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Papers by Callie Schweitzer

Variability in historic fire regimes in eastern North America resulted in an array of oak savanna... more Variability in historic fire regimes in eastern North America resulted in an array of oak savannas, woodlands and forests that were dominant vegetation types throughout the region. In the past century, once abundant woodlands have become scarce due to conversion to agriculture, or development of forest structure in the absence of fire. Restoration of oak woodlands is a primary goal for land management agencies and conservation organizations. Although oak woodlands can be restored with a long-term regimen of prescribed burning, a combination of prescribed burning, timber harvesting and forest thinning produces the desired structure and composition more efficiently. Sustaining oak woodlands requires an occasional longer fire-free period to allow for replacement of the overstory by recruitment of trees from the reserve of oak sprouts that have accumulated in the understory. Prescribed fire is useful for sustaining oak woodlands, but it must be used judiciously to minimize timber damage...

Journal of Forestry, 2017

Invasive Plant Science and Management, 2013

Throughout the world, the invasion of nonnative plants is an increasing threat to native biodiver... more Throughout the world, the invasion of nonnative plants is an increasing threat to native biodiversity and ecosystem sustainability. Invasion is especially prevalent in areas affected by land transformation and disturbance. Surface mines are a major land transformation, and thus may promote the establishment and persistence of invasive plant communities. Using the Shale Hills region of Alabama as a case study, we assessed the use of landscape characteristics in predicting the probability of occurrence of six invasive plant species: sericea lespedeza, Japanese honeysuckle, Chinese privet, autumn-olive, royal paulownia, and sawtooth oak. Models were generated for invasive species occurrence using logistic regression and maximum entropy methods. The predicted probabilities of species occurrence were applied to the mined landscape to assess the probable prevalence of each species across the landscape. Japanese honeysuckle had the highest probable prevalence on the landscape (48% of the a...

The forests of the Eastern United States are diverse and provide many products and amenities for ... more The forests of the Eastern United States are diverse and provide many products and amenities for people living in the area and beyond. Eastern temperate forests play an important role in determining water yield and quality. They have the potential to sequester large quantities of carbon and influence air quality, and thus climate. Our standard of living is very much linked to the health and productivity of forests. Forests cover approximately 41 percent of the Eastern United States, on average, but vary considerably at the State level, ranging from 6 percent in Iowa to 89 percent in Maine (Smith and others 2004).

International Journal of Mining, Reclamation and Environment, 2013

Fire Ecology and Management: Past, Present, and Future of US Forested Ecosystems, 2021

Forest reconstructions provide information on the processes that influence forest development and... more Forest reconstructions provide information on the processes that influence forest development and successional patterns. Such information from late successional forests may be used to develop silvicultural strategies to create these structures, which are underrepresented in upland hardwood stands throughout the eastern USA, in relatively young stands. We quantified woody species composition, stand structure, and canopy disturbance history to document processes that resulted in late successional structure in an upland hardwood forest in Tennessee. The forest established in the mid-1800s and exhibited structural characteristics that were within the range of what has been reported for late successional forests in the region. Basal area of trees 10 cm dbh was 23 m ha , density was 252 stems ( 10 cm dbh) ha , and we noted 28 trees ha 1 60 cm dbh. The forest overstory was dominated by Quercus prinus, but Acer saccharum was the most abundant species. Quercus recruitment had been continuous...

Fire Management Today JANUARY 2021 • VOL. 79 • NO. 1 43 S outheastern forests are no strangers to... more Fire Management Today JANUARY 2021 • VOL. 79 • NO. 1 43 S outheastern forests are no strangers to fire. Historically, frequent fire was prevalent across the landscape (Guyette and others 2012; Lafon and others 2017). Today, however, wildfire affects southeastern upland hardwood forests only to a limited extent due to effective fire suppression. (An exception of note was in 2016, when the Great Smoky Mountains National Park experienced a 17,000-acre wildfire near Gatlinburg, TN, killing 14 people and causing $500 million in damage.) Most fires are quickly suppressed; human-ignited wildfires are normally small in area, driven by climate, terrain, and vegetation.

The 2019 National Silviculture Workshop

Forests

The long history of fire in North America spans millennia and is recognized as an important drive... more The long history of fire in North America spans millennia and is recognized as an important driver in the widespread and long-term dominance of oak species and oak natural communities. Frequent wildfires from about 1850 to 1950 resulted in much forest damage, and gained fire a negative reputation. The lack of fire for the past nearly 100 years due to suppression programs is now indicted as a major cause of widespread oak regeneration failures and loss of fire-dependent natural communities. The use of prescribed fire is increasing in forest management and ecosystem restoration. An understanding of fire effects on trees can provide the basis for the silviculture of restoring and sustaining oak ecosystems. We present an overview of fire-tree wounding interactions, highlight important determinants of fire injury and damage, and discuss several practical situations where fire can be used to favor oak while minimizing damage and devaluation of the forest. We also identify stages in stand ...

Variability in historic fire regimes in eastern North America resulted in an array of oak natural... more Variability in historic fire regimes in eastern North America resulted in an array of oak natural communities that were dominant across the region. In the past century, savannas and woodlands have become scarce because of conversion to agriculture or development of forest structure in the absence of fire. Their restoration is a primary goal for public agencies and conservation organizations. Although they can be restored with a long-term regimen of prescribed burning, a combination of fire, timber harvesting, and forest thinning produces the desired structure and composition more efficiently. Prescribed fire is useful for sustaining oak savannas and woodlands, but it must be used judiciously to minimize timber damage and decreases in value. Integrating fire within a modified shelterwood approach promotes competitive oak reproduction and is flexible enough to produce savannas or woodlands. Sustaining these communities requires the replacement of the overstory during periods of no fire.

