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Forest recovering after 2015 fires |
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June 14, 2017 |
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In May, the Idaho Panhandle National Forests
planted approximately 45,500 western white pine,
larch and cedar in 126 acres of the Lower Flat
Salvage Sale area on the Coeur d’Alene River
Ranger District that was burned during the 2015
Grizzly Complex fires.
Hemlock needles coat the forest floor masking
the ash and burned ground. Thick stands of
intrusive hemlocks, affected by the wildfire,
look deceptively well; however, with their
fire-intolerant thin bark, much of the hemlock
in this area is already dead or dying.
Winter logging activity removed many of the
burned trees, providing an opportunity for the
district to shift the tree species composition
to more resilient tree species such as those
being planted to meet management objectives.
Despite the wildfire, lady-ferns, huckleberries,
and other plants are already thriving in the new
openings. |
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