Bob Zybach - Profile on Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Books by Bob Zybach

The Great Fires: Indian Burning and Catastrophic Forest Fire Patterns of the Oregon Coast Range. 1491-1951

This study was designed to examine the relationship between land management practices of Indian c... more This study was designed to examine the relationship between land management practices of Indian communities prior to contact with Europeans and the nature or character of subsequent catastrophic forest fires in the Oregon Coast Range. The research focused on spatial and temporal patterns of Indian burning across the landscape from 1491 until 1848, and corresponding patterns of catastrophic fire events from 1849 until 1951. Archival and anthropological research methods were used to obtain early surveys, maps, drawings, photographs, interviews, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) inventories, eyewitness accounts and other sources of evidence that document fire history. Data were tabulated, mapped, and digitized as new GIS layers for purposes of comparative analysis. An abundance of useful historical evidence was found for reconstructing precontact vegetation patterns and human burning practices in western Oregon. The data also proved useful for documenting local and regional forest fire histories. Precontact Indians used fire to produce landscape patterns of trails, patches, fields, woodlands, forests and grasslands that varied from time to time and place to place, partly due to demographic, cultural, topographic, and climatic differences that existed throughout the Coast Range. Native plants were systematically managed by local Indian families in even-aged stands, usually dominated by a single species, throughout all river basins of the study area. Oak, filberts, camas, wapato, tarweed, yampah, strawberries, huckleberries, brackenfern, nettles, and other plants were raised in select areas by all known tribes, over long periods of time. However, current scientific and policy assumptions regarding the abundance and extent of precontact western Oregon old-growth forests may have been erroneous. This study demonstrates a high rate of coincidence between the land management practices of precontact Indian communities, and the causes, timing, boundaries, severity, and extent of subsequent catastrophic forest fires in the same areas. Information developed from this study will be of value to researchers, wildlife managers, forest landowners, and others with an interest in the history and resources of the Oregon Coast Range.

Papers by Bob Zybach

Converting historical information to GIS: political boundaries of the Douglas-fir region, 1788 to 1995

Journal of Forestry, May 1, 1995

Advances in Fire Practice FALL 2009

US forests have been experiencing an escalating number of catastrophic-scale forest wildfires dur... more US forests have been experiencing an escalating number of catastrophic-scale forest wildfires during the past 20 years. US Forest Service and other local, State, Federal, and Tribal government wildfire suppression costs have also escalated dramatically, to nearly 2billion/year.PreliminaryresearchindicatesthatUSFSsuppressioncostsmayrepresentonly2−102 billion/year. Preliminary research indicates that USFS suppression costs may represent only 2-10 % of the total “cost-plus-loss ” damages to burned forests, however; recent public losses attributable to major forest wildfires may total 2billion/year.PreliminaryresearchindicatesthatUSFSsuppressioncostsmayrepresentonly2−1020 billion to $100 billion/year (or possibly more). The “U.S. Wildfire Cost-Plus-Loss Economics Project ” was founded by the four authors and other interested citizen volunteers in early 2008 to better document and publicize these losses. A comprehensive peer-reviewed wildfire cost-plus-loss ledger has been developed by the authors, and funding is currently being sought to test its functionality for the 2009 fire season. This article is intended to bring the project to public attention, d...

Neil Vanderburg Oral History

Donald Dickey Oral History

MARVIN ROWLEY: Family History and Management of the OSU Research Forests, Benton and Polk Counties, Oregon: 1946–1986, Oral History Interviews

Changing Landscapes, 2002

Editor’s note: Over the past several years researchers and land managers in numerous fields have... more Editor’s note: Over the past several years researchers and land managers in
numerous fields have begun to recognize what many Native people have been
saying for a long time; the ecological landscape in western Oregon reflects the
influence of the judicious use of fire and other plant management techniques.
Despite this recognition, relatively little research has been done to explore the
diversity of techniques Native people used to nurture the region’s ecological mosaic.
Bob Zybach applies his broad knowledge of forest ecology and historical
records in assessing the extent and variety of traditionally-tended plant communities
in and around the Alsea Valley. He shows us that U.S. land survey records hold
crucial, but largely untapped data for research on historic Native land use.

James Hanish: biographical sketch and a tour of Berry Creek, Benton and Polk Counties, Oregon: 1930-1938

... ahell of alot, some of the old orchards are still alive, but they're about dead, but. ..... more ... ahell of alot, some of the old orchards are still alive, but they're about dead, but. ..the tarp,what you want to call the flora of this place is the same.The... wasthere any logging going on up in here at that time?There might have been, I'm not sure how...I think Mr. Coote, he logged. ...

