casey.matzke – Page 4

CO2 Flux over Burned Honey Mesquite Savanna Rangeland

April 24, 2024 by casey.matzke

Prescribed fire is a management practice used to reduce woody plant encroachment on rangeland and maintain native perennial grass diversity and productivity. Prescribed fire effects on CO2 fluxes and their contribution to atmospheric CO2 is not well known. The study below discusses the effect of fire on net ecosystem CO2 flux above Prosopis glandulosa Torr. (honey mesquite) using the Bowen ratio/energy balance method (BREB), and to compare these fluxes to fluxes determined by an empirical model.

Monthly Weather Update!

April 17, 2024 by casey.matzke

The U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook was recently released for the next three months. According to the update released on March 31st, drought will persist in West Texas and with some improvements in the Hill Country area. The precipitation forecast will not help as the next three months is forecasted to be lower than normal rain chances while the very East side of the State will receive higher than normal rain chances. In Texas, 45% of the State is abnormally dry or worse, this has increased 2% from last month.

Cost and Trends of Rx Fire in Southern Forestry Practices

April 10, 2024 by casey.matzke

Forest Landowners Foundation in conjunction with Auburn University have created a survey to analyze the cost and trends of forestry management and practices. This survey is conducted bi-annually and provides a historical analysis of costs and management practices.

Extreme Prescribed Fire during Drought Reduces Survival and Density of Woody Resprouters

April 3, 2024 by casey.matzke

Researchers looked at extreme fire conditions during drought in humid subtropical and semi-arid ecoregions that require innovative management strategies that go beyond the traditional restoration and conservation practices. These practices have either been historically ineffective or economically cost-prohibitive at restoring grass-dominated ecosystems following conversion to resprouting shrublands.

Lessons Learned – Contributing Factors to UTV Rollover on Prescribed Fire

March 27, 2024 by casey.matzke

In Feb. 2023, Oakmulgee Ranger District was conducting their first large burn of the season. Multiple off-unit resources had been requested to assist with the burn, including various firefighters from other regions, Job Corps, Bureau of Land Management, and local militia.

An Economic Comparison of Prescribed Extreme Fire and Alternative Methods for Managing Invasive Brush Species in Texas: a Modeling Approach

March 20, 2024 by casey.matzke

Did you know that 40% of the Earth’s surface is covered in Rangelands? However with the increase of brush encroachment, there has been an increase in conversion from rangeland into undesirable and unproductive species. In the Rolling Plains the primary invasive species focused on is prickly pear cactus, in South Texas Plains huisache is the primary focused species, and in the Edwards Plateau, Ashe & Redberry Juniper are of concerns. One fun fact, Mesquite is considered to be a secondary problem in all three of these ecoregions.

Drought Conditions Persist and a Weather Update!

March 13, 2024 by casey.matzke

Over the last month the Eastern part of the State has received significant amounts of rainfall, while the Western part of the State is below average. Over the next three months, see figure adjacent, it is predicted that the Western part of the State, which is already dry, will be experiencing even drier than average conditions.

UTV Incidents Dominates 2023 Lessons Learned

March 6, 2024 by casey.matzke

One of the big takeaways from the 2023 summary of incident reports from the Wildland Fire Lessoned Learned Center was the increase of UTV related incidents. Over the past 14 years, the most UTV related incidents in one year was 5. In 2023 however, there were 13 related incidents. The graph shows 15 accumulated years of UTV involved incidents, including rollovers, entrapments, equipment damage, and tree strikes.

What does a strong La Niña this summer mean for Texas weather?

February 28, 2024 by casey.matzke

During this Winter season, parts of Texas have experienced a strong El Niño presence. However, El Niño has begun to weaken and is expected to do so over the next few months. El Niño’s counterpart, La Niña, is likely to take over as early as this summer. According to the Climate Prediction Center, there is a 55% chance of La Niña conditions by June 1st.

Prescribed Fire as a Tool for Controlling Tick Populations in the Southeastern United States

February 21, 2024 by casey.matzke

Did you know that tick geographic ranges are expanding past their historical boundaries due to environmental changes? The Gulf Coast tick is found in the southeastern and southern midwestern United States and its range is expanding.