Second Forest Vegetation Simulator Conference Fort Collins Colorado February 12 14 2002

The Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) is a suite of computer modeling tools for predicting the long-term effects of alternative forest management actions. FVS was developed in the early 1980s and is used throughout the United Sates and British Columbia. The Third FVS conference, held February 13-15, 2007, in Fort Collins Colorado, contains 20 papers. They describe the use of FVS on the stand and landscape scale, and to analyze fuels management in the presence of insects and fire. Several papers compare FVS predictions of the effects of insects and disease to field measurements. FVS is continually evolving and improving in technology and capability to meet the needs of its ever increasing user community. Papers describe new methods for data acquisition and preparation for input to FVS, new economic analysis capabilities within FVS, new methods for simulating forest regeneration, new developments in calculating growth and mortality, and future plans for incorporating the effects of climate change in model simulations.

The Fire and Fuels Extension (FFE) to the Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) simulates fuel dynamics and potential fire behavior over time, in the context of stand development and management. Existing models of fire behavior and fire effects were added to FVS to form this extension. New submodels representing snag and fuel dynamics were created to complete the linkages. This report contains four chapters. Chapter 1 states the purpose and chronicles some applications of the model. Chapter 2 details the model's content, documents links to the supporting science, and provides annotated examples of the outputs. Chapter 3 is a user's guide that presents options and examples of command usage. Chapter 4 describes how the model was customized for use in different regions. Fuel managers and silviculturists charged with managing fire-prone forests can use the FFEFVS and this document to better understand and display the consequences of alternative management actions.

We describe the distinguishing physical characteristics of old ponderosa pine trees in the Front Range of Colorado, the processes that tend to preserve them, their past and present ecological significance, and their role in ecosystem restoration. Photographs illustrate identifying features of old ponderosa pines and show how to differentiate them from mature and young trees. The publication includes a photographic gallery of old ponderosa pine trees growing on poor, moderate, and good sites. We illustrate trees growing under various forest conditions and with different injuries and histories. We discuss dendrochronological methods of aging old trees and determining their fire history. The companion field guide includes a condensed description of ponderosa pine ecology, distinguishing characteristics of old ponderosa pines, and a photographic gallery illustrating their identifying features.

Explores the relationships between forest management activities and timber quality. Sessions were organized to explore models and simulation methodologies that contribute to an understanding of tree development over time and the ways that management and harvesting activities can influence the quality of timber products recovered from those trees. Five keynote addresses, 29 plenary presentations, and 16 poster presentations covered the full breadth of forest growth and timber quality issues related to forest management. These proceedings comprise 19 papers based on presentations and posters, plus 28 abstracts for presentations. Also includes abstracts and slides from the presentations prepared by three keynote speakers. Illustrations.