Donald Dickey : family history and life on Berry Creek, Benton County, Oregon, 1928-1941

Velma Carter Rawie : a history of the Carter family and the town of Wells, Benton County, Oregon : 1845-1941

Neil Vanderburg : family farming and saw milling on Berry Creek, Benton County, Oregon : 1935-1941 : oral history interviews

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between land management practices of Ind... more The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between land management practices of Indian communities prior to contact with Europeans and the nature or character of subsequent catastrophic forest fires in the Oregon Coast Range. The research focus is spatial and temporal patterns of Indian burning across the landscape from 1491 until 1848, and corresponding patterns of catastrophic fire events from 1849 until 1951. Archival and anthropological research methods were used to obtain early surveys, maps, drawings, photographs, interviews, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) inventories, eyewitness accounts and other sources of evidence that document fire history. Data were tabulated, mapped, and digitized as new GIS layers for purposes of comparative analysis. An abundance of historical evidence was found to exist that is useful for reconstructing precontact vegetation patterns and human burning practices in western Oregon. The data also proved useful for documenting local and regional forest fire histories. Precontact Indians used fire to produce landscape patterns of trails, patches, fields, woodlands, forests and grasslands that varied from time to time and place to place, partly due to demographic, cultural, topographic, and climatic differences that existed throughout the Coast Range. Native plants were Redacted for Privacy systematically managed by local Indian families in even-aged stands, usually dominated by a single species, throughout all river basins of the study area. Oak, filberts, camas, wapato, tarweed, yampah, strawberries, huckleberries, brackenfern, nettles, and other plants were raised in select areas by all known tribes, over long periods of time. However, current scientific and policy assumptions regarding the abundance and extent of precontact western Oregon old-growth forests may be in error. This study demonstrates a high rate of coincidence between the land management practices of precontact Indian communities, and the causes, timing, boundaries, severity, and extent of subsequent catastrophic forest fires in the same areas.

Lorna Grabe: family history and the story of the Soap Creek Schoolhouse Foundation

Using oral histories to document changing forest cover patterns : Soap Creek Valley, Oregon, 1500-1999

Eugene Glender : growing up on a Tampico family farm, Benton County, Oregon: 1910-1941

Wanda Cook's interview was first transcribed by Bonnie Humphrey, formerly of the OSU Homer Museum... more Wanda Cook's interview was first transcribed by Bonnie Humphrey, formerly of the OSU Homer Museum staff. Subsequent transcriptions and tape auditing were performed by Lisa Buschman, former OSU Research Forests secretary, who also assisted with draft editing, formatting, and indexing. Holly Behm Losli, Tami Torres and Md. Shahidul Islam, OSU Research Forests text editors, completed draft formatting and indexing under the direction of Pam Beebee, OSU Research Forests Office Manager. This project could not have been completed without the help of these people. Cover Photo: Courtesy of Myra Moore Lauridson and the Soap Creek Schoolhouse Foundation. Pictured is the Moore family farm on Soap Creek, taken about 1899 or 1900 by Mrs. Lauridson's father, Samuel H. Moore. The picture is taken toward the south and includes the northern-most portion of the Sulphur Springs Stock Ranch and the central portion of OSU's McDonald Forest in the background.

US Wildfire Cost-Plus-Loss Economics Project: The “One-Pager” Checklist By Bob Zybach, Michael Dubrasich, Greg Brenner, John Marker

... Guardian, London, England: July 22. Zouhar, Kristin, Jane K. Smith, Steve Sutherland, and Mat... more ... Guardian, London, England: July 22. Zouhar, Kristin, Jane K. Smith, Steve Sutherland, and Matthew L. Brooks 2008. Wildland ... Service • Mark Kaib, Fire Ecology, Restoration, and Planning, Southwest Region 2, US Fish & Wildlife Service. ...

Charlie Olson: biographical sketch and early history of Sulphur Springs, Benton County, Oregon: 1900-1920

INTRODUCTIONCharlie Olson's father wasa Swedish immigrant who came to America looking foropp... more INTRODUCTIONCharlie Olson's father wasa Swedish immigrant who came to America looking foropportunities. He eventually endedup in Corvallis where he worked for Fisher's Flour Mill. It was seven years before he was able tosave enough money to send for his ...

John Jacob & Wilma Rohner: family farming on Coffin Butte between world wars: Benton County, Oregon, 1919-41: oral history interviews

... 93Swiss Tripe Recipe 94Widmer Photograph 96Harvesting Harding Grass 97Local Blacksmiths 108AP... more ... 93Swiss Tripe Recipe 94Widmer Photograph 96Harvesting Harding Grass 97Local Blacksmiths 108APPENDIX Rohner Family Photographs 114INDEX 123 INTRODUCTIONJohn Jacob (Jake) Rohner and his ... Roy Barzee that lived closeto Glenders, he had two girls and aboy. ...

The oral history portion of this project remained under Dr. Atkinson's direction until January 19... more The oral history portion of this project remained under Dr. Atkinson's direction until January 1994, when it was assigned to Jeffrey Garver, OSU Research Forests Manager. In December of that year responsibility for the oral histories was given to Ann Rogers, Cultural Resources Manager for OSU Research Forests. Funding for the Soap Creek Valley History Project is provided by the OSU College of Forestry. Lisa Buschman, former OSU Research Forests secretary, initially transcribed most of the recorded interviews to computer files and assisted with draft editing, formatting, and indexing. Holly Behm Losli, Tami Torres and Md. Shahidul Islam, OSU Research Forests text editors, completed final formatting and indexing under the direction of Pam Beebee, OSU Research Forests Office Manager. This project could not have been completed without the help of these people.