Download The Benefits of Vegetation Management

The Benefits of
Vegetation
Management
Jennifer Dann, New Mexico State Forestry
“My examination suggests that the
abundance and ubiquity of pine
needles, dead leaves, cured
vegetation, flammable shrubs,
wood piles, etc. adjacent to,
touching, and or covering the
homes principally contributed to
the residential losses.”
Dr. Jack Cohen, USDA Forest Service
Los Alamos Cerro Grande Fire
LANL
Managing vegetation for fire risk
 Fire-resistant plants
 Plant placement and spacing
 On-going plant maintenance
3 feet
Lean, Clean, and Green
30 feet
100 – 200 feet
Reduced Fuels
Vegetation Management
 Plant Removal
 Pruning
 Dead Vegetation Removal
 Watering and Mulching
 Thinning and Spacing
 Monitoring Overall Tree Health
Removal
Pruning
Dead Vegetation
Water & Mulch
Thinning & Spacing
Tree Health
Plant Removal
Removal
Pruning
Dead Vegetation
Water & Mulch
Thinning & Spacing
Tree Health
Plant
Removal
 10 feet around
propane tanks
Pinterest
Plant
Removal
 10 feet around
propane tanks
 In front of:
 foundation vents
 large picture
windows
 and under eave
vents
Plant
Removal
 High flammability
plants within 3 feet of
house
 Contain fine, dry,
or dead material
within the plant
 Contain volatiles,
aromatic
 Loose or papery
 Taller than 2 feet
If you live in a high fire risk
community, these plants
should not be within 30 feet of
your house
Pruning
Removal
Pruning
Dead Vegetation
Water & Mulch
Thinning & Spacing
Tree Health
Pruning
 Trees close to
house above lower
roof line
Pruning
 Trees close to
house above lower
roof line
 Branches within 10
feet of chimney
cynthiaandmark.com
Pruning
 Trees close to
house above lower
roof line
 Branches within 10
feet of chimney
 Low tree branches
Pruning
 Trees close to
house above lower
roof line
 Branches within 10
feet of chimney
 Low tree branches
 Shrubs under trees
How to prune without hurting
yourself or your tree
ebaumsworld.com
 Wear eye protection!
 Gloves, long pants and
sleeves, nose and mouth
cover, head protection
 Sharpen and clean tools
 Feet on the ground - if you
use a ladder, respect its
limits
 If you are not trained on
how to operate a
chainsaw, don’t use one
 Do not work near utility
lines
Southern Living Magazine
If you can’t do it safely, hire a
certified arborist.
Where to Make
Pruning Cuts
• Pruning cuts are tree
wounds.
• A good cut leads to
good wound wood
closure.
• No flush cuts!
• Make pruning cuts
outside branch collar
• Better to err on the
side of leaving extra –
you can cut it off later.
Joran Viers
Pruning Larger
Branches
Three-step cut without
bark stripping:
A. Undercut about 6” out
from final cut, go halfway
through branch
B. Cut from top down just
beyond cut 1
C. Finish cut on target
www.1800treeexpert.com
Don’t Go Overboard
• Large, mature trees are less
tolerant to pruning
• General rule of thumb: no
more than 25% of leafbearing canopy
• Avoid “lion’s tailing” and other
structural instability
Remove dead vegetation
Removal
Pruning
Dead Vegetation
Water & Mulch
Thinning & Spacing
Tree Health
Remove
dead
vegetation
 Leaves/Needles
Remove
dead
vegetation
 Leaves/Needles
 Grasses
Remove
dead
vegetation
 Leaves/Needles
 Grasses
 Dead branches
Remove
dead
vegetation
 Leaves/Needles
 Grasses
 Dead branches
 Old woody growth
Rearranging does not
count as removal
grit.com
Watering and Mulch
Removal
Pruning
Dead Vegetation
Water & Mulch
Thinning & Spacing
Tree Health
How much do I water?
It depends.
soil type
climate/weather
species
watering system
Watering
 Plants at base of
home well-irrigated
Watering
 Plants at base of
home well-irrigated
 Deep and less
frequent watering best
Watering
 Plants at base of
home well-irrigated
 Deep and less
frequent watering best
 Watering system that
expands with plant
Mulch
 Mulch to help retain
moisture
 Non-combustible
within 3 feet of house
 Larger chunks less
flammable
 Keep moist
Mulch gone wrong
Mounding around trunk
Too deep
Plastic barrier underneath
Thinning and Spacing
Removal
Pruning
Dead Vegetation
Water & Mulch
Thinning & Spacing
Tree Health
Thinning
and Spacing
 Separation
between trees and
low-growing plants
Thinning
and Spacing
 Separation between
trees and lowgrowing plants
 Breaking up space
between plants with
low-combustible
materials (turf,
gravel)
Thinning
and Spacing
 Separation
between trees and
low-growing plants
 Breaking up space
between plantings
with lowcombustible
materials (turf,
gravel)
 Separation
between shrubs
and trees
Thinning
and Spacing
 Slope matters –
the steeper the
slope, the further
out you should
space and thin.
Monitoring Tree Health
Removal
Pruning
Dead Vegetation
Water & Mulch
Thinning & Spacing
Tree Health
Monitor Tree Health
 Insects/Disease
Tom Zegler
Monitor Tree Health
 Insects/Disease
 Other damaging
agents
“Cultural practices and
landscape management
(e.g., pruning, irrigation, and
cleanup) have a greater
impact on whether or not a
plant ignites than does the
species.”
University of California, “Home Landscaping for
Fire”
www.nmforestry.com