Page 13 - Sonoma County Gazette - January 2018

HEALING cont’d from page 12
Burned Tree Care
Even badly scarred native trees and large shrubs can recover over time, sometimes by re-sprouting at the base. Unless a blackened branch or tree would damage people or property if it fell, leave it in place until spring leaf-out, when it will be clear how much of
it is dead. Meanwhile, even
trees that are completely
dead are still important
as habitat, and their roots
still hold soil in place and
prevent erosion.
Adjust seeding rate according to the severity of the burn. In white ash areas, use at the full recommended rate, e.g. 10 lbs/acre. On black ash, either do not seed at all or seed at 4 lbs/acre.
stalled in the ways described above for wattles – in order to contain toxic ash.
Fostering Wildlife Recovery
Animals instinctively know how to respond to wildfire – but it’s OK to give them a little help too.
Wattles should be placed
1) around burned structures and ve- hicles, containing the white ash area, 2) at the top of streambanks, even on small channels, and
3) around inlets of storm drains and road culverts.
Seeding on gentle slopes of 3:1 or less can benefit from straw with a “tackifier” to help hold the seed and straw in place. Straw provides moisture retention that will improve germination and reduce seed predation by birds and rodents. Seed just prior to rain, to reduce seed predation.
Wattle effectiveness is directly tied to how level they are. As runoff water hits the wattle, it needs to go through the wattle, not along it. Use a level so that the wattle line follows the land’s contours.
Steeper slopes greater than 3:1 will need tackifier and straw, or a biodegradable erosion control fabric, to keep seed and soil from washing downslope.
Wattles are in high demand. More are being made available every day. If wattles are unavailable, use fallen branches, small berms, sandbags, check dams or staked boards – in-
No two sites are the same, and long-term monitoring with adaptive management is necessary to ensure success of seeding and erosion control efforts. Observe and adjust.
Continue to monitor burn sites as the season progresses. Seedlings should start to emerge after the first few rains. If not, you may need to seed or reseed bare areas and possibly add erosion control measures if rills form or other soil movement is observed.
Here are some tips for aiding wild animals in burned areas:
• Put out low, shallow containers of water for animals to drink.
• Do not remove natural woody debris from your property, but instead
make piles of this clean organic material in quiet corners of your property to provide habitat for smaller
creatures like quail, lizards and
frogs.
The University of California provides specifics on how to assess and respond to damage to burned oak trees. (Burned Oks: Which Ones will Survive?)Consult with an arborist if you think a large tree poses a danger and must be removed. Otherwise leave them be.
Reseeding
• Use native plant species or those known to mimic them. Local plant lists are available from the local chapter of the California Native Plant Society: https://milobaker. cnps.org/index.php/nativeplants/ gardening-with-natives
Many residents feel the urge to reseed burned landscapes – but that’s not usually the best response! Sonoma County is a fire-adapted environment, and most native trees, shrubs and flowers will recover fully without our help. In fact, many need occasional fires to be healthy.
Wildfire has always been here and it will return – and when it does, how can we make sure our community is fire-resilient? We believe Sonoma County can rebuild with fire ecology in mind, so we’re joining the conversation at every level – including multi-agency meetings at the county level – to make sure local leaders have the information they need to make good decisions on the future of our home.
Still, there are some cases where careful reseeding is recommended.
Recently, the first Sustainable Sonoma Council meeting convened nearly 20 wide-ranging interest groups to share post-fire experiences and priorities with one another. With this meeting, Sustainable Sonoma is enabling community leaders to identify shared goals that we can only achieve together.
Here are guidelines for knowing when and how reseeding should occur:
Education
Sites where seeding might be needed tend to be sloped areas that burned very hot, leaving behind a white ash on the ground. Flat areas that burned at lower temperatures, leaving behind a black ash on the ground, generally do not need any seed or erosion control measures. If practical, a thin straw mulch will help hold soil in place (see above).
Knowledge is power, and by sharing knowledge on fire history and ecology – and the way these things impact local wildlife and watershed health – we’re helping our youth and adults build a more fire-resilient community.
To learn more about what Sonoma Ecology Center can do to help you, contact us at info@ sonomaecologycenter.org or 707-996-0712.
Subscribe to our Newsletter to learn about the latest projects, upcoming events and educational opportunities.
To find out how to volunteer your time in the service of rebuilding Sonoma Valley, contact us at volunteer@sonomaecologycenter.org.
Donate to Sonoma Ecology Center’s Sonoma Valley Fires Ecological Relief Fund and help us continue our work in the service of Sonoma Valley’s environment
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• Put up nest boxes.
• Leave burned branches, shrubs and trees in place unless they pose a danger.
• Keep domestic carnivores (dogs, cats) indoors and on leash.
• Where possible, remove fences to give animals more room to roam.
Prevention
Never put fertilizer on a burn
site. Fertilizer will only enhance the growth of weeds, allowing them to outcompete native plants, and build up more flammable materials when the non-native annual grasses dry out in the summer.
If seeding is necessary, use only sterile grass seed (wheat) or short- lived perennial native grass seed mixes sold for erosion control, such as “Holdfast” available at LeBallister’s Seed & Fertilizer in Santa Rosa.