State of the State Forests
by Bill Botti

This has been a very bad fire year in the West-one of the worst on record. An article in the Lansing State Journal back in August reported a total of nearly 4 million acres burned up to that time across the West. Dozens of homes have been lost in spite of the heroic efforts of the firefighters. The whole country was captivated by the suspense as the fire was stopped just outside Show Low, Arizona back in July.

The scale of the destruction is stunning. As I read that newspaper article, I wondered how this would compare with some of Michigan's bad fire years. My curiosity led me to the 1950 Conservation Department publication, "Forest Fires and Forest Fire Control in Michigan", by J. A. Mitchell and D. Robson. Mitchell and Robson describe some of the worst fire years in the opening chapter or the book. Some of what they wrote appears in another article elsewhere in this magazine.

Here are some statistics that proved equally stunning to me: The Peshtigo fire of October, 1871, in northeast Wisconsin burned 1½ million acres at a cost of about 1,500 human lives, while at the same time more than 2 million acres were burning in northern Lower Michigan with a toll of another 200 people. This puts the area burned in northern Wisconsin and Michigan at over 3-1/2 million acres, so it is on a par with this year's devastation in the West. The time frame, however, is quite different. While the 4 million acres burned in 2002 took place throughout the summer, the Wisconsin/ Michigan fires took only ten days!

Fires of this nature occurred often enough to make Michigan a pretty unsafe place - 1881, 1894, 1896, 1908 and 1911 being the most notable years. Because of this record and the uncountable smaller fires that occurred every year, control of wildfires became the first order of business when Michigan began to seriously consider a program of forest conservation. Even though young trees were plentiful, they would be destroyed by fires before they could attain sufficient size to develop any fire-resistance.

The first fire control efforts were made on the state forest lands with horse and plow. Fire breaks were plowed 16 feet wide down the boundaries of every upland "40" on the early state forests. The bare sand would not burn and would give fire fighters a place to stand to try to stop fires from sweeping across the area. It worked, and new forests were given a chance to get started. The fire lines can still be seen as "two-track" roads every quarter-mile in the woods near Higgins Lake, Houghton Lake, Fife Lake, in Ogemaw County, northern Luce County and other areas that were included in the very early state forests. Other than these efforts, little was done in the way of fire control beyond protecting buildings and other personal property until the 1920s.

With the creation of the Department of Conservation in 1921, the stage was set for a comprehensive approach to the fire problem. Fire wardens were hired for prevention and control work and equipment for fighting fires was developed at the new Forest Fire Experiment Station at Roscommon. Advertising campaigns cautioned people of the dangers - and liabilities - of being careless with fire. "One Tree can Make a Million Matches -One Match can Destroy a Million Trees" was one widely used slogan, according to Mitchell and Robson.

With early detection systems -first in lookout towers; more recently from airplanes - and a force of dedicated firefighters, fires could be attacked before they grew to monstrous proportions. More fire lines were added in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, increasing the firefighters' edge. Smokey Bear entered the picture in the 1940s, heightening the public's awareness. With this concerted effort, acres burned began a decline that continues to this day.

Many of the most experienced firefighters in the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), formerly the Department of Conservation, are now being encouraged to retire, causing a drain on the available resources. I spoke with Unit Manager for Fire Control Art Sutton at the DNR office in Lansing about the shape of things to come. He sees somewhat less fire prevention work in the future and says there is talk of consolidating some fire-fighting stations. It's hard to predict the effects of such actions, but time will tell.

Sutton plans to take advantage of the retirement incentive and will leave in the fall. Reflecting on his years with the DNR, he takes pride in the declining trend in acres burned, but expressed concern about some other factors. "We have many more homes in the woods now than ever before," he cautioned. "And even though the acres burned is declining, the number of fires remains fairly constant. This means that with an increased number of dwellings and their attendant burning barrels, we will have to struggle to keep the number of fires from increasing. Meanwhile, the danger of losing homes from wildfires is creeping up."

Sutton was the state's fire prevention leader for many years and expressed some concern over a new attitude on the part of Smokey Bear and his new friend "Reddy Squirrel". Smokey's message has changed from "Only you can prevent forest fires" to "Only you can prevent Wildfires." The significance of the change is that most people evidently think of forest fires as something that happens a long way from home; not the sort of thing that starts from your burning barrel in the back yard. Wildfires are thought to be interpreted as something closer to home. Meanwhile, Reddy Squirrel is saying, "No one can prevent forest fires. Be ready!"

Of course, the idea is to make people aware that they can take measures to protect their homes if they live in that wildland / urban interface. "Still, we need to emphasize the need for care and responsibility," Sutton said.

Art Sutton and his contemporaries have seen a great deal of change in the state's forest fire picture. They and their predecessors got the monster under control and made Michigan a safer place to live. Be sure to thank them when you see them.

