State 1
Reference State

Moderately open stands of ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir with reoccurring ground fires keeping shrubs and regeneration from increasing into dense stands. This site has good productivity and tree stocking so fires would have to reoccur regularly to keep stand density down. Understory vegetation is dominated by shrubs like snowberry, serviceberry, oceanspray, spiraea, and Scouler willow. Pinegrass and elk sedge were also abundant. Regeneration would include both Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine. As shade increases Douglas-fir regeneration would be more prominent. Fire exclusion has caused much of these sites to have dense stands of Douglas-fir and some ponderosa pine. Ladder fuels and fuel loads increase from understory brush. Stand replacing fires are more common now with ceanothus and other shrub species occupying the sites. Most of this site occurs on lower foothills and human activity has led to land conversion to fruit orchards, pasture, and home developments. Major insects for Douglas-fir that can cause mortality are the fir engraver, western spruce budworm, and Douglas-fir beetle. The Douglas-fir tussock moth can also cause concern. Drought and dense stands developing from prolonged fire intervals enhance beetle attack and tree mortality. The western pine beetle, mountain pine beetle and pine engraver can cause mortality in ponderosa pine. Dwarf mistletoe can be a found on both Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine. Dwarf mistletoe was found in over 40 percent of the acreages in the Eastern Cascades where Douglas fir was a major stand component. Again, dense stands underneath infected trees from prolonged fire intervals causes mistletoe to spread easier. Fuel loads and ladder fuels increase fire intensity as a result. Other diseases include annosum, laminated, and armillaria root rots. These root rot diseases are enhanced through soil compaction and root damage though selective logging and road building.

Community 1.1
Reference Plant community, Open PP-DF

Figure 6. Mid-seral moderately open stand of DF and Ppine with shrub/pinegrass understory

Open to moderately open stands of mature ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir with a mixture of shrubs, pinegrass, elk sedge, and Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine regeneration. Open stand on Ppine and Dfir With scattered Ppine and Dfir Regeneration. Understory veg. a mix of shrubs and pinegrass Age: 125+ years

Resilience management. Community Pathway 1.1A Reoccurring frequent ground fires maintain open stand conditions

Community 1.2
Stand Replacement

Grass/shrub/regeneration phase after disturbance like fire. Shrub competition could be severe depending seed source for tree regeneration. Shrub and pinegrass phase with Ppine and Dfir regeneration Age: 0-20 years

Community 1.3
Stem Exclusion

Dense stands of Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine grow and stem to stem competition begins. Understory vegetation limited under dense stands. Dense pole stands of Ppine and Dfir Understory veg. reduced Age: 20 – 60 years

Community 1.4
Understory Initiation

Understory vegetation increases with canopy gaps. Ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir stands continue to grow into mature stands. Shrub species increase and Douglas-fir regeneration present. Canopy gaps with tree mortality increase understory vegetation. Some Douglas-fir regeneration. Age: 80+ years

Pathway 1.2B
Community 1.2 to 1.1

Reoccurring fires reduce tree regeneration and shrubs allowing regeneration survivors to grow in open stand conditions.

Pathway 1.2A
Community 1.2 to 1.3

Tree regeneration grows into dense pole stands of Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine. These stands may occur as a mosaic on the landscape depending tree-shrub competition during the establishment phase 1.2.

Pathway 1.3B
Community 1.3 to 1.2

Fire pushes site back to shrub/grass/regeneration phase. Ceanothus and other shrubs pose competition for tree establishments.

Pathway 1.3A
Community 1.3 to 1.4

Pole stands grow and canopy gaps occur from stand competition increasing shrub understory.

Pathway 1.4A
Community 1.4 to 1.1

Sporadic mixed severity fires open up stands in a mosaic and reoccurring ground fires create conditions as in reference phase 1.1.

Pathway 1.4B
Community 1.4 to 1.2

Stand replacing fire pushes site back to shrub/grass/regeneration phase. Ceanothus and other shrubs pose competition for tree establishments.

State 2
Fire Exclusion

Homogenous dense stands of Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine with large understory shrub fuel loads are now typical of this ecological site due to fire exclusion. This leads to more probability of severe stand replacing fires.

Community 2.1
Dense stand of Ppine and Dfir. Understory of large shrubs and increased fuel load. Age: 100+ years

Homogenous dense stands of Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine with large understory shrub fuel loads are now typical of this ecological site due to fire exclusion. This leads to more probability of severe stand replacing fires.

State 3
Land Conversion

Lower landscapes of this ecological site are converted to orchards, pastures, and other human developments.

Community 3.1
Land conversion

Land converted to pasture, orchards or home development

Transition T1A
State 1 to 2

Fire exclusion causing increased tree density and fuel load buildup in mature stands

Transition T1B
State 1 to 3

Forest converted to orchards, pasture, or human developments.

Restoration pathway R2A
State 2 to 1

Selective tree removal and prescribed burning to restore open stand conditions.

Restoration pathway R3A
State 3 to 1

Conversion back to forest through intensive site preparation, tree planting, and maintenance.