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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 8: Ordinance Concerning 5-Year Exception to Eugene Code for Wetland Management Burning EUGENE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Action: A Special Ordinance Granting an Exemption to the Application of Eugene Code, 1971, Section 6.200 (Ordinance to Renew Five- Year Exception to Application of Eugene Code 6.000 (Open Burning) for Prescribed Wetland Management Burning) Meeting Date: June 26, 2006 Department: Public Works www.eugene-or.gov Agenda Item Number: 8 Staff Contact: Sarah Medary Contact Telephone Number: 682-4842 ISSUE STATEMENT This is an opportunity for the council to take action on a proposed ordinance that would provide an exception to the application of Eugene Code 6.200 (open burning) for prescribed burning by the U. S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and City of Eugene for wetland vegetation protection, management, and restoration for a period of five years. BACKGROUND In 1986 and 1987, the City Council approved exceptions to Eugene Code 6.200 to permit The Nature Conservancy to conduct prescribed burns in the Willow Creek Natural Area. Due to the recurring nature of these requests, in September 1990, the City Council approved a five-year exception for the Willow Creek Natural Area by Ordinance No. 19715. In May 1995, the council approved a second five-year exception for several sites within the West Eugene Wetlands Plan area by Ordinance No. 20014. In June 2001, the council approved a third five-year exception for several sites within the West Eugene Wetlands Plan area by Ordinance No. 20231. The purpose of these prescribed burns is to maintain native prairie vegetation and to control invasive vegetation in the native prairie sites. To date, The Nature Conservancy has conducted burns in 1986, 1987, 1991, 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999,2001, and 2005 within the area covered by these exceptions. In addition, prescribed burns were conducted on BLM lands in 1996, 1998, 2000, and 2005 and on City of Eugene land in 2002 within the area covered by the exception. The City Council held a public hearing on this new, proposed ordinance on June 12, 2006. No oral or written testimony was received. For addition background information, see the attached memorandum dated May 22, 2006. Timing The appropriate season for conducting prescribed burns for wetland vegetation management is late summer and early fall. Since the previously approved exception to the open burning ordinance expired on December 31, 2005, no wetland management burning can be conducted within City limits until this exception is approved. Therefore, staff recommends immediate action on the ordinance, so that it will become effective prior to the upcoming burning season. LICMOl2006 Council Agendas1M0606261S0606268.doc RELATED CITY POLICIES The two primary policy areas related to this item are (1) maintaining and improving air quality in the Metro Area and (2) protecting, maintaining and managing wetlands designated for restoration and protection in the West Eugene Wetlands Plan and the associated rare plant and animal species. A key policy issue is the proposed expansion of areas allowed to be burned, and any potential air quality impacts or community perceptions of potential problems from these prescribed burns, contrasted with past City efforts to curtail commercial grass seed field burning in the southern Willamette Valley. COUNCIL OPTIONS The council may: 1. Approve the proposed ordinance. 2. Modify the proposed ordinance. 3. Delay action until a later date. 4. Choose to take no further action on this item. CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION The City Manager recommends approval of the ordinance as proposed. SUGGESTED MOTION Move to adopt a special ordinance granting an exemption to the application of Eugene Code, 1971, Section 6.200. ATTACHMENTS A. Proposed ordinance B. Exhibit A: Map of potential burn sites within current city limits C. Exhibit B: Map of potential burn sites outside of city limits but within U GB D. Memorandum from Staff, dated May 22, 2006 E. "Justification for Fire Management ofWillamette Valley Prairies," Ed Alverson, March 2006 F. Copy of Eugene Code 6.200 "Outdoor Burning" FOR MORE INFORMATION Staff Contact: Sarah Medary Telephone: 682-4842 Staff E-Mail: sarah.j.medary@ci.eugene.or.us LICMOl2006 Council Agendas1M0606261S0606268.doc ATTACHMENT A ORDINANCE NO. A SPECIAL ORDINANCE GRANTING AN EXEMPTION TO THE APPLICATION OF EUGENE CODE, 1971, SECTION 6.200. The City Council of the City of Eugene finds as follows: A. Section 6.200 of the Eugene Code, 1971, proscribes the practice of open burning within the City of Eugene with specified exceptions to this ban. This ordinance is a component oflocal measures designed to assure compliance with federal ambient air quality standards. B. Maintenance and enhancement of air quality is critical to the health and welfare of metropolitan area residents, the area's ability to attract new businesses, and the avoidance of sanctions for noncompliance. C. The Eugene-Springfield Metropolitan Area General Plan (Metro Plan) adopted and acknowledged in 1982, identifies the West Eugene Industrial Area as a major growth area for the City. D. The West Eugene Wetlands Plan was adopted by the City Council on May 20, 1992 by Ordinance No. 19853 as a refinement to the Metro Plan. The West Eugene Wetlands Plan (Plan) was amended by the City Council by Ordinance Nos. 20002, 20119, 20126, 20147, 20171, 20200, 20201, and 20208 during the years 1995 to 2000. The West Eugene Wetlands Plan (Plan) sets forth policies for preserving significant wetlands in West Eugene, allowing development oflower quality wetlands, and establishing a system for mitigation of filled wetlands. The Plan also includes goals and