A DESCRIPTION OF SOME OF MICHIGAN'S WORST WILDFIRES
by Bill Botti 

The following is the first of a small series to be quoted from Forest Fires and Fire Control in Michigan by J. A. Mitchell and D. Robson. It was published in 1950 by the Michigan Department of Conservation in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. Scenes such as those described below will help explain the zeal with which Michigan attacked its wildfire problem. Today, these fires are largely forgotten and people are sometimes quick to criticize the state's fire control program. Read on to see what was happening here in Michigan a little over a century ago.

"THE GREAT FIRES OF 1871 "

Michigan's first recorded catastrophic fire occurred in the fall of 1871, at the time of the great Chicago fire and the Peshtigo fire in Wisconsin which took over 1,500 lives. Overshadowed by these more spectacular disasters, the Michigan fire received little publicity outside of the state and is less well known although it covered more ground than the Peshtigo fire, and according to the best estimates available, cost over 200 lives. Like most great forest conflagrations, it was not a single fire but a combination of hundreds of fires, small and large, that had been burning unattended for weeks, only to flare up and unite when conditions became acute.

"The summer of 1871 was one of the driest on record. From early August no rain fell, pastures and gardens dried up, wells went dry, streams shrank to a mere trickle, and crops failed. Set carelessly or by settlers in clearing land, fires burned everywhere, and ran uncontrolled into the woods and swamps where they continued to smolder. September was equally dry. On October 5, forest fires were reported raging in northeastern Wisconsin. On the 6, according to the `Detroit Free Press:'

The lurid sun and warm winds which have prevailed here for several days past continues (and) fires in the woods keep up the smoky atmosphere which renders everything obscure....

"On October 7 it was reported that `the great woods and prairie fires in Wisconsin still continue and almost incalculable damage has already been done with no immediate prospect of extinguishing the flames,' and that `navigation at Detroit has been suspended owing to the dense smoke and fog unparalleled within the memory of the oldest navigators.'

"Word of the Chicago fire reached Detroit at 12:30 a.m. Sunday, October 8, the day that Peshitgo was destroyed. On the eighth also, the following news item appeared: Owing to the uncommon drought, dryness of timber and fallen leaves, numerous fires are raging in the southern portion of the State.

"On the tenth, details of disastrous Michigan fires began to arrive. Holland, it seems, had been `reduced to ashes;' Manistee `nearly consumed;' Glen Haven destroyed' and fires had swept across the state to Lake Huron. The Saginaw Valley and territory northwest was reported fire swept, and fires were said to be raging in Genesee County and the Thumb. On the twelfth, word was received that Huron City, Sand Beach, White Rock, and Forestville had been completely destroyed, that a number of persons had been burned to death, and that 'two-thirds of the population of Huron and Sanilac counties were homeless.' On the fourteenth, fires were reported to be increasing in Newaygo, Isabella, Gratiot, and Tuscola counties, and getting worse along Lake Huron. Sixty people were said to have been rescued from the lake where they had fled to escape the flames. On the eighteenth, a large section of the State was reported to have been ‘utterly desolated' and the U. S. Revenue Cutter Fesenden cruised along the shore to aid and transport victims of the fires to safety.

"The following contemporary account of conditions appears in E. J. Goodspeed's `History of the Great Fires in Chicago and the West:' Extreme drought had prevailed throughout the west for many weeks and there had not been a rainy day since the beginning of June. During this time fires were raging in the woods in many localities. The same gale which blew upon Chicago Sunday night, October 8th, swept over the burning woods of Michigan and Wisconsin, and in places increased to tornadoes, fanning the scattered fires into a general conflagration.

"The disaster was most complete between Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron. Here an area 40 miles square was completely devastated, and over 50 people were found burned to death.' While the worst was over by the eighteenth, the fire was not completely out for nearly a month. As late as October 24, smoke was reported 'troublesome' and `lake navigation difficult;' while on November 13, `contributions of money and clothing' for homeless refugees were 'still being received.' No accurate record of the area burned or the loss sustained was ever made, but it has been estimated that more than two million acres burned over, that several hundred families were rendered homeless, and that at least 200 liveswerelost. The only reason that the loss of life and improvements was not greater is that the country at the time was sparsely settled."

That was the first one. In the next issue of Michigan Forests we'll print Mitchell & Robson's account of the "Thumb Fire" of 1881.

SMALL ACREAGES CAN LEAD TO BIG BUCKS!
By Rick A. Lucas Conservation District Forester

 I am an avid deer hunter and just like many of you at this time of the year, I find myself day dreaming about the rapidly approaching seasons. It's fun to dream of the ultimate deer hunt: big bucks on a huge farm with absolutely no hunting pressure. Deer move all day long in this fantasy. From your stand you watch a massive-antlered buck create a bathtub sized scrape before leisurely walking across the open field in broad daylight with no concern of danger. Another wide-racked buck interrupts his rubbing long enough to watch. Ahh yes, wouldn't that be living? While you may not be living the deer hunter's dream, with a little planning and some careful execution, that parcel of land you own can greatly increase your odds for success and enjoyment of a hunt.

