Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve

Fire

The Cascade foothills of the BCCER are a fire-adapted habitat. Our vegetation and habitat improvement programs make use of broadcast and pile burning to reduce forest fuels and encourage native grasses. Yellow starthistle is a major target of our broadcast burns, and we have had success in restoring native plants to areas once dominated by it.

Gruenberg, Robert (2018). Effects of Prescribed Fire on Soil Physical and Chemical Characteristics (PDF)

Hankins, Don (2015). Restoring Indigenous Fire to California Oak Woodlands (PDF)

Lea, Molly (2024). Assessing seed density of Blue Wildrye (Elymus glaucus) for restoring native flora in burn pile scars in Northern California (PDF)

Lynch, Mark (2011). Beetle Response to Seasonal Prescribed Fire in Blue Oak (Quercus douglasii) Woodlands of Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve (PDF)