(McCall, ID) Ponderosa State Park was named for its signature Ponderosas. The trees have thick bark and high branches and are adapted to withstand periodic, low-intensity wildfires. Ponderosas thrive when these fires clear out less-hardy trees. However, a lack of historic wildfire occurrence in the park has allowed grand fir trees to grow and alter the natural balance over time. This has increased the risk of catastrophic wildfire.
For three decades, Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation (IDPR) has addressed these conditions at Ponderosa State Park by mimicking natural wildfire disturbance with low intensity prescribed fire, tree thinning and other forest management methods.
“The Watertower II project will continue these natural resource management efforts,” said Matt Linde, Ponderosa State Park Manag er. “It will connect two previously treated areas, creating a continuously restored site from east to west across the park.”
The project will focus on cutting (thinning) select grand fir trees. Work will include road edge maintenance and the creation of “fuel breaks” that will facilitate better emergency access and evacuation routes. Fuel breaks are areas where bushes, low branches, and other wildfire-risk fuels are removed. Fuel breaks also help slow wildfire.
The project is planned to begin the last week of November and continue through mid-January. It is in a 35-acre block of land north of the new Kokanee Cove entrance road within the park roads to the north, east and west.
