Forwarded on behalf of the Burns Bog Conservation Society, included (below) is a brief question and answer on the fire provided by David Bellamy, the BBCS's chair and international peat bog expert extraordinaire!
The Burns Bog Conservation Society is holding a JOG FOR THE BOG, Sept. 25th at the 6500 block and Westview Drive in Delta, Time: Registration, 9:a.m.
Proceeds go to our education programs. Registration on site: $35.00 (September 8th was the last day for early preregistration). If you wish more information contact; Burns Bog Conservation Society, 604-572-0373
Nominations open for Celebrating Women & the Spirit of the Cranes
November 19, 2005. Awards Ceremony, March 11, 2006
REMEMBER, HEALTHY BOGS MAKE HEALTHY RIVERS.
Eliza Olson
President
Burns Bog Conservation Society
Unit 4, 7953, Delta BC V4C 6P6
Ph. 604-572-0373
Toll Free. 1-888-850-6264
Fax.604-572-0374
www.burnsbog.orgProtect. Provide. Educate.
Our Mission: conserving and protecting Burns Bog forever.
Contact us for more information about our events and products for sale. Our "Waspinators" are selling like hotcakes!
Fire-related questions:
Peat Fires:
Q: How far into the peat can the fire burn without irreversible impacts on the living peat layer?
A: THE SHALLOWER THE BETTER BUT REGENERATION WILL TAKE PLACE AS LONG AS THE WATER TABLE IS RESTORED
Q: How quickly will burned or singed peat revitalize?
A: RAPIDLY AS LONG AS WATER TABLE IS RESTORED (notice the trend here!!!)
Q: Tree Removal:
- What is the impact of removal of the tree layer? Is that a positive impact?
- Will the lodgepole be an early succession on the burned peat lands? How can that be managed?
A: NATURAL SUCCESSION WILL SLOWLY TURN THE BOG INTO A FOREST, BURNING (BOTH NATURAL AND PEOPLE INDUCED) CAN HELP SLOW IT. THE REMOVAL OF THE SEEDLINGS BY HAND IS THE LEAST DAMAGING AND THE TINY TREES CAN BE SOLD AS HERITAGE TREES FOR GARDENS ETC. LARGER TREES (BUT THE YOUNGER THE BETTER ) CAN BE CUT BUT MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE BOG. AND SOLD AS HERITAGE FIRE WOOD. THE REMOVAL OF THE TREES SHOULD SLOW EVAPOTRANSPIRATION AND IMPROVE WATER TABLE BALANCE. ANNUAL REMOVAL AROUND THE BURNED AREAS WOULD HAVE THE BEST RESULTS BUT IS PAINSTAKING WORK.
Q: Wildlife:
- Is it reasonable to expect that most mammals will move out of the way of the fire and not produce large scale mortality?
A: YES
- Will smaller mammals and herptiles migrate underground and be spared?
A: IF THE FIRE IS NOT TO INTENSE THEN SOME WILL SURVIVE IN POOLS.
Impacts of Fire Fighting:
- What impacts would the dumping of salt water have on the bog vegetation?
A: FRESHWATER PLEASE!!!! SEA WATER WILL CAUSE ADVERSE EFFECTS ON PH
- What impacts would the dumping of fire retardant have on the bog vegetation?
A: UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME BUT I FEEL IT SHOULD BE AVOIDED
Q: What will be the impact of the ash residue on the pH of the bog?
A: THE BOG SHOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE IT- AS LONG AS THE WATER TABLE IS OK.
Q: Can any of these negative impacts be mitigated? Do they need to be? What baseline data about the burn do we need to collect to facilitate later monitoring and trend analysis?
A; PH OF THE BURN AREA AND AT DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE BOG BOTH OPEN AND FORESTED. WITH THE GLOBAL WARMING / CLIMATE CHANGE QUESTION STILL RAGING THE RECENT TREND ON RAINFALL IN AND AROUND DELTA NEEDS TO BE CHECKED. IF PRECIPITATION, ESPECIALLY SUMMER HAS GONE UP THAT WILL BE GOOD NEWS.
Q: Should we be contemplating some accelerated rehabilitation of the bog by planting plugs of moss or plant material?
A: if THERE ARE POOLS THE SPREADING OF CHOPPED AQUATIC SPHAGNA CAN HELP AS EVEN TINY PIECES CAN REGENERATE. YOU CAN EVEN GIVE IT A VERY SHORT WHIRL IN A BLENDER SO THAT VERY LITTLE WILL GO A LONG WAY. YOU COULD ALSO TRY IT WITH THE SPHAGNUM A LAWN AND COMMON HUMMOCK SPECIES
Q: Fire Management:
- Does the experience of the firefighters suggest the need for fire-fighting trails and roads to minimize impacts from access by equipment?
- What factor does water table play in managing or reducing fire risk in peat bogs?
A: IN MY OPINION THIS IS OF CRUCIAL IMPORTANCE
AN IMPORTANT ASIDE IN THE LIGHT OF HURRICANE KATRINA BURNS BOG IS MOTHER NATURES OWN SOLAR POWERED SEA DEFENCE AGAINST STORM SURGES (AS ALL COASTAL WETLANDS ARE) DRAIN 0R IMPAIR THEM IN ANY WAY AT YOUR OWN RISK.
DAVID BELLAMY
Author
Topic: Burns Bog Fire Q&A / Jog for the Bog is still a go! (Read 2691 times)