Variability in historic fire regimes in eastern North America resulted in an array of oak savanna... more Variability in historic fire regimes in eastern North America resulted in an array of oak savannas, woodlands and forests that were dominant vegetation types throughout the region. In the past century, once abundant woodlands have become scarce due to conversion to agriculture, or development of forest structure in the absence of fire. Restoration of oak woodlands is a primary goal for land management agencies and conservation organizations. Although oak woodlands can be restored with a long-term regimen of prescribed burning, a combination of prescribed burning, timber harvesting and forest thinning produces the desired structure and composition more efficiently. Sustaining oak woodlands requires an occasional longer fire-free period to allow for replacement of the overstory by recruitment of trees from the reserve of oak sprouts that have accumulated in the understory. Prescribed fire is useful for sustaining oak woodlands, but it must be used judiciously to minimize timber damage...

Journal of Forestry, 2017

Invasive Plant Science and Management, 2013

Throughout the world, the invasion of nonnative plants is an increasing threat to native biodiver... more Throughout the world, the invasion of nonnative plants is an increasing threat to native biodiversity and ecosystem sustainability. Invasion is especially prevalent in areas affected by land transformation and disturbance. Surface mines are a major land transformation, and thus may promote the establishment and persistence of invasive plant communities. Using the Shale Hills region of Alabama as a case study, we assessed the use of landscape characteristics in predicting the probability of occurrence of six invasive plant species: sericea lespedeza, Japanese honeysuckle, Chinese privet, autumn-olive, royal paulownia, and sawtooth oak. Models were generated for invasive species occurrence using logistic regression and maximum entropy methods. The predicted probabilities of species occurrence were applied to the mined landscape to assess the probable prevalence of each species across the landscape. Japanese honeysuckle had the highest probable prevalence on the landscape (48% of the a...

The forests of the Eastern United States are diverse and provide many products and amenities for ... more The forests of the Eastern United States are diverse and provide many products and amenities for people living in the area and beyond. Eastern temperate forests play an important role in determining water yield and quality. They have the potential to sequester large quantities of carbon and influence air quality, and thus climate. Our standard of living is very much linked to the health and productivity of forests. Forests cover approximately 41 percent of the Eastern United States, on average, but vary considerably at the State level, ranging from 6 percent in Iowa to 89 percent in Maine (Smith and others 2004).

International Journal of Mining, Reclamation and Environment, 2013

Fire Ecology and Management: Past, Present, and Future of US Forested Ecosystems, 2021

Forest reconstructions provide information on the processes that influence forest development and... more Forest reconstructions provide information on the processes that influence forest development and successional patterns. Such information from late successional forests may be used to develop silvicultural strategies to create these structures, which are underrepresented in upland hardwood stands throughout the eastern USA, in relatively young stands. We quantified woody species composition, stand structure, and canopy disturbance history to document processes that resulted in late successional structure in an upland hardwood forest in Tennessee. The forest established in the mid-1800s and exhibited structural characteristics that were within the range of what has been reported for late successional forests in the region. Basal area of trees 10 cm dbh was 23 m ha , density was 252 stems ( 10 cm dbh) ha , and we noted 28 trees ha 1 60 cm dbh. The forest overstory was dominated by Quercus prinus, but Acer saccharum was the most abundant species. Quercus recruitment had been continuous...

Fire Management Today JANUARY 2021 • VOL. 79 • NO. 1 43 S outheastern forests are no strangers to... more Fire Management Today JANUARY 2021 • VOL. 79 • NO. 1 43 S outheastern forests are no strangers to fire. Historically, frequent fire was prevalent across the landscape (Guyette and others 2012; Lafon and others 2017). Today, however, wildfire affects southeastern upland hardwood forests only to a limited extent due to effective fire suppression. (An exception of note was in 2016, when the Great Smoky Mountains National Park experienced a 17,000-acre wildfire near Gatlinburg, TN, killing 14 people and causing $500 million in damage.) Most fires are quickly suppressed; human-ignited wildfires are normally small in area, driven by climate, terrain, and vegetation.

The 2019 National Silviculture Workshop

Forests

The long history of fire in North America spans millennia and is recognized as an important drive... more The long history of fire in North America spans millennia and is recognized as an important driver in the widespread and long-term dominance of oak species and oak natural communities. Frequent wildfires from about 1850 to 1950 resulted in much forest damage, and gained fire a negative reputation. The lack of fire for the past nearly 100 years due to suppression programs is now indicted as a major cause of widespread oak regeneration failures and loss of fire-dependent natural communities. The use of prescribed fire is increasing in forest management and ecosystem restoration. An understanding of fire effects on trees can provide the basis for the silviculture of restoring and sustaining oak ecosystems. We present an overview of fire-tree wounding interactions, highlight important determinants of fire injury and damage, and discuss several practical situations where fire can be used to favor oak while minimizing damage and devaluation of the forest. We also identify stages in stand ...

Variability in historic fire regimes in eastern North America resulted in an array of oak natural... more Variability in historic fire regimes in eastern North America resulted in an array of oak natural communities that were dominant across the region. In the past century, savannas and woodlands have become scarce because of conversion to agriculture or development of forest structure in the absence of fire. Their restoration is a primary goal for public agencies and conservation organizations. Although they can be restored with a long-term regimen of prescribed burning, a combination of fire, timber harvesting, and forest thinning produces the desired structure and composition more efficiently. Prescribed fire is useful for sustaining oak savannas and woodlands, but it must be used judiciously to minimize timber damage and decreases in value. Integrating fire within a modified shelterwood approach promotes competitive oak reproduction and is flexible enough to produce savannas or woodlands. Sustaining these communities requires the replacement of the overstory during periods of no fire.