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DATA COLLECTION AND FIRE MODELING DETERMINE POTENTIAL FOR THE USE OF PLATEAU® TO ESTABLISH FUEL BREAKS IN BROMUS TECTOR

DATA COLLECTION AND FIRE MODELING DETERMINE POTENTIAL FOR THE USE OF PLATEAU® TO ESTABLISH FUEL BREAKS IN BROMUS TECTORUM -DOMINATED RANGELANDS. Brenda K. Kury 1 , Jack D. Alexander III 1 , Jennifer Vollmer 2 . 1 Synergy Resource Solutions, Inc., 1755 Hymer Avenue, Sparks, NV 89431

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DATA COLLECTION AND FIRE MODELING DETERMINE POTENTIAL FOR THE USE OF PLATEAU® TO ESTABLISH FUEL BREAKS IN BROMUS TECTOR

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  1. DATA COLLECTION AND FIRE MODELING DETERMINE POTENTIAL FOR THE USE OF PLATEAU® TO ESTABLISH FUEL BREAKS IN BROMUS TECTORUM-DOMINATED RANGELANDS Brenda K. Kury1, Jack D. Alexander III1, Jennifer Vollmer2. 1 Synergy Resource Solutions, Inc., 1755 Hymer Avenue, Sparks, NV 89431 Phone: 775-331-5577, brenda@countgrass.com 2 BASF Corporation, 2166 North 15th Street, Laramie, WY 82072 Phone: 307-755-5218, vollmej@basf.com.

  2. Acknowledgments Synergy Resource Solutions, Inc., would like to thank Dr. Jennifer L. Vollmer of BASF Corporation for the opportunity to participate in this study and Dr. Joe Vollmer for treatment photographs. Additional thanks go to Kathi Kershaw, Idaho Bureau of Land Management, for her assistance in gathering historical data for the site. Your interest and participation were greatly appreciated.

  3. Introduction • Area burned in July 1995. • Study site established by BASF Corporation (BASF) and the Idaho Bureau of Land Management (BLM) within an exclosure in the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area to determine the efficacy of Plateau and Methylated Seed Oil (MSO) applied at various rates on Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass). • Synergy Resource Solutions, Inc., (Synergy) collected biomass data from three replication sets of five treatment levels to determine the effects of Plateau on Bromus tectorum biomass and fire behavior. Synergy Resource Solutions, Inc. (www.countgrass.com) and BASF Corporation (www.vmanswers.com)

  4. Site Information • Area was enclosed within a fence built in April of 1996 to exclude livestock. • Oust® was applied at 1 quart/acre (ac) in the winter of 1996-97. • In November of 1997, the study area was drill seeded with a variety of native and introduced grasses, forbs, and shrubs. • Prior to treatment with Plateau, the study area was estimated to consist of approximately 90% cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and 10% Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) and Sandberg’s bluegrass (Poa secunda). Synergy sampled four of the six treatment levels and the control treatment. • Twenty-four plots within the study area were treated with Plateau at 6 treatment levels in November of 1999; three plots were control treatments (untreated). Synergy Resource Solutions, Inc. (www.countgrass.com) and BASF Corporation (www.vmanswers.com)

  5. Quadrat Replication Set 3 Replication Set 2 Control (No Plateau or MSO) Replication Set 1 9 7 5 6 oz/ac Plateau + 1 qt/ac MSO 3 1 8 oz/ac Plateau + 1 qt/ac MSO 10 oz/ac Plateau + 1 qt/ac MSO 12 oz/ac Plateau + 1 qt/ac MSO Site Layout Sampled Treatment Levels Transects were established in each sampled plot. Transects were 10m in length. Synergy Resource Solutions, Inc. (www.countgrass.com) and BASF Corporation (www.vmanswers.com)

  6. Methods • A 10-m transect was placed 1.5 m from the left-hand (south) side of each plot. • Synergy sampled biomass, plant height, and plant spacing at odd meter-marks (1m, 3m, 5m, 7m, and 9m) resulting in 5 quadrats per transect. • Clipping for biomass was completed in a 0.2x0.2m sub-quadrat in each quadrat. • Plant height and plant spacing were measured from a sample point in the lower left-hand corner of each 0.1x0.1m grid square. • Biomass data and fuel bed depth (calculated using plant height) were input to BehavePlus fire modeling program to determine projected flame length and the rate of fire spread in each treatment. Synergy Resource Solutions, Inc. (www.countgrass.com) and BASF Corporation (www.vmanswers.com)

  7. Sub-quadrat Sample Point Sub-Quadrat Diagram Synergy Resource Solutions, Inc. (www.countgrass.com) and BASF Corporation (www.vmanswers.com)

