Name

Ione

Priority Landscape Category

20-Year Forest Health Strategic Plan: Eastern WA Priority Landscapes

Description

In the Ione priority landscape (or priority planning area) ownership is split between the Colville National Forest (65%), private (15%), industrial forestland (10%), and DNR (8%).  The area is dominated by large, homogeneous patches of dense, medium-sized forest that make the land-scape susceptible to large patches of high-severity fire.

• Projected warming over the next 20-40 years will likely shift climate conditions suitable for moist and cold forest towards conditions suitable for dry forest. Moderate and low moisture stress levels are projected to remain on 40% of the area.
• Treating 39-50% of forested acres is recommended to increase resilience and reduce fire risk to communities using a combination of mechanical, prescribe fire, and managed wildfire treatments.
• The Colville National Forest is currently planning a large forest restoration project in the planning area that will accom-plish much of the treatment need on USFS land south of the Abercrombie-Hooknose roadless area in the northwest.
• Managed wildfire is a potential tool under the right fire weather and fuel moisture conditions to create a mosaic of open, moderate, and dense forest in roadless and other inaccessible areas. It can also maintain areas over time once the initial treatments have been completed.

For more information view and download the full landscape evaluation summary.  Data layers assocated with the landscape evaluation are available on Box.

External Resources