policies for protecting and expanding populations and habitats of rare, threatened or endangered plants, including Bradshaw's lomatium (Lomatium bradshawii), Willamette Valley daisy (Erigeron decumbens var. decumbens), and white-top aster (Aster curtus), and policies for protecting and managing the native Willamette Valley wet prairie plant community. The Plan also contains policies for managing the preserved wetlands in public ownership. E. Experimental burns conducted in 1986, 1987, and 1991 in the Willow Creek natural area within wetland habitat containing the above-mentioned plant species have resulted in expansion of populations of those plants in the areas burned. Controlled burns in 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2005 on several sites have also been beneficial for managing wetland habitat and maintaining and improving wet prairie habitat. F. Management of these wetlands and preservation of native plant species and native plant communities requires controlled open burning of vegetation for scientific purposes and to foster growth of wetlands species in the areas noted on the map attached as Exhibit A hereto and incorporated herein by reference. This burning of vegetation in these areas will help restore them Ordinance - 1 to their historical condition and replicate the indigenous environment for the plants. G. Some wetland sites owned by the City, Bureau of Land Management, and The Nature Conservancy that are currently outside Eugene City limits also need controlled open burning for the purpose of managing wet prairie habitat and protecting rare plant species. Some of these areas may be annexed to the City within the period from 2006 to 2010 for the purpose of providing better management of the natural resources on these sites. H. A limited and special exception to the open burning ban in Eugene Code, 1971, Section 6.200 is necessary for the purposes outlined above. This limited exception is based upon the high costs and limited practicability of alternative vegetation management and control methods, the limited nature of the expected burns, air pollution control strategies that will be employed to prevent significant degradation of air quality, the special recognition given to this area and habitat in the comprehensive planning documents, the City's direct responsibility under those plans for preservation of the natural resources in this area, and the general public benefit derived from the preservation of this habitat. This limited exception is unique and should not serve as precedent for future exceptions for other purposes or signal any relaxation of the City's commitment to preservation of air quality. I. Exceptions to the open burning ban for the management of wetlands in the West Eugene Wetlands Plan area have been previously granted by the City Council by Eugene Ordinance No. 19403 enacted August 13, 1986, Eugene Ordinance No. 19493 enacted July 27, 1987, Eugene Ordinance 19634 enacted September 11, 1989, Eugene Ordinance 19715 enacted September 12, 1990, Eugene Ordinance 19983 enacted September 12, 1994, Eugene Ordinance 20014 enacted May 22, 1995, and Eugene Ordinance 20231 enacted June 25, 2001. Ari exception is again necessary to ensure the continued proper and effective management of this valuable natural resource area. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY OF EUGENE DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. The findings set forth above are adopted. Section 2. The City shall continue to use its outdoor burning ordinance as one method for maintaining and improving air quality of the metropolitan area. Section 3. Ari exception to the application of Eugene Code, 1971, Section 6.200 is given to the Bureau of Land Management, Eugene Public Works Department, and the Nature Conservancy to conduct periodic "wetland management" controlled open burning of vegetation for scientific purposes and to foster growth of wetlands plant species in the areas noted on the map attached as Exhibit A hereto and incorporated herein by reference, providing the following conditions are met: a. Prior to commencement of any burn, the Bureau of Land Management, Eugene Public Ordinance - 2 Works Department, or The Nature Conservancy shall give notice to the Eugene Fire Marshal and the Lane Regional Air Pollution Authority and shall obtain the approval of those agencies to conduct the burn in the time, place, and manner proposed. b . No greater than 110 acres of open burning shall be conducted within anyone calendar year. c. Environmental protection and fire suppression strategies, personnel, and equipment (including wind direction, moisture regime, and fire fighting equipment) shall be approved in advance by the Eugene Fire Marshal and Lane Regional Air Pollution Authority. The Bureau of Land Management, Eugene Public Works Department, and The Nature Conservancy shall comply with all conditions imposed by those agencies. d. Burning shall only occur when wind and weather conditions are such that air quality impacts are minimized and safety can be maintained. e. Burns shall occur periodically only in the time period between the effective date of this Ordinance and December 31,2010. f. The Bureau of Land Management, Eugene Public Works Department, and The Nature Conservancy assume responsibility for providing all equipment and personnel associated with the burn and for complying with all applicable federal, state and local laws. Section 4. In the event the areas are annexed to the City prior to December 31,2010, an exception to the application of Eugene Code, 1971, Section 6.200 is given to the Bureau of Land Management, Eugene Public Works Department, and the Nature Conservancy to conduct periodic "wetland management" controlled open burning of vegetation for scientific purposes and to foster growth of wetlands plant species in any of the areas shown on the map