An Integrated Study of Mechanical Forest Fuel Reduction: Quantifying Multiple Factors at the Stand Level

forest fuel reduction. Findings from an integrated commercial operation suggest that comprehensive and intensive silvicultural prescriptions may be necessary to favorably alter future fire behavior and to accomplish fuel reduction objectives economically. Additional stand travel necessary to harvest non-merchantable trees did not significantly affect soil physical properties. Non-commercial fuel reduction, employing masticating/mulching treatments proved costly with average costs per acre ranging from $246.62 to $414.07 when residual trees were spaced widely in an uneven-aged ponderosa pine stand. When individual tree selection was used, in dense initial stand conditions, costs per acre ranged from $479.31 to $1,559.79 highlighting the effect of treatment requirements on machine productivity and subsequent costs. The added surface fuel generated during treatment increased surface fire intensity immediately following treatment, based on simulations. This result suggests that follow-up treatments may be necessary for non-commercial approaches to reduce future fire intensity and severity. Discoveries made in this dissertation provide baseline information on approaches to mechanically altering forest fuel and will facilitate decision making by forest managers, landowners, and scientists