EFFECTIVENESS OF PRESCRIBED FIRE ON MEETING FUEL LOAD AND WILDLIFE HABITAT MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES IN EAST TEXAS NATIONAL FORESTS

<p> Using standardized methodology outlined by the United States Forest Service and the National Forests and Grasslands in Texas’ Fire Monitoring Program for data collection, the efficacy of current Forest Service prescribed burn regimes were analyzed for 24 study sites in East Texas National Forests. Study sites were located within Sam Houston, Davy Crockett, and Angelina/Sabine National Forests. Efficacy was determined by comparing defined management objectives established by the Forest Service to the data collected at the study sites. The results conclude that most objectives, as outlined by the Forest Service, are not being met with the current practices. Re-visitation of monitoring type definitions and objectives may be necessary, as well as a reduction in forest overstory tree basal area, initiation of more growing season burns, creating mosaics of burn intervals and ignition patterns, and herbicide applications to more effectively restore the forests to native, historical levels.</p> <p> Because Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has wildlife management areas within the National Forests, the prescribed burn data was also used to investigate a direct relationship between white-tailed deer and prescribed fire years. The resulting analysis displays a peak in body weight and various antler measurements two-years post fire. Antler beam and inside spread measurements were confirmed to show statistical significance. The results indicate a beneficial relationship between deer and frequent prescribed fire. </p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science - Forestry

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Forestry

Year dc:date.available

2018

Author dc:creator

• Wall, Trey

Contributors dc:contributor

• Brian Oswald
• Kathryn R. Kidd
• Ray Darville

• Prescribed fire
• prescribed burns
• East Texas
• Texas National Forests
• deer
• white-tailed deer
• USFS
• management objectives
• Environmental Monitoring
• Natural Resources and Conservation
• Natural Resources Management and Policy
• Other Environmental Sciences
• Other Physical Sciences and Mathematics
• Statistical Models

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/219

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarworks.sfasu.edu:etds-1234