attached as Exhibit B hereto and incorporated herein by reference, following annexation of those sites to the City of Eugene, providing the following conditions are met: a. Prior to commencement of any burn, the Bureau of Land Management, Eugene Public Works Department or The Nature Conservancy shall give notice to the Eugene Fire Marshal and the Lane Regional Air Pollution Authority and shall obtain the approval of those agencies to conduct the burn in the time, place and manner proposed. b. No more than 70 acres of open burning shall be conducted within anyone calendar year. c. Environmental protection and fire suppression strategies, personnel and equipment (including wind direction, moisture regime, and fire fighting equipment) shall be approved in advance by the Eugene Fire Marshal and Lane Regional Air Pollution Authority. The Bureau of Land Management, Eugene Public Works Department, and The Nature Conservancy shall comply with all conditions imposed by those agencies. d. Burning shall only occur when wind and weather conditions are such that air quality impacts are minimized and safety can be maintained. Ordinance - 3 e. Burns shall occur periodically only in the time period between the effective date of this Ordinance and December 31,2010. f. The Bureau of Land Management, Eugene Public Works Department, and The Nature Conservancy assume responsibility for providing all equipment and personnel associated with the burn and for complying with all applicable federal, state and local laws. Passed by the City Council this Approved by the Mayor this 26th day of June 2006 25th Day of June 2006 City Recorder Mayor Ordinance - 4 Exhibit A Wetland Management Controlled Burning Sites Within Current City Limits, 2006-2010 Dragonfly Bend I I . I :]. II 2. W WI a:: CJ I I .... I.. I I . I I Willamette Daisy Meadow L _ ..------- . l,.. .. L Legend r - - I I Urban Growth Boundary - - .. D City Limits ~ Burn Area Road s o -.J -.J o I o I o W ROYAL ROOSEVELT W 2 -.J I- -.J W OJ 2 W CJ) -.J W I- a:: W OJ 1ST 11th Luk-wah Prairie W 2 W CJ) -.J -.J I >- W -.J ~ OJ ~ 1_ _ _ I o I 0.25 0.5 I 1 Miles / Created by Jean Jancaitis April 12, 2006 \ \cesrv200\Pu blic\Natu ral-Resou rces \WetlandsProgram \ Jancaitis\G IS\Bu rn_Sites_2006-201 O\Burn_S ites_2006-20 1 O-City-Lim its. pdf Note: In most cases, actual area burned will be smaller than the area mapped. No more than 110 acres will be burned in a single year. Exhibit B Wetland Management Controlled Burning Sites That May be Annexed, 2006-2010 Dragonfly Bend -.J -.J I Z. W WI a:: CJ I I Meadowlark Prairie .... I.. I I . I I L _ ..------- s o -.J -.J o I o I o W ROYAL ROOSEVELT o OJ W Z <( o z W CJ) -.J W I- a:: W OJ W Z -.J I- -.J W OJ 11th Y: W W a:: o S o -.J -.J ~ . l,.. .. L Legend r - - I I _ _ .. Urban Growth Boundary D City Limits ~ Burn Area Road I o 0.5 / 1ST W Z W CJ) -.J -.J I >- W -.J ~ OJ I 1 Miles Created by Jean Jancaitis April 12, 2006 \ \cesrv200\Pu blic\Natu ral-Resou rces \WetlandsProgram \ Jancaitis\GIS\Burn_Sites_2006-201 O\Burn_Sites_2006-201 O-UGB.pdt Note: In most cases, actual area burned will be smaller than the area mapped. No more than 70 acres will be burned in a single year. ATTACHMENT D ~ Public Works Parks and Open Space Division Memorandum City of Eugene 1820 Roosevelt Boulevard Eugene, Oregon 97402 (541) 682-4800 (541) 682-4882 FAX www.eugene-or.gov/parks Date: May 22, 2006 To: Mayor Piercy and City Council From: Sarah Medary, Natural Resources Manager Subject: Ordinance to Renew Five Year Exception to the Application of Eugene Code 6.000 (Open Burning) for Prescribed Wetland Management Burning 1. Introduction Prescribed burns represent the use of fire, an important natural process, under closely controlled conditions and circumstances. Prescribed burns have been conducted in west Eugene, under City Council exemptions from the prohibition of open burning, since 1986. The purpose of this memo is to provide specific information regarding the proposed application of prescribed burns in west Eugene over the next five years. Background information regarding the justification and need for prescribed burning is provided in the attached paper, "Justification for Fire Management ofWillamette Valley Prairies" by Ed Alverson of The Nature Conservancy. 2. Description of acreage and locations to be burned Over the next five years, agencies responsible for managing protected wetland sites in west Eugene propose prescribed burns for a maximum of 110 acres within the City Limits annually, and a maximum of70 acres outside City Limits but within the UGB annually. Ordinance Exhibits A and B show the areas that are proposed for prescribed burning within the next five years. 3. Description of Potential impacts to Adjacent Properties Potential impacts to adjacent properties would depend upon the location of the property relative to the prevailing wind direction at the time of the burn. Prescribed burns in west Eugene would be conducted only under conditions where the prevailing wind is coming from the north or northeast. Thus, impacts to properties to the north or northeast of the burn site would generally be negligible, as smoke is dispersed to the south and southwest. Burns would also be conducted under atmospheric conditions that allow optimal lifting and dispersion of smoke. The smoke column would be visible overhead from properties within a half mile downwind of the burn sites. Some slight ash fall might also be experienced (most ash-fall would be within 500 feet downwind of the burn site). Note also that the areas downwind from the burn sites are currently mostly vacant land or currently developed at typical rural residential densities, so the number of residents or property owners that might be affected is relatively low. Page 1 Special precautions will be taken for burns at sites that are adjacent to manufacturing facilities where smoke is