Read Chapter 5: "Forest, Woodland, Range."
Choose two of the following questions:
1. History of California forests and their management:
d. What are some characteristics of coniferous forests, and where are they found?
e. What are some characteristics of broadleaf forests, and where are you likely to find broadleaf forests in CA?
f. How much of each forest type is privately vs. publicly owned?
g. What are some of the biggest threats to oak woodlands in CA?
h. Who was Gifford Pinchot? What was his role in changing forest management in the United States?
i. How did John Muir’s philosophy influence forest practices on federal lands?
j. What were some of the drivers for western forest conversion post World War II?
k. How have recent practices incorporated a more “ecological” approach to forest management?
2. Forest dynamics:
a. What are some forest disturbances that impact species composition, and the structure of a forest stand?
b. What is succession? What species would you expect to see in an area recently exposed to a large disturbance?
c. Where did Sudden Oak Death come from, and what are its impacts on oak forests in CA? How can we help prevent the spread of SOD and the Gold‐Spotted Oak Borrer?
3. California forests and wildfire:
a. What human and ecosystem benefits arise from managing forests with wildfire?
b. How has fire suppression changed our forest structures?
c. What are some of the challenges for reintroduction of fire as a forest management tool?
4. Fragmentation and forests:
a. What are some of the key drivers for forest fragmentation in California?
b. What are some of the problems created by habitat fragmentation?
c. How does fragmentation create management challenges, and what are some tools that help mitigate habitat fragmentation?
5. Carbon sequestration:
a. How do forests sequester carbon? If it helps, draw a diagram of the paths of C through a forest.
b. Do you think that carbon credits for forestland owners through the California Air Resource Board will be an effective forest conservation strategy?
c. What other recent changes in local economies are impacting forest harvest practices in California?
6. Rangelands and livestock grazing management:
a. How are native bunchgrasses different ecologically than annuals?
b. How do grazing animals influence the species makeup of grasslands?
c. How can ranchers ensure long‐term sustainability in their grazing practices?
Write your answers in your lecture notebook or on a flash card, and bring them to the next class.