusion has actually made it more difficult to fight fires, and this poses greater risks to the people who fight fires and for those who live in and around Rocky Mountain forests and rangelands. This paper discusses the extent of fire exclusion in the Rocky Mountains, then details the diverse and cascading effects of suppressing fires in the Rocky Mountain landscape by spatial scale, ecosystem characteristic, and vegetation type. Also discussed are the varied effects of fire exclusion on some important, keystone ecosystems and human concerns.
Citation Information
Publication Year | 2002 |
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Title | Cascading effects of fire exclusion in Rocky Mountain ecosystems: A literature review |
Authors | R.E. Keane, K.C. Ryan, T.T. Veblen, Craig D. Allen, J. Logan, B. Hawkes |
Publication Type | Report |
Publication Subtype | Federal Government Series |
Series Title | U.S. Forest Service General Technical Report |
Series Number | 91 |
Index ID | 96240 |
Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
USGS Organization | Fort Collins Science Center |