a special concern. A number of the burn sites are adjacent to existing manufacturing facilities, and any burns done on those sites would accommodate any concerns regarding potential smoke impacts for potentially affected facilities. Burns would be conducted with prevailing winds that carry the smoke away from these facilities, and at a time when the manufacturing process is not in operation (such as on a weekend) and the air intake system is not turned on. 4. Reasons for When, How Often, and Where Burning Will Occur Prescribed burns will be conducted in the late summer or early fall. Burns will occur only on days when the weather conditions (temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed) provide the proper window to conduct a safe burn. Generally prescribed burns are conducted after the first fall rains have reduced regional fire hazards somewhat but fine fuels such as grasses are still brown and dormant. We anticipate that most sites will be burned once or twice during this five year time interval. It appears, from our experience to date, that the optimal burn frequency for meeting site ecological goals is once every three to four years. Areas that might be burned more frequently would be sites where test plots have been established to compare the effects of different burn frequencies, or sites where stated management goals require more frequent burns, for example, to reduce woody plant growth in prairie habitats. The areas selected for prescribed burning include the highest quality native prairie remnants under protective management. These are typically the sites that will benefit most from such prescribed burns. Many of these prairie sites contain endangered plant species which have also been shown to benefit from such burns. 5. Description of Burning Procedures The prescribed burns would be conducted by trained personnel from the US. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), The Nature Conservancy, City of Eugene, and contract crews. The BLM- Eugene District has been involved with Willamette Valley ecosystem prescribed burning since 1988. Agencies for whom the BLM has provided prescribed burning services include The Nature Conservancy, US. Army Corps of Engineers (Fern Ridge and Dorena reservoirs and adjacent lands), US Fish and Wildlife Service (Finley National Wildlife Refuge), City of Eugene, and Lane County. The Nature Conservancy and City of Eugene began providing trained staff for prescribed burns in west Eugene since 2004. The State of Oregon has delegated to the Lane Regional Air Pollution Authority (LRAP A) the authority for management of air quality within the Eugene-Springfield area. In order to conduct wetland management burning, the BLM or TNC must submit, prior to the burning season, a permit application to LRAP A that includes all of the planned burn sites for the next year. LRAP A reviews and forwards the application to the Eugene Fire Department, who in turn reviews the burn plan and issues a special letter permit. In addition, both LRAP A and the Page 2 Oregon Department of Agriculture are involved in determining whether burning can be conducted on a given day and site. Prescribed burns are conducted only under the authority of an approved prescribed burn plan, which identifies specific parameters under which the burn may be accomplished. Elements of the prescribed burn plan include: 1. The identification of the resource/prescribed fire obj ectives. 2. The prescription "window" under which the burn can be accomplished, which includes Temperature, Relative Humidity, Wind speed and direction and the conditions of the fuel to be consumed. 3. A communications plan. 4. A notification plan (for emergency services and interagency information). 5. An ignition and holding plan, which defines specifically how the area will be ignited and what resources will be used to suppress the fire along the perimeter. 6. An equipment and staffing plan which defines specifically the amount of staff that will be needed, the amount and type of equipment that will be used in the ignition and holding actions. 7. A Contingency Plan, identifying the amount and type of resources that will be on site, in addition to ignition and holding resources, in event an escapement occurs. Prior to ignition, all required permits are obtained and all jurisdictional interagency fire departments will be notified of the proposed burn. Immediately after the burn, aggressive "mop- up" is implemented to extinguish all smoldering embers, and if necessary, an infrared scan of the area will occur to detect any latent heat. 5.1. Safety precautions All of the personnel that are utilized on the prescribed burns have received extensive training in the use and application of fire in wild land and urban interface situations. In some cases, a cadre of prescribed burn teams is utilized as instructors for the wild land training courses that are presented to structural firefighters. The personnel used on the prescribed burns utilize the latest technology in firefighting equipment. Whenever possible, burning will be done adjacent to roads and trails. In instances where roads and trails are not feasible, a mowed line will be used as a holding line with proper water/foam support. The prescribed burn area is evaluated well in advance to ascertain the location of the fire lines, holding areas, water sources, and values at risk. A thorough safety briefing for all participants is conducted prior to ignition. By conducting the briefing, all personnel are informed of the sequence of events that will occur as the burn progresses and radio frequencies are verified. All weather parameters that are required by the appropriate agencies are verified. This is accomplished by launching helium balloons to verify transport wind direction and by obtaining the meteorological conditions at the site. The weather conditions are documented each fifteen minutes throughout the duration of the prescribed burn. In the event traffic control is Page 3 required professional, certified flaggers will be used, required ODOT permits will be obtained and proper signing per OSHA regulations will be instituted. The assigned Burn Boss has access to a cellular phone at the burn site and numerous radio frequencies of an interagency nature are at the discretion of the Burn Boss to use. Lookouts are posted downwind to keep the Burn Boss appraised of any abnormalities. In most cases a qualified EMT is on site to assist with medical situations. 