USGS Multimedia Gallery: (Video)--Elk City Fuels Reduction

I’M ROBBIN BOYCE, ASSOCIATE FIELD MANAGER, B-L-M COTTONWOOD FIELD OFFICE. WHAT WE’VE DONE HERE IS BASICALLY DONE A STEWARDSHIP PROJECT WITH A LOCAL NON-PROFIT GROUP, FRAMING OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE’VE TAKEN OUT SAW-LOG MATERIAL, PULP AND WE’RE DOWN TO THE POINT WHERE WE’RE DOING SOME OF THE FOLLOW-UP RESTORATION ACTIVITIES AND FUEL-REDUCTION – DOING BASICALLY MASTICATION, OF SLASH THAT’S LEFT ON THE SITE AND PRUNING AND THINNING OF THE UNDERSTORY.

[voice of JOYCE DEARSTYNE] FRAMING OUR COMMUNITY IS A GRASS-ROOTS NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION WHOSE MISSION IS TO DEVELOP PROGRAMS THAT CREATE JOBS IMPROVE FOREST AND WATERSHED HEALTH, AND OFFER EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.

[voice of ROBBIN BOYCE] WHAT YOU’RE SEEING NOW IS BEFORE AND AFTER LOOKING DOWN THE ROAD HERE – IT’S NOT TOTALLY COMPLETE ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE, BUT THE SLASH THAT YOU SEE OUT THERE WILL BE TREATED AND THIS WILL BE A NICE FUEL-BREAK BETWEEN FEDERAL PROPERTY AND PRIVATE PROPERTY.

BRAD DREADFULWATER, PROPRIETOR OF D-3 NATIVE WOODWORKS, L-L-C. THE VERY FIRST STAGE IS TO BRING IN THE SAWS AND DO ALL THE CUTTING, WHETHER IT’S THINNING OR PRUNING OR BUCKING WHAT’S ON THE GROUND. AND THE SECONDARY STAGE IS TO EITHER MASTICATE THE REMAINING-WHAT’S ON THE GROUND OR TO ACTUALLY HAND-PILE IT FOR BURNING.

[DREADFULWATER contd.] THIS IS A LEAVE-TREE MARK, WHERE THE INITIAL LOGGER COMES IN AND WILL TAKE PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING OTHER THAN THE LEAVE TREES. AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS IS, ONCE HE’S DONE THERE’S A LOT OF SMALLER THAT ARE STILL STANDING, WHICH PRESENTS A FUEL PROBLEM, AND SO THE HAND-CREWS GO IN AND COMPLETE THE CUTTING. SO THAT’S THE PROCESS – THE LOGGER COMES IN FIRST AND THEN WE FOLLOW HIM.

[natural sound – masticator]
[DREADFULWATER contd.] THIS IS A LEAVE-TREE MARK, WHERE THE INITIAL LOGGER COMES IN AND WILL TAKE PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING OTHER THAN THE LEAVE TREES. AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS IS, ONCE HE’S DONE THERE’S A LOT OF SMALLER THAT ARE STILL STANDING, WHICH PRESENTS A FUEL PROBLEM, AND SO THE HAND-CREWS GO IN AND COMPLETE THE CUTTING. SO THAT’S THE PROCESS – THE LOGGER COMES IN FIRST AND THEN WE FOLLOW HIM.
[natural sound – masticator]

[DREADFULWATER contd.] THE MAIN FOCUS IS WHEN WE GET DONE WITH WHAT WE’RE SUPPOSED TO DO, ON THE GROUND, THERE SHOULD BE NO POSSIBLE WAY A FIRE COULD TRAVEL THROUGH THIS.

[voice of JOYCE DEARSTYNE] WHAT B-L-M HAS BROUGHT TO OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN AREAS OF EXPERTISE, TRAINERS, SO PEOPLE CAN TAKE SKILLS THEY’E HAD AS LOGGERS AND MILLWORKERS AND TRANSITION THEM TO FUELS-REDUCTION AND RESTORATION JOBS … THERE’S BEEN A GREAT SYNERGY THAT HAS OCCURRED WITH THE TWO OF US COMING TOGETHER AS PARTNERS. AND IT HAS CERTAINLY HELPED REDUCE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD TO LEAVE …

[DEARSTYNE contd.] WE DECIDED THAT THEY HAD LIFE-SKILLS AND ABILITIES THAT WE COULD HELP TRANSFORM INTO JOBS THAT WERE MORE RESTORATION-BASED AND SAFETY-BASED, YOU KNOW, AS DEFENSIBLE SPACE.