Many countries had (and unfortunately still have) wildfires that are taking lives, destroying houses, industry, farmland and managed to natural forests. Complementing the "work" being done around the need for new policies, compensation for damage loss, etc... I would like us to get proactive and share solutions, from the strategic, technical to the funding. If possible provide real examples and scientific studies that can build evidence, or any serious report we could consider to better advice governments (local to national) as well as land owners. Thank you!!!
From our experience: after fire in natural vegetation, do not touch...let the mediterranean ecosystem regenerate himself, it is adapted to do it. However, in areas were soil is about to be lost o where are risk for population or farmlands it would be necessary to stop erosive process. Soil, seeds and vegetative organs underground must be preservated.
Two potentially useful resources for you: https://www.crcpress.com/Fire-Effects-on-Soils-and-Restoration-Strategies/Cerda-Robichaud/p/book/9781578085262 and https://www.fws.gov/fire/downloads/ES_BAR/Post-Fire_Hillslope_Treatment_Synthesis.pdf
Dear Andrés, Angela and Joaquin, thank you for your answers and references. Andrés and Joaquin, can you also provide references please so I can go deeper in your answer? Thanks. Great Hug, Gil
Dear Gil, here you have:
Cabezudo B, Pérez Latorre AV, Nieto JM (1995) Regeneración de un alcornocal incendiado en el Sur de España (Istán, Málaga). Acta Bot Malacitana 20: 143–151.
Bradstock R (2008) Effects of large fires on biodiversity in southeastern Australia: disaster or template for diversity? Int J Wildland Fire 17:809–822.
Castro J, Leverkus AB, Marañón-Jiménez S, et al. (2013) Efecto del manejo de la madera quemada sobre la restauración y regeneración post-incendio: implicaciones para la gestión y para el conjunto del ecosistema. In Actas del 6º Congreso Forestal Español, Sociedad Española de Ciencias Forestales, 6CFE 01–242.
Keeley JE (1986) Resilience of Mediterranean shrub communities to fire. In Dell B, Hopkins AJM, Lamonts BB (eds) Resilience in Mediterranean-type Ecosystems. Dr. W. Junk, Dordrecht 95–112.
I agree with our colleagues that the forest should be allowed to evolve naturally. If it is "necessary" to help regeneration, banning grazing for a few years is an imperative. To protect the soil from erosion in areas of easy access, the remains of burned wood can be crushed to form a protective layer during the first years of recovery. But it is best to rely on a natural evolution.
One of the best way would be allowing natural regeneration. Please have look in the following studies:
Article Post-fire natural regeneration of a Pinus pinaster forest in NW Spain
http://www.isa.utl.pt/ceabn/projecto/2/73/firereg-factors-affecting-the-post-fire-natural-regeneration-variability-in-pinus-pinaster-and-eucalyptus-globulus-in-portugal-implications-for-biodiversity-and-post-fire-management
Natural regeneration should be allowed to take place. However, that has to be combined with strict protection of the regenerating ecosystem from further damages by fire, human beings or grazing animals. Depending on the fire intensity and the severity of damage done, artificial regeneration may be combined with natural regeneration.
I consider that the recommended techniques to protect the soil from erosion immediately after the fire should be applied. Subsequently, in some cases, perhaps natural regeneration is sufficient, although in others it will be necessary to repopulate with the most appropriate species
The increase in temperatures predicted by climate change in the Mediterranean region is causing point phenomena to become very widespread and reiterative of forest fires. This summer the natural area Doñana it´s suffered one of the most devastating fires in its history, affecting more than 10,000 ha of forest area. The autonomous government of the Regional Government of Andalusia is developing a monitoring and monitoring of vulnerable plant species of fires, with the CSIC.
In several years we will see the results of this monitoring, response of threatened vulnerable species.
The most important problem in a mediterranean area is the torrential rainfall that comes after the summer fires. For this reason biological measures have no time to be effective controlling soil losses and some kind of structural measures have to be built. Wooden check dams and wattle fences can be placed in several places to control sediment. By this manner, watercourses can be protected from great concentration of sediment and ashes. Wood can be taken from the burned trees. Several hillslopes can be protected with straw mulch, so soil is covered and protected against rainfall and runoff. Biological measures can be done after if were necessary. Some times ecosystem can recover if the severity of the fire was low, but when fire is very intense reforestation could be done.
Dear Joaquin, Thank you so much for your reply. Can you provide scientific articles you consider robust for the proposals you are making? Thank you. Cheers
I am agree with Andrés V. Pérez Latorre. In my opinion, it is perhaps necessary not to place so much emphasis on the immediate restoration of the woodland and try to recover its natural succession stages (grasslands, scrublands...), which evolve much faster. Many of these grasslands and shrublands are habitats with conservation interest (Habitat Directive) and often also harbor various threatened species of fauna and flora.
Somo sites about sediment control after wildfires:
https://www.firescience.gov/projects/briefs/03-2-3-22_FSBrief69.pdf
http://extension.colostate.edu/soil-erosion-control-after-wildfire-6-308/
https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/PA.../download?cid...ext=pdf
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.613.3160&rep=rep1&type=pdf
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