6. Costs and Who Pays for Burning Costs of burning are paid by either the land owning agency or agency providing the burn crews. The fee for obtaining the burn permit from the Lane Regional Air Pollution Authority (LRAP A) is paid on a rotating basis by the Bureau of Land Management, US. Army Corps of Engineers, and The Nature Conservancy. These three agencies pool their native prairie prescribed burns under a single LRAP A permit. It is likely that all of the burns conducted in Eugene over the next five years will be done by a combination of crews from the Bureau of Land Management, The Nature Conservancy, Oregon Department of Forestry, City of Eugene, and contractors. 7. Conclusions This pending proposal for authorization to conduct prescribed burns follows the course of past requests that have been authorized by the Eugene City Council. The primary difference is the request to include additional sites in the authorization. We believe the proposed prescribed burning can be accomplished with a minimal impact to adjacent property owners and the general public. Page 4 USE OF PRESCRIBED FIRE IN WILLAMETTE VALLEY NATIVE PRAIRIES Edward R. Alverson The Nature Conservancy March 2006 Prescribed fire has been used as a management tool on a number of natural areas in the Willamette Valley, and scientists continue to view fire as an important management practice for meeting natural area management goals. Like any management tool, fire has potential hazards, as well as the benefits it provides. The purpose of this paper is to provide the background historical and ecological information necessary to understand why prescribed fire is considered to be so essential to natural area management in the Willamette Valley. 1. Natural History and Role of Fire in the Willamette Valley The first explorers and settlers who arrived in the Willamette Valley in the early 1800's described the Willamette Valley as supporting extensive areas of prairie and oak savanna. Land surveys conducted by the General Land Office of the US Government in the 1850's documented that about 1 million acres of the Willamette Valley were prairie lands at that time. These native prairie habitats have been greatly reduced in extent due to agriculture, grazing of domestic livestock, residential and urban development, and expansion of forest vegetation into former prairies. Only small remnants of high quality native prairie are known to currently exist in the Willamette Valley at present. The exact number of remaining acres has not been documented, but the reduction from the original extent has been estimated to be close to 99%. The exact details of how the prairies originally became established are uncertain. The prairies may have become established during a time when the climate was warmer and drier than today (Hansen 1942). At present, the climate of the Willamette Valley is sufficiently cool and moist to support forest vegetation on most sites in the absence of disturbance, but grassland or savanna may have been the "climax" vegetation at an earlier time when the climate was warmer and drier than today. However, there is some evidence that the extensive prairies were maintained, ifnot actually created, by fires set by Native Americans. A study documenting pollen deposits in the Willamette Valley since the end of the ice age has shown a positive correlation between increases in grass pollen and increases in charcoal contained in the sediments at certain times in the past (Pearl et aI., 1999). This suggests the possibility that prairies may have been created or maintained by human-set fires, since the incidence of lightning-caused fires in the Willamette Valley is generally low. More studies are needed to provide greater understanding of how prairies and savannas came to dominate the Willamette Valley in prehistoric times, but many researchers today believe that fire played a significant role. The Kalapuya Indians had abundant motivation to use fire in the landscape (Boyd, 1999). Because of the falls on the Willamette at Oregon City, the Willamette was not a maj or salmon stream, and the Kalapuya did not utilize salmon to the extent that tribes along the Columbia River did. Instead, the 1 USE OF PRESCRIBED FIRE IN WILLAMETTE VALLEY NATIVE PRAIRIES Edward R. Alverson The Nature Conservancy Kalapuya hunted game such as deer and elk, and gathered food plants from the native flora. The prairies provided the majority of their food plants, including camas (Camassia spp.) bulbs, yampah (Perideridia spp.) roots, and tarweed (Madia spp.) seeds. Though they were not farmers in the conventional sense, they used fire to maintain habitats for valued food plants just as a farmer tills and plants a field to produce a crop. In addition, the may have found fire useful in hunting game, by attracting animals to browse on the fresh green growth that emerges soon after a fire. During the millennia that the Kalapuya people (presumably) subjected the Willamette Valley to fires, a diverse flora and fauna evolved that had appropriate adaptations to avoid, withstand, or even become dependent fire to maintain suitable habitats. In some cases, these were animal and plant species occurring nowhere else in the world except the Willamette Valley. Thus it was a "natural" landscape shaped (most likely) by human-set fires that the first explorers and settlers encountered in the early 1800's (Habeck 1961, Johannessen et al. 1970, Towle 1974). Morris (1934), Johannessen (1971) and Boyd (1986) document this practice through reviews of the early explorers and missionaries journals (David Douglas-1826, John Work -1834, C. Wilkes-1845, B. Hines-1881, etc.). These records report that fires were set annually in late summer and early fall, and covered extensive portions of the Willamette Valley. The main difficulty with the historic record is that it does not clearly describe how often presettlement fires returned to any given location, and that is a pertinent question that cannot necessarily be determined from the historical record (Whitlock and Knox, 2002). Drastic population declines resulting from introduced diseases, and ultimately, the removal of the Kalapuya Indians to the Grand Ronde Reservation halted wide scale burning in the Willamette Valley in the 1830's and 1840's. Without fire, wet prairies that have been left undisturbed have in many cases gradually changed into ash forests, while the drier prairies and savannas have succeed to oak woodlands and maple and Douglas fir forests. 2. Fire Effects Having established that fires likely were a significant feature of the presettlement landscape, scientists began developing hypotheses regarding the specific roles that fire plays in maintaining prairie habitats. Historical analyses of vegetation change at individual sites led to the development of a number of hypotheses, including: 1) Fires occurring at frequent intervals maintained open prairie habitats and prevented colonization of trees and shrubs on sites where they would be able to occur if fire was excluded; 2) Many herbaceous prairie species may possess tolerance or even adaptation to fire as a frequent influence; and 3) Some non-native plant species, particularly those coming from regions where fires do not occur, may be negatively affected by fire. Thus, implementing prescribed fires could potentially reduce cover of invading woody plants, enhance the populations of native plant species, and help reduce the abundance of some undesirable 2 USE OF PRESCRIBED FIRE IN WILLAMETTE VALLEY NATIVE PRAIRIES Edward R. Alverson The Nature Conservancy non-native plants. Experience with prescribed burning in native prairies began in the 1970's at Finley National Wildlife Refuge, and continued in the 1980's on land at Fern Ridge Reservoir owned by the US Army Corps of Engineers, and at The Nature Conservancy's Willow Creek Natural Area. Eight prescribed burns have been conducted at Willow Creek, in 1986, 1987, 1991, 1994, 1996, 1998,2001, and 2005. Additional prescribed burns have occurred on BLM lands in west Eugene during the 1990's and 2000's. In general, the results of the burns have supported the hypotheses listed above. Typically, new green growth begins to sprout within two weeks after the burn; species such as tufted hairgrass, the dominant native grass in wet prairies, grow more vigorously through the fall and winter than in unburned areas. The following year, and often the following two years, see increases in the flowering and seed production of many native prairie plants. With increased flowering and seed production, the fire adapted species may gradually increase in population size. For example, a study of the State and Federal listed endangered Bradshaw's lomatium (Lomatium bradshawii) found that within two years of a fire the populations showed an increase in density of vegetative and reproductive plants (Pendergrass et aI., 1999). At Willow Creek, monitoring data consistently show native species that were used as food plants by Kalapuya people such as camas (Camassia quamash), wild onion (Allium amplectens), and yampah (Perideridia spp.) increase in abundance in the year following woody vegetation removal or prescribed fire (Jancaitis 2001). In addition, we have observed that some introduced invasive plant species, such as the ox-eye daisy (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum), show a great decrease in density of flowering plants the year immediately following a fire. While some introduced annual grasses (such as rattlesnake grass, Briza minor) and forbs typically increase in the first year following a burn, this is of less concern because the effect is temporary and is no longer evident by the second year. Patterns are also evident in the Willow Creek monitoring data at the level of guilds. For example, native perennial forbs, taken as a group, show consistent increased levels in the first year following a burn, while introduced perennial forbs generally show a pattern of decreased abundance in the first year following a burn. Woody plants, which have invaded into these native prairie remnants, have also been negatively affected by prescribed burns. Initial observations suggested that the burns are successful in killing a small percentage of trees and shrubs outright, and also kill the above ground portions of the majority of shrubs and smaller trees, but are subject to resprouting from the stump. After repeated prescribed burns, tree stumps become sufficiently damaged that they may completely consumed by fire, resulting in an end to additional sprout production. In the last few years at Willow Creek, manual removal of woody plants has been implemented in conjunction with prescribed burns, to help speed progress toward achieving site management goals. Burning also appears to reduce the use of prairie habitats by meadow voles, which are small rodents that eat vegetation. During peak years of vole abundance (such as in 2001 and 2005), they can have substantial negative impacts on native prairie communities because of their herbivory (grazing) of 3 USE OF PRESCRIBED FIRE IN WILLAMETTE VALLEY NATIVE PRAIRIES Edward R. Alverson The Nature Conservancy native prairie plants. We still have much to learn about fire effects in Willamette Valley prairies. Designing and conducting controlled experiments in field conditions is difficult, and it takes a number of years to obtain meaningful results. Data gathering is a complex and time consuming task, and we are just beginning to learn how to make experimental research more efficient. Clearly the monitoring data from prescribed burns will help us to improve our prairie management strategies as well as refine our priorities. 