Due to the relatively small size of most privately owned parcels, few landowners have the luxury of managing their property to meet all the needs of a particular wildlife species. Additionally, not every site is created equal in terms of its potential to produce all the necessary elements to attract a particular species of wildlife. Therefore, it becomes necessary to also look to neighboring lands as a source of wildlife habitat; perhaps your neighboring property provides a vital habitat requirement that your property cannot provide.

To make a positive difference, one that helps wildlife the most, you should have a plan; even if you wish to allow the landscape to take care of "itself'. The first step you need to do when developing a wildlife management plan for your property is to have clear in your mind and written down on paper your objectives for managing your property. One way of determining your objectives is to decide what important elements are missing from the property. In other words, ask what features can be enhanced and always consider what is feasible on the land. Once you determine what you will need to support the species you desire to attract, you must determine if the habitat is there, if it can be created there, and if you could sustain it there. It will help tremendously if you understand what plants and animals you can reasonably expect to flourish on your property before you set goals, write a plan, or begin to make management decisions. Working within the context of your land and the surrounding landscapes will help you create a successful wildlife management plan.

Expecting your property to continually produce favorable results without any effort on your part would be ideal. But now we're back in the fantasy again, aren't we? When you actively manage your property, you can have a profound effect on wildlife, particularly a species like the whitetail deer. Improving habitat for a particular kind of wildlife means understanding what the animal needs to live. Knowing the needs of the particular animal allows you to decide what manipulations of the habitat will influence that species.

Once you make the commitment to manage your property to attract wildlife, don't give up. It's going to take time and effort, and yes, money. Sometimes it takes a few years to see the results, but the payoffs can be big. The key is s recognizing when you have an opportunity to make an improvement. With a little planning and some careful execution, your land management efforts can yield more wildlife than you ever thought possible.

Remember, you don't have to own or lease a large piece of property in order to have a great place to enjoy your wildlife recreation activities. In reference to quality habitat, "If you build it, they will come." For further information regarding the management of your property, make a visit to your county Conservation District office, the MSU Extension office in your county or a local DNR office. These sources of information will help you to sort through your options with the management of your property.

TOO MUCH HARVEST?
By Bill Cook, MSU Extension Forester

Timber harvest, or tree cutting, has become an increasingly controversial practice. Studies show that most people like trees, but their disconnect from raw material extraction results in a wide variety of misconceptions about forests and forest ecology. Philosophical attitudes towards forests have also evolved over the last few decades to a more antiutilitarian perspective. These trends are likely to continue.

Wood is one of many natural resources that society is built upon. Using less wood might be a good conservation as long as substitutes aren't used. Wood is the most environmentally friendly raw material there is. Using anything else will increase negative environmental consequences.

A minority of folks believe that harvesting any tree is a bad thing. Trying to change that opinion is usually futile. As a result, these people have little to contribute to productive discussions about how much and where forests should be harvested and managed.

Most people can accept the fact that we need to harvest timber. At this point, the question evolves into "can we do this without wrecking the environment?" The answer is "yes", of course. The other question is often "can't the harvest be somewhere else?" This is called the "not in my back yard" or "NIMBY" syndrome. It may not be very ethical, but it is rather common.

A higher quality lifestyle is only one benefit of wood products. Less obvious are improvements to wildlife habitat, enhanced water quality, forest health, and long-term visual quality. The forest industry also contributes major economic benefits in the form of jobs, taxes, value-added products, etc, especially in the Upper Peninsula.

So, how much timber harvest is enough?

Michigan is growing about twice the volume it harvests. We could easily harvest more without sacrificing other forest values. Michigan ownerships have lower harvest levels than their equivalents in Wisconsin and Minnesota, although comparisons require some caution.

Overall, volumes have been increasing for at least 50 years. More trees continue to age and grow larger. Shade tolerant tree species occupy greater proportions of the forest.

With nearly 10 million residents, Michigan is a net importer of wood. The United States, as a whole, is also a wood importer. Is this good in a land of surplus?

Harvest volumes are not spread equally across the landscape. Some forest types are harvested more heavily than others as large blocks become mature. Some ownerships will harvest at higher or lower levels. Market forces certainly impact harvest decisions by private forest owners. Forest health issues might dictate temporarily high harvests of certain species, such as the impact of jack pine budworm on older jack pine.

How much timber do we actually harvest in Michigan?

While numbers vary, about 4.5 million cords per year is close. Laid side by side, this pile would stretch nearly 3,500 miles! That sounds like a lot, yet the pile of annual growth wool d run nearly 8,000 miles. Both piles are tiny compared to the standing volume, though, which would run 30,000 miles past the moon!

So, do we harvest too much timber? Before jumping to any conclusions, take some time to investigate the situation and consider your consumership.

The growing and management of forests results in greater outputs of all products, both timber and non-timber, than what nature would produce on its own. The time has long passed where we can afford to ignore the relationship between societal demands and the forest base. Without careful management, the demands could easily erode the base.

Learning about the forest can be a lifelong endeavor, with many rich rewards. A good place to start is with the Michigan Forests Forever website, if you have Internet access. The address is www.dsisd.kl2.mi.us/mff. Here in the Upper Peninsula, forests are particularly critical to our well-being and lifestyle.