  8. Double Sampling • Doubling-weight sampling (double sampling) was performed using the methodology described in “Sampling Vegetation Attributes”, BLM Technical Reference 1734-4 (BLM 1999). • A single observer made all estimates for the project. • This observer estimated the biomass (in grams) for by species and litter for each sub-quadrat. • Several annual forbs were present, including kochia, pinnate tansymustard, and clasping pepperweed. • Perennial grasses consisted of squirreltail and Sandberg’s bluegrass. • Annual grasses consisted primarily of Bromus tectorum, although small portions of sixweeks fescue were included. • Litter consisted of all dead vegetative material. • Synergy clipped at least one 0.2x0.2m sub-quadrat for each transect. Synergy Resource Solutions, Inc. (www.countgrass.com) and BASF Corporation (www.vmanswers.com)

  9. Plant Height and Interspace • Height of one plant for each species was measured (to the nearest 5 mm) in each of the twenty-five 0.1x0.1m grids in the quadrat. The plant measured was the individual of each species closest to the quadrat sample point. Plants were measured to the tallest part of the plant. • While plant interspace distance cannot yet be entered into a fire behavior model, it is proposed for use in the BehavePlus Fuel Modeling system within the next two years. Synergy recommends more development of protocol for determining plant interspace. Synergy Resource Solutions, Inc. (www.countgrass.com) and BASF Corporation (www.vmanswers.com)

  10. Data Summary – Plant Height Synergy Resource Solutions, Inc. (www.countgrass.com) and BASF Corporation (www.vmanswers.com)

  11. Data Summary - Biomass 1 Biomass due to litter component Synergy Resource Solutions, Inc. (www.countgrass.com) and BASF Corporation (www.vmanswers.com)

  12. Flame Length Compared Across Treatments Flame heights at three slopes and three wind speeds and 5% fine fuel moisture comparing Plateau treatment levels of 6 oz/ac and 12 oz/ac. The orange (solid) line represents flame length of 1.2 m (above which hand control ceases to be effective). The red (dashed) line represents flame length of 2.4 m (the fire cannot be contained from the head fire). Synergy Resource Solutions, Inc. (www.countgrass.com) and BASF Corporation (www.vmanswers.com)

  13. Percent Composition Compared Across Treatments Synergy Resource Solutions, Inc. (www.countgrass.com) and BASF Corporation (www.vmanswers.com)

  14. Rate of Spread ComparedAcross Treatments Rate of spread (m/min) at three slopes and three wind speeds and 5% fine fuel moisture comparing Plateau application rates of 0, 6, and 12 oz/ac for three slopes and three wind speeds and 5% fine fuel moisture. Rate of spread increased as wind and slope increased. Synergy Resource Solutions, Inc. (www.countgrass.com) and BASF Corporation (www.vmanswers.com)

  15. Summary • Fuel Modeling output indicated that for all environmental variables considered, plots treated with Plateau had a lower flame height and rate of spread than control treatment levels. • Data indicated that areas treated with Plateau, regardless of the treatment level, would have a lower rate of spread and flame length than control treatments. The modeled rates of spread and flame lengths could be controlled with hand tools. Synergy Resource Solutions, Inc. (www.countgrass.com) and BASF Corporation (www.vmanswers.com)

  16. What do these data mean? • There are opportunities for greenstrip or fuel break establishment using Plateau. • Plateau could be useful in creating fuel breaks around important habitat resources (i.e., native sagebrush communities, Areas of Critical Environmental Concern) in fire-prone areas. • Incorporating Plateau into management strategies could protect habitat for sage grouse and other species of concern. • Potential application sites include areas along maintained roads and in or around maintained fire breaks. Synergy Resource Solutions, Inc. (www.countgrass.com) and BASF Corporation (www.vmanswers.com)

  17. What do these data mean? (Cont’d) • Results indicate that Plateau can provide Bromus tectorum control in areas with high fire risk. • This provides an opportunity to reduce the $542 million spent by federal agencies to control wildland fires in 2001, reduce danger to life and property, and reduce destruction of wildlife and plant habitats. • Any entity responsible for land management on the urban/wildland interface (i.e., city and county governments, home-owners’ associations) could incorporate Plateau herbicide into their land management plan and reduce the risk of loss of life, structures, and vegetation in areas of concern by reducing fuel loads.

  18. SYNERGY Resource Solutions, Inc. We Count Grass 775 331-5577 www.countgrass.com For More Information Please Contact: Synergy Resource Solutions, Inc. 1755 Hymer Avenue Sparks, NV 89431 775-331-5577 www.countgrass.com brenda@countgrass.com 307-734-0555 BASF Corporation Dr. Jennifer L. Vollmer2166 North 15th StreetLaramie, WY  82072www.vmanswers.comvollmej@basf-corp.com 307-755-5218 Synergy Resource Solutions, Inc. (www.countgrass.com) and BASF Corporation (www.vmanswers.com)

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