3. Benefits and Potential Drawbacks to Prescribed Burns Reviewing the landscape history of the Willamette Valley provides the perspective that fire has been an important component of the "natural" ecosystem for thousands of years, and monitoring data for recent prescribed burns supports the idea that many native prairie plants benefit from such fires. One of the reasons herbaceous prairie plants benefit from fire is because the fires that burn in these prairies are of low intensity and are of short duration. During a low intensity burn, the dried leaf litter is consumed, but the meristems (growing points) of the plants are left unharmed, protected in the crown of the plant or buried underground. The precise reasons for the benefits of fire are not fully understood, but a variety of mechanisms have been proposed. For some species, seeds may lie dormant in the soil until the heat from a fire breaks the seed coat and stimulates germination. The burning of leaf litter that occurs during a fire releases nutrients and makes them available to plants when they otherwise would not be, providing a sort of fertilizer effect. When the leaf litter is burned, the bare soil that is left behind may be a better microenvironment for germination of seeds of native prairie plants, due to increased light and better contact with the soil. Other biological functions, such as microbial activity, may also be stimulated by fire. Of course, fires can have negative effects as well. Most animals are able to move out of the way of typical prairie fires, and we have observed only a minor amount of vertebrate wildlife mortality (small numbers of dead garter snakes) in previous prescribed burns in West Eugene. Invertebrates, especially those that are present in the leaf litter, may be more subject to mortality by prescribed burns, but their populations can usually persist if some areas of habitat are always left unburned. Because of this possibility, The Nature Conservancy burns more no more than 1/3 of the habitat of the endangered Fender's blue butterfly at Willow Creek in anyone year. Prescribed burns will always need to be treated with caution because of the potential for fire to spread beyond the burn unit. Safety is always the paramount consideration, and it is incumbent upon the burn boss to ensure that a prescribed burn is conducted under appropriate conditions. Fire managers use computer models to predict fire behavior given certain site conditions, and under specific weather conditions. These models are used to determine the appropriate range of temperatures, humidity, and wind speed under which a burn can be safely conducted. For each prescribed burn, a burn plan is prepared that states the conditions under which the prescribed burn can be safely carried out, and if those conditions are not met, the burn is postponed until a later date. The burn plan also specifies the crew and equipment needed, and the pattern by which ignition will occur. Safety is also bolstered by providing appropriate fire breaks that are mowed or plowed around the burn unit to help contain the fire within the desired area 4 USE OF PRESCRIBED FIRE IN WILLAMETTE VALLEY NATIVE PRAIRIES Edward R. Alverson The Nature Conservancy The main drawback of prescribed burns from the point of the general public is the smoke that is generated. While a prescribed burn may resemble a grass field burn, the amount of smoke produced by a prescribed burn in a native prairie is much less than a burn of an equal area of grass seed field. This is because the amount of fuel present in a grass seed field is 2 to 4 times greater per unit area than in a native prairie. Prescribed burns in Eugene are only conducted when the prevailing wind blows the smoke away from the populated urban areas, and under atmospheric conditions that provide for the most efficient dispersal of smoke. Generally small burn units also mean that the actual length of time during which the burns occur is quite short. 4. Alternatives to Prescribed Burns A number of alternatives to prescribed burning have been proposed, but none appear to provide all of the ecological benefits of fire. Mowing can inhibit the growth of woody plants and maintain the open prairie aspect. Mowing also may improve habitat for some of the rare prairie species, if it is done at the proper time of year. For example, the Bradshaw's lomatium population in Amazon Park has greatly increased in size over the past ten years since the first mowing has been delayed until the plants have finished growth and the seeds have matured in some time in July. However, mowing large acreages can be expensive, and wet prairies typically have a very irregular surface with numerous divots, hummocks, and ant mounds that make equipment operation difficult. Mowing may promote the growth of invasive non-native grasses such as tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) Mowing also does not provide the nutrient cycling benefits or microhabitats suitable for seedling germination that fire provides. Manual labor can be used to remove woody plants that have invaded prairie habitats. In fact, at Willow Creek we have determined that manual removal is necessary to achieve our management goals because the ash and pear trees are too well established to be removed by fires occurring on a 2 to 5 year interval. Removal of woody plants also reduces the