On June 8, the U.S. Forest Service and the Ecological Restoration Institute (ERI) invited 4FRI Stakeholders into the field on the Black Mesa district of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest to initiate discussion and share perspectives on potential mixed conifer restoration treatments. A turnout of nearly 40 people indicated a high level of interest in this topic (plus a desire to get out into the woods on an Arizona summer day!). Thanks go to Dave Huffman, Andrew Sanchez Meador (both ERI); Jim Youtz and Gayle Richardson (USFS), and Shaula Hedwall (USFWS) for their leadership.

Recent research by ERI looked at fire return intervals at this “warm/dry” mixed conifer site. Dry mixed conifer forests are currently predominated by mature ponderosa pine and Douglas fir, along with Gambel oak and an increasing density of young southwestern white pine and white fir that have established from fire exclusion and historical selective harvesting. These sites are often found at elevations of about 7,500’ – 8,500’ on benches, ridgetops, south-facing slopes and tops of canyons. The study site we visited had fire return intervals ranging from 2-14 years, fitting within the historical range of 2-35 years. In addition, moist microsites that harbored fire intolerant tree species can be found interspersed on steeper, northern-facing slopes and in some drainages within this landscape, having typically longer fire return intervals (multiple decades to centuries) but highly variable, depending on patch size.

So how will we restore dry and wet mixed conifer forests? This field trip was one of the first steps to let stake-holders see the complexities of managing fire-adapted landscapes where fine-scale variability may challenge prescription interpretation and implementation. Suggestions such as treating or thinning increasingly shade-tolerant species in dry mixed conifer stands, such as white fir and white pine, in order to maintain the mature ponderosa pine component, were discussed. What we did learn is that fire was—and will continue to be—a part of this complex landscape. Exactly how fire will affect one of Arizona’s limited habitat types may be up to us and how we approach the concept of restoration. Regardless, we all came away with more questions than answers, and we look forward to continuing the conversation.