amount of fuel that the fire could consume, and reduces the smoke that is produced by prescribed fire. However, once the woody plants are removed, fire plays a useful role by killing back any seedlings or stump sprouts that may emerge. Using heavy equipment to remove woody plants is not a feasible option in native prairie remnants, because the soil disturbance would damage existing vegetation and likely allow invasive non-native species to increase. Using manual labor to remove woody vegetation causes little damage to the existing herbaceous cover, but is also expensive. It may be possible to use tractor-mounted propane torches to achieve some of the ecological benefits of prescribed burns in sites that are especially smoke-sensitive. However, the same problems with negotiating the divots, hummocks, and ant mounds mentioned above under mowing are pertinent here. Some of these alternative techniques have been compared with prescribed burning on small test plots at the BLM property between Danebo and Beltline in West Eugene. Small test plots were burned in 1994,1996, and 1998. Although this was a small study, the researchers found that burning reduced 5 USE OF PRESCRIBED FIRE IN WILLAMETTE VALLEY NATIVE PRAIRIES Edward R. Alverson The Nature Conservancy woody cover in the treatment plots without promoting non-native grasses, while mowing was less effective at reducing woody species and tended to promote non-native species (Clark and Wilson, 2000). A similar study (but with larger treatment areas) has been initiated by The Nature Conservancy at Willow Creek, but the results are not yet available. 5. Summary and Conclusions The Willamette Valley has an interesting history of interactions between human populations and the natural landscape, of which fire was a significant component. Prescribed burning is viewed by scientists and land managers as an important tool for ensuring that this natural legacy is passed on to future generations. Some type of active management of these native prairie sites is necessary to maintain open habitat conditions and keep out woody plants, and fire is the most natural means to achieve these ends. Without prescribed burning, we will find it to be both more difficult and more expensive to maintain remaining high quality native prairie sites. Although prescribed burns may result in some localized, short term inconveniences to the public, we believe that the overall benefits, both to the general public and to the natural habitats, outweigh the inconveniences involved. References Boyd, R. 1999. Strategies of indian burning in the Willamette Valley. In Boyd, R. (ed.) Indians, Fire and the Land in the Pacific Northwest. Oregon State University Press, Corvallis. Clark, D. L., and M.V. Wilson. 2000. Controlling woody vegetation in wetlands prairies, 1994- 1999. Unpublished report, Oregon State University, Corvallis. Douglas, D. 1959. Journal Kept by David Douglas During His Travels in North America 1823- 1827. Antiquarian Press, New York. Habeck, J.R. 1961. The original vegetation of the mid-Willamette Valley, Oregon. Northwest Science 35:65-77. Hansen, H. 1942. Pollen study of lake sediments in the lower Willamette Valley of western Oregon. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 69:262-280. J ancaitis, J. E. 2001. Restoration of a Willamette Valley wet prairie: An evaluation of two management techniques. M.S. Thesis, University of Oregon. Johannessen, C.L., W.A. Davenport, A. Millet, and S. McWilliams. 1971. The vegetation of the Willamette Valley. Annals of the Association of American Geographers 61:286-302. Morris, W. 1936. Forest fires in western Oregon and Washington. Oregon Historical Quarterly 35:313-339. Pearl, C.A., C. Whitlock and P .K. Schoonmanker. 1999. Holocene Vegetation and Fire History of the Mid- Willamette Valley. Unpublished report, Oregon Dept. of Transportation. 6 USE OF PRESCRIBED FIRE IN WILLAMETTE VALLEY NATIVE PRAIRIES Edward R. Alverson The Nature Conservancy Pendergrass, K.L., P.M. Miller, J.B. Kauffman, and T.N. Kaye. 1999. The role of prescribed burning in maintenance of an endangered plant species, Lomatium bradshawii. Ecological Applications 9(4):1420-1429. Towle, J.C. 1982. Changing geography of the Willamette Valley woodlands. Oregon Historical. Quarterly 83 :66-87 Whitlock, C. and M.A. Knox. 2002. Prehistoric burning in the Pacific Northwest. In T.R. Vale (ed.). Fire, Native Peoples, and the Natural Landscape. Island Press, Washington D.C. Work, J. 1923. Journey from Fort Vancouver to the Umpqua River and return in 1834. Oregon Historical Quarterly 24:238-268. 7 ATTACHMENT F 6.200 Outdoor Burnim!:. (1) No person shall kindle, maintain or allow to be maintained, an outdoor fire, bonfire, rubbish fire or garbage fire; nor shall any person kindle, maintain or allow to be maintained a fire for the purpose of burning grass, hay or straw, tree limbs and trimmings; nor shall any person maintain or allow to be maintained a fire for land clearing operations, or commercial burning; nor shall any person kindle, maintain or allow to be maintained any other type of open burning with the following exceptions: (a) Outdoor recreation fire used for cooking with the fire in a fireplace, barbecue set, or an outdoor fire used for cooking only. (b) Recreation fire in an approved campsite in fire pits provided. (c) Fires set and maintained for fire fighting training or training fire protection personnel. (d) In cases of fire hazard that cannot in the judgment of the fire marshal be removed or disposed of in any other practical manner, a fire may be allowed by written permit only. Said permit is to be issued by the fire marshal. (2) No person shall accumulate or suffer or allow to accumulate material which in the judgment of the fire marshal constitute a fire hazard. Ariy such accumulation is a nuisance and subject to abatement as provided in this Code.